Jens Jensen, the Frank Lloyd Wright of landscape architecture

Many of you may have allowed Jens Jensen’s 150th birthday to pass unnoticed in 2010. I know I did. And some of you may not know of Jens Jensen, an immigrant who started as a street sweeper and rose to become Chicago’s best-known landscape architect.

A number of Jensen’s landscapes are now part of the Chicago Park District, which took note of his 150th birthday in the above video.

Columbus Park in Austin is considered Jensen’s masterpiece. You can learn a bit of the park’s history in the above video.

The Chicago Park District may well be our most accomplished and competent governmental body. This summer, consider venturing out into the neighborhoods and exploring some of the magical landscapes you’ll find in the larger parks.

Added: A hat tip to The Cultural Landscape Foundation for alerting us to its interactive documentary tour of Columbus Park.

(Visited 597 times, 1 visits today)