Allure and prospect
Tony Milne of Rough Milne Mitchell Landscape Architects on the fascinating draw of life’s many pathways.
The allure of a curved path, matched only by a flight of curved steps, I find inherently inviting, even seductive.
Suggestive of movement, awaiting the transfer of resting energy to kinetic, these are elements in the landscape that implore exploration.
The concealment of the full extent of your intended route, let alone your destination, can arouse and pique a sense of excitement, a sense of the unknown, a sense of prospect. Some may find it uninviting, too, with thrill and mystery giving over to trepidation.
The fundamental role of a path, with or without steps and irrespective of its alignment, is as a connector. A nexus for civilisation, whether that be to socialise, explore, invade or trade. Maybe a route, too, for escape or simply perambulation.
Paths and steps, while their resulting form is often borne from a functional need, do present fabulous design opportunities. They are a chance to choreograph and manipulate one’s movement and experience both horizontally and vertically through the landscape. Having recently returned from time spent in Europe, I am reminded of this.
Paths and steps that are broad, visible and with an easy “going” – the term used to define the riser and tread ratio – are suggestive of a smooth ascent or descent. Conversely, narrow, steep, curving steps may well evoke a sense of the unexpected, and potentially a physically tougher proposition.
In the coastal cities and towns of Croatia and southern Italy, the many paths we walked or ran, with the steps we climbed, left an indelible impression. Some were formed of stone, others of concrete or gravel. Many seemed to cling to land’s edge, etched from the slopes that greet the sea, providing seemingly impossible access to wondrous views or hidden beaches.
Quite often these routes confounded conventional construction techniques, unshackled too from modern health and safety requirements. That also was the joy of them. Our movement at times tentative but ambulatory too, skirting craggy outcrops while flirting with the naked edge as we sought our next swimming spot in the Adriatic. The theory of risk and reward I could now understand and appreciate.
At other times our movement was relaxed, casual and languid, responding to the broad and easy nature of our chosen path. At Kew Gardens, the Great Broad Walk at 320 metres in length and eight metres in width is purposely long, wide and inviting. A leisurely stroll can be had. The path is defined by Flemish bricks to both sides, adjacent to which herbaceous perennial borders invite pause and ponder. The Penstemon ‘Sour Grapes’ are somewhat more cheerful than its name suggests.
And at times we simply sat on steps. The expansive flight of steps leading to Duomo di Amalfi, Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea, from the Piazza del Duomo in Amalfi provided the perfect prospect. While suggestive
of heavenly ascension, it’s a place also to perch, lick a gelato and delight in the casual observation of the foibles of human nature within the piazza.
Possibly our favourite path and steps we trod while in Croatia were undistinguished and somewhat ramshackle, but they led to a small terrace on which we sat most days with an overlook of Bacvice Beach. We would play two-handed euchre and drink local lager while secretly enjoying the plumes of cigar smoke wafting from adjacent tables. Only a short stroll home to end our day.
