Ian Mcharg and the Search for Ideal Order

This book looks at the well-known and studied landscape architect, Ian McHarg, in a new light. Kate John-Alder explores McHarg’s formative years, and investigates how his ideas developed in both their complexity and scale. As a precursor to McHarg’s approach in his seminar book Design with Nature , this book offers new interpretations into his search for harmonious environmental order and outlines how his struggle to understand humanity’s relationship to the environment in an era of rapid social and technological change reflects an ongoing challenge that landscape design has yet to fully resolve.

Kathleen John–Alder is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Rutgers University. She is also a registered landscape architect with over twenty years of professional experience. Her research involves the transformative role of ecology and environmentalism in the discourse of mid-twentieth century landscape design. To date this work has concentrated on the interdisciplinary process-theories and systems approach of the landscape architects Ian McHarg and Lawrence Halprin. Kathleen’s research also explores the way designers translate, prioritize and combine cross-disciplinary knowledge. This work has resulted in an Award of Excellence from the Van Alan Institute and the National Park Service for the design competition Parks for the People.