NEWS REPORT
A new breed of extraordinary outdoor spaces is reviving the Regency trend for pleasure gardens – and we couldn’t be happier to see them
The revival of the Regency trend for pleasure gardens
apivotal scene from the hit Regency-inspired Netflix show Bridgerton transports viewers to the glittering and heady Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens of the early 19th century for an outdoor ball. Pleasure gardens such as this spectacular example were one of London’s most significant leisure innovations of the time. Laid out as formal gardens, with shrubberies and miniature waterways, they were dedicated outdoor spaces for eating and drinking, operas, masquerades, illuminations and were also the places to see the latest in art and design or ‘promenade’ with a friend. There was an entrance fee but the gardens were open to all for enjoyment of the outdoors – encouraging families to leave their cares behind – and they drew enormous crowds for more than two centuries.
And now our collective crisis of confinement has given birth to a new breed of outdoor spaces, designed for comfortable socialising, appreciation of nature and good old-fashioned fun. Rising up out of New York’s Hudson River, newly opened Little Island designed by Heatherwick Studio and funded by media mogul Barry Diller and his fashion designer wife Diane von Fürstenberg is a floating island oasis. Featuring rolling hills and 100 species of trees and shrubs, winding pathways lead to dazzling views. Little Island also has a 700-seat amphitheatre for year-round performances, with an illustrious roster of independent entertainers – including storytellers, artists and musicians – located at various vantage points lending a festival-like feel to the space.
In London, the traditional ritual of promenading was reborn in lockdown and planned new spaces should ensure its popularity continues to rise . The new Camden Highline (which is due to open in 2024) designed by James Corner of Field Operations – the architect behind the legendary New York High Line – will turn a disused stretch of railway viaduct into an elevated park and walking route. ‘Promenading is about strolling in the context of being amongst other people,’ says James. ‘Implicit is the idea of alternating between seeing and being seen. Designing the promenade is about curating this sequence of settings, inviting journeys and strolls while choreographing the unfolding of experience, opportunity and interactivity.’ Sections of the walkway will contain picnic tables,
“Promenading is about alternating between seeing and being seen”
conversation pits, grandstand seating and trampolines. Hanging vines will be planted to grow over the edge of the viaduct and there will be planters containing birch and oak trees, with butterfly gardens adding to sensorial enjoyment.
Pleasure gardens were also places to be immersed in the latest offerings in arts and culture. The Natural History Museum in South Kensington has unveiled plans to transform the iconic 19th-century building’s five-acre gardens into a paradise transporting visitors back in time. The gardens (which are slated for completion in 2023) will include plants, fossils and exhibits that echo different geological eras ranging from the Cambrian period 540 million years ago to the present day. Cafes will be nestled within Victorian-inspired orangeries and palm houses, and a towering replica of Dippy the museum’s beloved dinosaur will take pride of place.
Meanwhile, Paris’s mayor Anne Hidalgo has recently proposed a €250 million plan to ‘re-enchant’ the historic Champs-élysées into an ‘extraordinary garden’. The 10-year project headed by Philippe Chiambaretta Architects (PCA) aims to transform the legendary avenue, which according to locals has lost its splendour during the last 30 years. ‘The world is collectively experiencing a crisis with Covid-19 that makes the environmental emergency more visible than ever,’ says Philippe. ‘By bringing together the Tuileries, the Place de la Concorde, the Jardin des Champs-élysées, the Port des Champs-élysées and the Esplanade des Invalides, we can obtain a 78-hectare park, the largest in the Paris area, which forms a third green lung for the capital.’ The new vision for the Champs-élysées will see pedestrianised thoroughfares with plans to reduce space for vehicles by half, creating tunnels of trees to improve air quality, curated cultural offerings, new cafes and wellness facilities aimed at drawing Parisians back to appreciate its charms once more. It seems the future is green, and we can’t wait to be breathing it all in.