Feng Shui and Landscaping.

Feng translates simply as wind and Shui translates as water.The following is an abridged brief paper by Dongsu Jang, (Dept. of Landscape Architecture, Hankyong University, South Korea). It does negate the now inherent view of Feng Shui as an 'interior designer led, sandals and lentils, buzzword' but is in fact a real science taking into account all the factors needed to design large scale landscaping or woodland.The paper was delivered to the International "Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Forest Management: the role of traditional knowledge'' conference in Firenze, Italy in 2006.The Korean Traditional Forest Planted near Sugu by the Backgrounds of Feng ShuiFeng Shui is an ancient method of approaching property that maintains balance and harmony for those that hold or use the land as well as for the earth itself. Rooted deeply within the scientific disciplines of ecology, topography and hydrology, Feng Shui is the means to deal with environmental opportunities and constraints for citing a city and to bridge the gap between nature and the city.Until the present Feng Shui has been a powerful paradigm which has affected the formation of the spatial structure of cities in Korea. We can define Feng Shui as the theory of spatial formation and suitability analysis based on the concept of oriental natural organismic animism, (the cultural beliefs of spirits or souls attached to living things in China and Korea).Feng Shui's main goal is to make and search for the best sites or Myungdang, surrounded by mountains or hills which will moderate the winds and help to gather and define the flow of waters.The climate being ruled by the winds, the winds become the cause of all things. Too much wind is malicious. In short the object of managing the winds shall essentially complete an urban topography encircled on all sides without an opening in order to moderate the winds.One of the most important observation objects is Sugu, (a floodgate of sorts, where a river dispenses from a narrowing gorge) in Korea. But the Sugu areas in a traditional city are usually open and is where the mounds, ponds, monuments and plantings are built. The forest planted on the edge of a traditional city or a gorge in which a strong wind is funnelled is called a Sugumagi.The Sugumagi not only played an important part in protection against the cold winds of winter and summer storms but also controlled an internal temperature and humidity. As such it is one of the best ecological methods to construct a friendlier, healthier, temperate environment.Essentially an urban topography encircled on all sides without an opening was completed by planting the forests near the Sugu.

In western terms this approach for landscaping has only been carried out largely by the foresighted landscape architects working with many others and have had to cross the various scientific disciplines in order to get the desired result. (recent work in Sheffield is a classic example of this as well of course as the work in Barcelona prior to the olympics held there). Unfortunately though what tends to happen is a largely disjointed 'vertical plan or mapping' based not on the needs of a population but purely on aesthetics, which can more often simply not work when completed. If the resources are in place and the desire to look at the health issues of the population, environmental controls etc., are added into the equation, large scale urban landscaping can tackle needs well beyond the blinkered approach many adopt in the decision making process, usually in a room somewhere in a town hall.Landscaping goes well beyond the boundaries of an industry, it encompasses so many of the sciences as well as culture and heritage issues. It is a profession of people who need to have or have access to so many other disciplines and it is growing into being one of the most cutting edge fields of expertise on the planet given the real benefits for a future which the industry can help to provide.www.paysagedurable.com

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