The Landscape Architecture Legacy of Dan Kiley

The Exhibition

Remarkably, the centennial of Kiley’s birth in 2012 went uncelebrated—something that would not have happened with many architects of similar stature. That’s why The Cultural Landscape Foundation decided to create a traveling photographic exhibition featuring 45 newly commissioned images of Kiley-designed landscapes in the United States and France.

What is landscape architecture?

The profession of landscape architecture dates back to 18th century Europe, when designers were hired by wealthy royal residents to transform the grounds of their palaces and manor homes. But by the 19th century, the role of landscape architects broadened and shifted. In the United States, cities were growing rapidly and governments needed to create urban landscapes for whole neighborhoods. Designers like Olmsted and Vaux began working at larger scales and collaborating with urban planners and architects across the country to create parks and boulevard systems.

Among the 27 sites included in the exhibition, you’ll find notable places such as:

• Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri (featuring Saarinen’s Gateway Arch) and the
• Ford Foundation in New York City (by architect Kevin Roche). There are also a handful of private residences in the exhibition,
• including the famed Miller House and Garden in Columbus, Indiana (another collaboration with Saarinen,
• as well as designer Alexander Girard). Several of Kiley’s projects have been lost or severely altered,
• such as Lincoln Center in New York City and Dulles Airport near Washington D.C. These works are not exhibited as their original designs are no longer present.