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Epic Stones Accreted layers of conquests and invasion over thousands of years have formed a sedimentary layering of culture that is Iran today. The first recorded gardens in the world date from nearly 5,000 years ago in what is now Iran; so it was not without some sense of our own insignificance in the face of cultural evolution that two landscape architects, an American and a repatriated Iranian, set out on an assignment from Landscape Architecture to visit and report on an award-winning park in Iran's capitol, Tehran.
The 20-odd years of relative isolation from the United States following the Islamic revolution in 1979 are only a brief moment in the evolution of Iranian culture. Yet we felt that this was a pivotal time, as many cultures in the world are struggling to understand their relationship to one another. No, we were not looking for world peace in the design of a park, and perhaps our undertaking was as much to satisfy personal questions as it was to provide this report. But what we did find was reassuring. We found a warm and friendly people who actively use their parks and have a love of nature—in many ways not that different from Americans. But we also found cultural differences and practices that we can learn from. We found a people who, while being steeped in tradition, also have parks that are creative and whimsical. Whether as a place to be in nature, a place to meet with family and friends, or a place for a political rally, parks are an important part of the Iranian social fabric. …To read the entire article, subscribe to LAM! What's New
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