‘Composing’ and ‘composition’ are key terms in the announcement and subject of the conference. In this paper we want to investigate and analyse some backgrounds of the terms ‘composition’ and ‘design’ in landscape architecture. The two terms are related but not the same. ‘Composition’ refers to a static phenomenon; composing is the active form. ‘Design’ can be used both as active form – the act of designing – while it can also be used as a passive phenomenon; the noun ‘design’ stands for a plan. ‘Composition’ is an older term, already used in the classical architectural treatises such as by Alberti. Both terms stand for the core of what landscape architects do, making plans for realising future environments for people. We will start by giving a short overview of terms and definitions as used in references and set out the scope of the paper. We will continue with a short historical overview of the term ‘composition’ from the first architectural treatises on. Around the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, the term ‘design’ starts to emerge. Its introduction and rise is closely related to the setting up of architectural schools where the materialising of projects and the design backgrounds are separately treated in design studios. In the second part we will give a short historical outline of the development of landscape architecture over time with special attention to the turn of the last century when the first landscape architecture schools and programs started to emerge. In the last part we will develop a typological overview of the relation between composition and design, illustrated by realised projects. In the conclusion we will summarise the relation between structure, composition and design in contemporary practice; and put forward that composition in landscape architecture is ‘designed structure’. In this way the terms composition and design can be related and distinguished both in theory and practice.

The paper investigates and analysis sacred eye-catchers in Transylvanian gardens and parks. Interpretation of visual connections defined by landscape features with a sacred meaning (crypts, chapels, crosses, thumbs etc.) are the present study’s main purpose. The analysis of the visual connections on a landscape scale comprises the examination of outstanding visual elements (eye-catchers) that are decisive in the case of historic landscapes, gardens and parks, and among these in the case of castle gardens, manor houses and demesnes as well. In these cases the relationship between a manor garden and the surrounding landscape is the result of a conscious shaping of the environment. The sights which determine forcefully the historicity of the landscape are the results of enduring cultural influences over time. Although only just a very few of these former landscape connections persist, their preservation represents a public interest. The investigated eye-catchers – as outstanding landscape elements – determine in a decisive way the structure of garden landscapes in Transylvania. The sentimental, then romantic trends prevailing in the 19th century in many cases expected that outstanding buildings also become important parts of the gardens. The study proves the landscape compositional role and importance of the sacred features situated within the manor gardens, or outside the gardens, in the surrounding landscape, representing a visual entity with the castle garden ensemble.

In this article we pay attention to some theoretical backgrounds for the redesign of nineteenth-century public parks in Central and Eastern Europe. The research is part of a larger project ‘The design history of nineteenth-century public parks in Central and Eastern Europe; contemporary use and future development’ (HYPPE), initiated by the Faculty of Landscape Architecture and Urbanism in Budapest, in which nine schools of landscape architecture in nine different countries in Central and Eastern Europe participate and collaborate.

We will focus here on some theoretical backgrounds, that form the foundation for a research and design approach, in which the diversity and similarity of the sites, contexts and design problems can be assured. Product (plan and realisation) and process (design) play a role in the parks as object of planning and design; on the one hand we distinguish between land, landscape and landscape architecture, on the other one — at the same time the difference in approaches between science and design play a role in the relation between research and design.

In the second part backgrounds and principles, that underpin the relation between conservation and development in historical settings of parks are dealt with. Different design approaches — from restoration to complete reconstruction are highlighted. Applying these principles to nineteenth-century public parks in Central and Eastern Europe shows, where generic backgrounds and specifics of site, history and culture meet.

In the third part the new challenges for landscape architecture, that society requires from contemporary planning and design is elaborated. Energy transition, water management and the creation of healthy environments for people are as such not new for landscape architecture, but in this stage new steps have to be taken, that reach beyond, what is already practised. Here the explorative and experimental character of the design approach comes to the surface because for these aspects there are no precedents yet, they have to be developed by practice, research on evidence and imagining solutions, that are beyond the usual practice of energy transition, water management and the creation of healthy environments for people. For landscape architecture a synthetical and coherent design concept forms the core of the contribution; the search for a meaningful new order.

This article will focus on an analytical framework as a research tool in design disciplines. Key problem for an analytical framework in landscape architecture is how to deal with the dynamics of landscape form, design and use in the design process.

We start with a short overview will be given of analytical frameworks. In the second part some generic principles of analytical frameworks will be applied in three case studies of 19th century public parks. The third part will focus on how results of such an analysis can be used for the future and how results of peopleenvironment studies can be part of that.

One of the conclusions is, that people-environment studies can play a role before, during and after the design process. In most cases results of people-environment studies cannot be applied directly but rather as part of an iterative process of research and design.