The Elasticity of a Curve

The Sweeping Effect in an Outdoor Space

A curving perimeter wall around a Chinese-inspired garden at Epcot. The wall both curves and has a curving top. It is a fanciful garden feature that allows plants to spill over.

Did you know that ancient Chinese garden designers used curving perimeter walls to enclose their revered gardens? Osvald Siren described the winding grace of a Chinese garden wall in his book, Gardens of China, saying,

“They seldom follow straight lines, and as a rule are not broken in sharp angles; they rather sweep in wide curves, ascending and descending according to the formation of the ground and thus often have the appearance of being elastic or modeled rather than built up.”