Ignatz Anton Pilát

Ignaz Pilat, actually Ignatz Anton Pilát (* June 27, 1820 in St. Agatha, † September 17, 1870 in New York City ), was an Austrian gardener launching the Central Park in New York City. Its official botanical author abbreviation is " IAPilát ".

Life and work

Pilat was born as the youngest of eight siblings on 27 June 1820 St. Agatha in Upper Austria.

First, he trained at a Viennese School, then at the botanical garden of the University of Vienna, where he also began his working life as a gardener. He then moved to the Royal Botanical Garden Palace. As an indication of its excellent reputation can be said that he was commissioned to create a park for Prince Metternich, his first major work. From 1843 to 1853 he was employed at the Schoenbrunn Botanical Gardens. In 1856 he went to America, first as head gardener on the estate of Thomas Metcalf at Augusta ( Georgia). In 1856 he returned to Vienna to take over the management of the Botanic Garden. In 1857 he was back in America, this time in New York, where he takes part in the competition for the design of Central Park.

Pilat is also the author of a then well-known textbook on botany ( published in Vienna) and a work on garden design ( published in Linz).

Central Park

The reputation Pilats likely for Andrew H. Green, the head of the Park Commission for the establishment of Central Park, have been the reason to nominate him for the plant of Central Park in New York, a position he held until his death. Even in 1857 Pilat made ​​in advance of the new plant along with Charles Rowolle an inventory of existing vegetation on the site. Subsequently, he designed the Central Park with decisive. As Supreme landscaper ("first landscape gardener ", his area of ​​responsibility equivalent to that of a contemporary landscape architects ) and assistant chief planner Frederick Law Olmsted drew Pilat for the selection of all plants, responsible for their arrangement, detail work on the grounds and even contemporary acclaimed space-defining perspectives. In particular, the design of the part of the park "The Ramble ", a 18 -acre artificial wilderness landscape approximately in the middle of Central Park, Pilat is attributed. His assistant was a native of Karlsruhe gardener William L. Fischer ( 1819-1899 ).

Dedicated Pilat is founded by the Austrian Cultural Forum in New York on 13 April 2005 Ignaz Pilat Society, which looks after the restoration of "The Ramble ".

Washington Square Park

From 1869/1870 landscape modification of the formal system by Pilat, together with the engineer Montgomery Alexander Kellogg. One of the first projects of the transformation was founded in 1870 " Department of Public Parks" (Director: William Grant), whose senior landscape architect Pilat was.

Madison Square Park

Another work of Pilat, which he created together with William Grant, is the transformation of the park at Madison Square in Manhattan ( 5th Avenue ), ( originally opened on 10 May 1847 reshaped by Pilat / Grant 1870). As part of the transforming numerous figures were placed in the park. The original park was destroyed in 1925, when the building was built " New York Life" insurance. In June 2001, a redesign was reopened.

Canal Street Park

Also one of the earliest public parks in the city. Later redesigned by Samuel Parsons and 1929 destroyed in the course of construction of the West Side Highway.