Shadow is a powerful yet often overlooked element in landscape and garden design. I’ve noticed in some spaces, it is forgotten, and areas needing sun are in shadow or vice versa, creating overbearing glare and heat. Shadows can enhance depth, contrast, and movement while influencing comfort within an environment and allowing for different planting types. Thoughtfully designed shadows can transform outdoor spaces into dynamic environments which evolve every day and across the year.
At the Salk Institute Courtyard (USA), architect Louis Kahn cleverly uses strong, linear shadows from the modernist structure to create a dramatic effect. The interplay of light, water, and shadow enhances its minimalist detailing. Similarly, at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Gardens (UAE), intricate mashrabiya screens and archways cast ornate geometric shadows on white marble, shifting throughout the day.
Shadows not only highlight textures and shapes but also create cool retreats, direct movement, and protect delicate plants. By incorporating structures including decorative pergolas, trees, and patterned screens, gardens become more immersive, ever-changing spaces, blending architecture and nature in harmony.
References
https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/art-and-design/artistic-elements/shadow/
AJ Landscape Architecture 
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