179edges, and the edges of slopes, as well as canals, streets, rail-
way lines and border fences. The spatial > sequences found
in architecture correspond on the scale of the landscape, for
example, to transitions from dense and dark constrictions to
looser, lighter, more open terrain; a bend in the road may dis-
close unexpected vistas, the atmosphere may be transformed
when a body of water comes into view, a road may be ac-
companied by the flow of a river, while storage tanks, pylons
or large trees may provide points of stability and orientation.
The scale of a landscape, to be sure, goes far beyond that
of the building or town. As a consequence, it may provide us
with experiences of immense > expansiveness. We move dif-
ferently in a landscape than we do in a building or town, and
movements are governed by a different temporality; when
traversing a forest, for example, considerable time may pass
before we enter a clearing, a motorway may seem endlessly
long before our goal is reached, and a vista may open up only
after a seemingly endless ascent. And a kind of goalless stroll-
ing is a typical mode of movement of not ‘crossing’ a land-
scape, but instead allowing ourselves to be led in a relaxed
roaming style, without troubling ourselves about our goal
or speed of travel. Another characteristic way of perceiving
the landscape is typical of train travel. While our bodies do
not move, our gaze through the window thwart the direction
of movement, so that the landscape seems to move, with fore-
ground, middle ground and background shifting against one
another like staggered stage sets.
Moreover, a landscape may be characterized by a spe-
cific spatial gesture, for instance, the expansive embrace of
a sloping dell, the sweep into the distance of overland cables
or electric poles, or the majestic rotating forms of a wind en-
ergy park. Finally, landscapes are dominated by peculiar at-
mospheres, for instance, the inward mood of large bodies of
water when the wind is still, the ominous, mysterious effect
of a dense wood, or the shimmering atmosphere of a cleared
alluvial plain with fine grass.