Patrick Geddes' collection was given to the Science Library at the same time as the creation of the endowment "Patrick Geddes collection" in 1986. The collection and the endowment were a gift from Dr. Philip Boardman.
The collection consists of material that Philip Boardman gathered in his work to convey Patrick Geddes' life and professional message. This resulted, among other things, in the biography "The Worlds of Patrick Geddes", published in 1978. The collection has 700 records, of which 66 are books and 107 small prints. The rest consists of original correspondence, including between Boardman and the American cultural and urban historian Lewis Mumford, clippings and notes. In addition, there is a lot of material from exhibitions about Geddes that Boardman organized at home and abroad.
The science library ensures permanent and secure storage of the collection, and make it available to interested parties. The collection can be lent to responsible institutions for shorter periods by agreement with the grant's subject committee, or visited by agreement with the Science Library.
Svein Paulsen did extensive archiving work with the collection in 2017.
View the collection's contents - Note: If you want to open attachments in the collection, you must create a free Zotero account and become a member of the group library.
Dr. Philip Boardman
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Philip Boardman was managing director of the International Summer School at the University of Oslo (ISS). The school was established in 1946 and is run for foreign students to this day. "Mr. Summerschool" led the summer school for several decades, from 1948 to 1977. There is no doubt that he admired his teacher Patrick Geddes and drew much inspiration from his ideas. Boardman worked to establish and develop summer schools in other parts of the world - among other things he taught at the International Summer School in Montpellier, established by Patrick Geddes.
The story of Boardman and the International Summer School at UiO begins with the "Summer School for American Students" (A. Vaalund, Museum of University and Science History, UiO). The school was established immediately after the war. Student exchange was considered an important measure to preserve peace and increase cultural understanding between countries.
Philip Boardman published the biography "The Worlds of Patrick Geddes" in 1978, and in 1986 established the "Patrick Geddes Collection" endowment. With this came a cash payment of NOK 60,000, which was to be the endowment's basic capital, and Dr. Boardman's collection of works and documents about Patrick Geddes' life and work.
Patick Geddes
Sir Patrick Geddes (1854-1932) was a Scottish biologist, sociologist, geographer, philanthropist, known as a highly innovative urban planner. His principles for urban planning are still relevant. International network for traditional architecture and urbanism with over 40 member countries stands for the development of urban development based on methods that go back to Patrick Geddes, who in turn can trace the threads back to Alexander Von Humboldt. Humboldt made the first transect of nature in a section from sea to land that included geology, nature and atmosphere 1793. Patrick Geddes developed a section in which he connected human activity to nature. From the 1990s, the New Urbanists movement in the USA developed the planning tool "Smart Code for Urban Transects". It is estimated that 10% of new urban development in the USA is based on these analysis methods. New Urbanism, has later spread to Europe with its center in London.
Geddes contributed as an urban planner in several countries, including Israel and India. He taught at several universities around the world, and worked to establish international summer schools. His work and thoughts live on in the College Des Ecossais (Scots College) in Montpellier, founded by Patrick Geddes in 1924, and in the Patrick Geddes Center in Edinburgh.
The Grant
The endowment was established in December 1986 by a gift from Dr. Philip Boardman. The gift included a cash payment of NOK 60,000, which was to be the endowment's basic capital, as well as Dr. Boardman's collection of works and documents about Patrick Geddes' life and work.
Patrick Geddes was himself an ecologist, biologist, urban planner, sociologist and pedagogue, and the foundation's funds can be given to architects, social planners and researchers who work on projects and research that convey these values.
The foundation does not advertise funds every year, but has an application deadline of 15 October.
Read more on the foundation's pages
Tet by Kirsten Borse Haraldsen. Edited and translated by Solveig Sørbø.