English Garden Cities

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The garden city movement was largely influenced by the ideas of Ebenezer Howard, who proposed the concept in his 1898 book "To-Morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform."

Ebenezer Howard (1850–1928) was a British urban planner and the founder of the garden city movement, which aimed to create self-contained communities surrounded by greenbelts, containing proportionate areas of residences, industry, and agriculture. His ideas were influential in the development of urban planning and the establishment of new towns around the world.

Howard's most notable work is his book "Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform" (1898), later reissued as "Garden Cities of To-morrow" (1902). In it, he outlined his vision for planned communities that would offer the advantages of both city and country life, with a focus on health, social harmony, and economic opportunity.

His concepts were realized in the development of the world's first garden city, Letchworth Garden City (see below), which was founded in Hertfordshire, England, in 1903. Howard's ideas also influenced the design of subsequent garden cities, new towns, and urban planning strategies worldwide.

The book advocated for the creation of self-contained communities that would offer an alternative to the overcrowded, polluted, and unhealthy conditions of many urban areas during the industrial era. Howard proposed a model where cities would be surrounded by greenbelts, with residential, industrial, and agricultural areas carefully planned and integrated. His vision aimed to combine the benefits of both urban and rural life, fostering social harmony, economic opportunity, and a high quality of life.

"Tomorrow" laid out the principles and ideals that later influenced the development of Letchworth Garden City, the first garden city founded in 1903 in Hertfordshire, England. Howard's ideas continued to shape urban planning and the design of new towns around the world, making his book a foundational text in the history of urban planning and the garden city movement.

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Ebenezer Howard's ideals for a garden city revolved around creating self-sufficient, balanced, and harmonious communities that would offer an alternative to the congested and unhealthy conditions of industrialized urban areas. Some key ideals include:

1. Self-Containment: Garden cities were designed to be self-contained communities, providing residents with access to housing, employment, shopping, recreation, and other amenities within walking distance, thereby reducing the need for extensive commuting.
2. Green Spaces: Howard emphasized the importance of incorporating green spaces, parks, and gardens into the urban fabric. He envisioned a city surrounded by a greenbelt, preserving natural landscapes and promoting a healthier environment.
3. Mixed Land Use: Howard proposed a balanced mix of residential, industrial, and agricultural areas within the city, ensuring that people could live and work in close proximity while maintaining a connection to nature.
4. Social Harmony: Garden cities aimed to foster social harmony by providing diverse housing options, promoting community engagement, and facilitating interactions among residents of different socioeconomic backgrounds.
5. Economic Opportunity: Howard believed that garden cities could offer economic opportunities for residents through the creation of new industries, employment opportunities, and cooperative ventures, thereby reducing urban poverty and inequality.
6. Decentralization: Howard advocated for decentralization, spreading population and economic activities across multiple garden cities to alleviate the pressures on overcrowded central cities.
7. Democratic Governance: He emphasized the importance of democratic governance and community involvement in the planning and management of garden cities, ensuring that residents had a say in decision-making processes.

Howard's ideals for a garden city aimed to combine the benefits of urban and rural living, promoting sustainability, social cohesion, and a high quality of life for residents.

Howard's vision for an idealized garden city proposed accommodating 32,000 residents within a sprawling site spanning 9,000 acres (3,600 ha). He depicted this city in diagrams featuring a concentric layout adorned with expansive open spaces, public parks, and six wide radial boulevards, each measuring 120 ft (37 m) across and extending from the city center. While emphasizing the need for expert site planning, Howard envisioned the garden city as a self-sufficient entity, with plans for the development of additional cities nearby upon reaching full capacity. His broader concept involved clustering several garden cities around a central city housing 58,000 people, interconnected by road and rail networks.

In order to realize his vision of a garden city, Howard required funding to purchase land. He opted to seek financial support from individuals he described as "gentlemen of responsible position and undoubted probity and honour". This led to the establishment of the Garden City Association (later renamed the Town and Country Planning Association or TCPA), which in 1899 formed First Garden City, Ltd. with the aim of developing the inaugural garden city, Letchworth.

However, these benefactors would receive interest on their investments if the garden city generated profits through rents. Despite Howard's efforts to involve working-class cooperative organizations, boasting over two million members, he was unable to secure their financial backing. Consequently, relying solely on wealthy investors from First Garden City, Howard had to make compromises to his original plan. These compromises included the abandonment of the cooperative ownership scheme, temporary rent hikes, and the employment of architects who did not fully subscribe to his strict design principles.

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The 20th-century urban planning movement of the garden city advocated for the establishment of satellite communities encircling central cities, delineated by greenbelts to ensure separation and promote a more harmonious and sustainable urban environment.

During the early 20th century, Letchworth, Brentham Garden Suburb, and Welwyn Garden City emerged in or around London, embodying Howard's vision. Subsequently, numerous other garden cities inspired by his model have been constructed across the globe.

The concept of the Garden City experienced a resurgence in the UK post-World War II, spurred by the New Towns Act which prompted the development of numerous communities based on Howard's egalitarian ideals. This influence extended to town planning in other countries as well. For instance, in Italy, the INA-Casa plan of the 1950s and '60s incorporated Garden City principles in the design of several suburbs across various cities and towns, including Isolotto in Florence, Falchera in Turin, Harar in Milan, and Cesate Villaggio in Cesate, among others.

In more recent times, the principles of the Garden City have been applied in diverse contexts worldwide. In Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan, urban planning following the Principles of Intelligent Urbanism reflects an organic response to the region's delicate ecology, employing sustainable concepts as a contemporary interpretation of the Garden City concept. Similarly, the Epcot Center in Bay Lake, Florida, drew inspiration from Howard's ideas during its construction. Singapore has integrated various aspects of the Garden City concept into its urban plans over the years, aiming to create a distinctive "City in a Garden".

Furthermore, modern urban planning charters such as New Urbanism and Principles of Intelligent Urbanism trace their origins to the Garden City movement. However, while there are numerous garden cities worldwide today, many have evolved into dormitory suburbs, diverging from Howard's original vision.

In 2007, marking the 108th anniversary of the Town and Country Planning Association, there was a call to apply Garden City and Garden Suburb principles to contemporary New Towns and Eco-towns in the UK. This initiative continued with the publication of "Creating Garden Cities and Suburbs Today - a guide for councils" in 2013. Additionally, Lord Simon Wolfson announced the Wolfson Economics Prize in 2013, seeking the best ideas for creating new garden cities.

New garden cities planned

Long Marston, Warwickshire Oxfordshire Cotswold, Oxfordshire Deenethorpe Culm, Devon Welborne, Hampshire West Carclaze, Cornwall Dunton Hills, Essex Spitalgate Heath, Lincolnshire Halsnead, Merseyside Longcross, Surrey Bailrigg, Lancashire Infinity Garden Village, Derbyshire St Cuthberts, Cumbria North Cheshire, Cheshire

In 2014, The Letchworth Declaration emphasized the importance of accrediting future garden cities in the UK, focusing on both visible and invisible aspects of settlement architecture. This led to the establishment of the New Garden Cities Alliance, aiming to complement existing organizations like the Town and Country Planning Association.

Various new garden cities and towns have been proposed and initiated in the UK, with plans for projects in Ebbsfleet Valley, Kent, and Bicester, Oxfordshire, announced in 2014. Further plans for garden towns in North Essex and Didcot, Oxfordshire, were announced in 2015, along with a "Black Country Garden City" in the West Midlands in 2016. In 2017, the government announced plans for new garden villages and towns across the country, aiming to address housing needs while promoting sustainable development.

The creation of this map was financially supported within Erasmus+ project Urbanism and Suburbanization in the EU Countries and Abroad: Reflection in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts (2021-1-CZ01-KA220-HED-000023281).

The European Commission's support for the production of this output does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.