GARDEN CITIES OF TOMORROW

(SIR EBENEZER HOWARD)

Basic introduction
• Sir Ebenezer Howard is known for his publication
“Garden Cities of To-morrow” (1898),

• The description of a utopian city in which people

live in harmony

• TOGETHER WITH NATURE SIR EBENEZER HOWARD

• The publication resulted in the founding of the

garden city movement, that realized several
Garden Cities in Great Britain at the beginning
of the 20th century.

• Letchworth in 1903 and Welwyn in

1920
Major Reasons

• Industrialization • Massive immigration

• He illustrated the idea with his famous Three
Magnets diagram which addressed the questions

1- Where will the people go?

• Town • Country Town • Country

2- How best to provide the proper antidote against

greatest danger of modern existence?
Solution
BLEND OF CITY AND NATURE.

• By reintegrate people with the countryside.

• Town and country must be united, and out of this joyous union, will
spring a new hope, a new life, a new civilization.
• Human society and the beauty of nature are meant to be enjoyed
together
 Benefits
• Beauty of nature- peace all-over the places

• Social opportunity- cumulative growth

• Fields and parks of easy access
• Low rents- high wages.
• Low prices- no sweating.

• Low rates- plenty to do.

• Field for enterprise- flow of capital.

• Pure air and water- good drainage.
• Bright homes & gardens- no smoke, no slums
• Freedom- Co-operation.
 LATCHWORTH
Howard’s company- First Garden City
Ltd began construction in 1903. Letch worth – 35 miles from
London

• The company appointed architects

Barry Parker and Raymond Unwin to
design the masterplan for the new
community.

• This Garden City is located in North

Hertfordshire, 35 miles north
of London which is spread over an area
of approx. 5000 acres.

• Designed for a population of 35,000

people.

• Having reserved green belt of 1,300

acres.
• In 30 years – developed with 15000
population & 150 shops, industries.
The Map
The proposed Plan
Architectural Style/qualities:
•‘Letchworth Look’ housing inspired by Arts & Crafts
movement, consisting of:
•Roughcast render cladding over bricks
•Red roof tiles
•Green drainpipes, water butts, doors, etc
•Gables and dormer windows
•Street layout is in an axial layout with roads
radiating out from a central square, based on Sir
Christopher Wren’s (never-built) plan for London,
following the Great Fire of 1666.
•Tree-lined streets, each with a different variety of
tree
•Zoning of different types of building - industiral,
commercial, middle-class and worker’s housing.
•Planned green spaces throughout
•Surrounded by a rural belt
Notable features that reflect Garden City
Principles

•Well connected and biodiversity rich public parks,

and a mix of public and private networks of well
managed, high-quality gardens, tree-lined streets and
open spaces.

•Distinct separation of the residential, industrial and

civic areas and in the use of parks to screen
residential neighborhoods from roads and other
undesirable things.

•strong local cultural, recreational and shopping

facilities in walkable neighborhoods

•Beautifully and imaginatively designed homes with

gardens, combining the very best of town and country
living to create healthy homes in vibrant communities
: (/: <1

• Welwyn Garden City is a town within

the Borough of Welwyn Hatfield in Hertfordshire,
England.

• It is located approximately 19 miles

from Kings Cross and 24 miles from London.

• On 29 April 1920 a company, Welwyn

Garden
City Limited, was formed to plan and build
the garden city, chaired by Sir Theodore
Chambers. Louis de Soissons was appointed
as architect and town planner and Frederic
Louis de Soissons
Osborn
• Landas ofsecretary.
2378 acres
• Designed for a maximum of 40000
population
• In 15 years – developed with 10000
population & 50 shops, industries.
The Map
The Proposed Plan
Other notable features that reflect
Garden City Principles:
•Separate factory sites, like Latchworth
•Cultural activities important for community
development – Festival hall built.
•Mixed-tenure homes and housing types that are
affordable for ordinary people; a strong local jobs
offer in the Garden City itself, with a variety of
employment opportunities within easy commuting
distance of homes
•Strong local cultural, recreational and shopping
facilities in walkable neighborhood
•Integrated and accessible transport systems – with
a series of settlements linked by rapid transport
providing a full range of employment opportunities
•Beautifully and imaginatively designed homes with
gardens, combining the very best of town and
country living to create healthy homes in vibrant
communities
• Streets are designed so as to give the
concept of a Neighborhood unit.
• Separation of the pedestrian walkways from the main
roads gives a sense of natural beauty.

• Open and green spaces are Given on

a large scale.

• Personalization of Homes in Welwyn

with varying roofline, texture and
composition for each house.