SIR EBENEZER HOWARD

(1850 – 1928)
GARDEN CITY CONCEPT
PLANNING HISTORY, THEORY AND
PRACTICE
Growth of planners:

Effects of Industrial revolution:

Opening up of new productive industrial areas.

Development of science and technologies.

It lead in the formation of an industrialized society.

The changes in building technology, invention of

steam engine and railways, telegraphs messages,
radio, electricity.
Growth of planners: (contd …)

Development of industrial towns with railroads, ships

and waterfronts forming the industrial core of the city.

Migration of people from rural areas to the urban areas

forming settlements with high densities.

This lead to the formation of industrial towns with

congested environments and health hazard problems.

End of 19th century - industrial cities started developing,

with lots of environmental problems.

This lead to the development of various theories by pioneer

thinkers to solve the problems created by industrialization and
enhances the quality of life in the cities.
Sir Ebenezer Howard: (1850 – 1928)

A sociologist

Belongs to the Anglo American group.

1898 - Unpleasant living and working conditions in

towns and cities, wrote a book ‘Tomorrow, A Peaceful Path
to Real Reform’ - ideas for a completely new way of living.

1902 – ‘Garden Cities of Tomorrow’ with focus on

•the creation of new cities.
•A garden city with decentralization.
•Low density garden cities under public or co
operative ownerships.
Garden city – A Utopian model:

An ideal, self-contained community of predetermined

area and population surrounded by a greenbelt.

Was intended to bring together the economic and cultural

advantages of both city and country life while at the same
time discouraging metropolitan sprawl and industrial
centralization.

Land ownership would be vested in the community

(socialist element).

Neither community was an entirely self-contained garden

city.
Concepts behind Garden city:

Garden city concept was for the betterment of the poor.

They were low density garden cities under and public

and co operative ownerships.

It was an experiment based on co operation.

The Garden city was to raise health and comfort of all

workers of every class.

To secure healthier surroundings and more regular

employment.

To secure a new and better employment for professionals.

Principles of Garden city:
Three magnets:  Job opportunities
Merits and high wages.
Town magnet
 Modern facilities.
Country magnet  Higher rent and
Town country Town
prices.
magnet. Demerits  Lack of open space
and pure air.
 Growth of slums.
 Beauty of nature.
Merits
 Bright sun shine.
Country  Lack of social life.
Demerits  Unemployment and
Low wages.
 Beauty of nature.
 Social opportunities.
Town –  Low price.
Merits
Country  Pure air and water.
 Healthy
environment.
Principles of Garden city:
Garden city:
Area of the 6,000 acres

Divided into 6 equal parts

of an area of 1,000 acres
Circular form – ¾ mile radius

Six magnificent boulevards,

each 120 feet wide, traverse
the city from centre to
circumference, dividing it
into six equal parts or wards.

Centre is a circular space – 5 ½ acres; well- watered garden;

Surrounding garden - larger public buildings, town hall,

principal concert and lecture hall, theatre, library, museum,
picture-gallery, and hospital.
Garden
city:
Garden city:
Garden city:
Garden city: (contd …)

Around Central Park - glass arcade called Crystal Palace.

The large space encircled by the Crystal Palace is a public

park, containing 145 acres, including recreation grounds
with easy access of all the people.

From the Crystal Palace to the

outer ring of the town, is the
residential zone with trees
looking on to Crystal Palace, in
concentric rings.

Population of 30,000

5,500 building of plots of an

average size of 20’x 130’.
 Garden city: (contd …)
The Grand Avenue - Central
zone is 420’ wide - green belt
that divides the town into two
parts.

Outer ring - factories,

warehouses, coal yards, timber
yards, etc.,
Railways – running on the
circumference.

Easy transportation of goods – from warehouses and

workshops, and so sent by railway to distant markets.

This also reduces the smoke from industries affecting

the residential areas.
Concept of Garden city:

A town designed for healthy living and industry.

Land - a single ownership of the community.

Population - ±30,000 only.

A large central park should contain public buildings.

Central park surrounded by public buildings.

The railway lines - circumference of the town.

Concept of Garden city (contd …)

Density of 12 families/acres.

The outer circle of factories and industries.

The whole is surrounded by a permanent green belt of

5000 acres.

The town area is about 1000 acres.

AN IDEAL GARDEN CITY :

• A compact town of 6000 acres, 5000 of which is permanently

reserved for agriculture.
• A maximum population of 32,000.
• Parks and private lawn everywhere.
• Roads are wide, ranging from 120 to 420 feet for The Grand
Avenue.
• Radial rather than linear.

FUNCTIONAL ZONING

Commercial, Industrial, Residential, And Public Uses Are Clearly

differentiated from each other spatially.

GROWTH OF THE CITY

• A garden city is built up and its population of 32,000
• After a city reaches its target population, new interconnected nodes can
be developed.
• Cluster of cities grouped around a central city
Garden cities Letchworth and Welwyn:

Letchworth:

1903 - Competition to translate Howard's ideas into

reality. Barry Parker and Raymond Unwin - Architects.

Located at a distance of 35miles from London.

In 1903 - 35,000 population

1947 – 16,000 population and 100 factories.

In keeping with the ideals only one tree was felled
during the entire initial construction phase of the town,
and an area devoted to agriculture surrounding the town
was included in the plan - the first "Green Belt".
Welwyn:

Welwyn Garden City is a town in England.

Welwyn Garden City was the second garden city in

England in the year 1920 by Sir Ebenezer Howard

Designed by Louis de Soissons.

In 1920 – 20,000 people

1947 – 18,000 people and 70 factories
Conclusion:
The concept of Garden city concept faulted as the
towns could not help them from being converted into Garden
cities, due to the rapid industrialization.
THANK YOU