Planning Theories

advocated by
Eminent Planners

Ebenezer Howard

Ebenezer Howard

English town planner (18501928)

Principal founder of the English garden-city movement

Outlined a model self-sustaining town that would combine town

conveniences and industries with the advantages of an agricultural location

Books: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform (1898), reissued as Garden Cities

of To-morrow (1902);
this book offered a vision of towns free of slums and enjoying the
benefits of both town (such as opportunity, amusement and high
wages) and country (such as beauty, fresh air and low rents)

He illustrated the idea with his famous Three Magnets diagram , which
addressed the question 'Where will the people go?', the choices being
'Town', 'Country' or 'Town-Country' - the Three Magnets

Eminent Planners

GARDEN CITIES OF TO-MORROW

Eminent Planners

GARDEN CITIES OF TO-MORROW

Imagine an estate embracing an area of 6,000 acres, purely agricultural,

and has been obtained by purchase at a cheap cost ( 40 an acre)

The estate is legally vested in the names of four gentlemen of responsible

position and of undoubted honour

The objective of this land purchase may be :

To secure healthier surroundings, to promote more regular and
better employment for their capital and talents;
To find whether industrial population work at wages which is of higher
purchasing power;
To open a new market for their produce close to their doors

All ground rents, which are to be based upon the annual value of the land,
shall be paid to the trustees, who, after providing for interest and sinking
fund, will hand the balance to the Central Council in the creation and
maintenance of all necessary public work-roads, schools, parks, etc
Eminent Planners

GARDEN CITIES OF TO-MORROW

Eminent Planners

GARDEN CITIES OF TO-MORROW

To raise the standard of health and comfort of all true workers of whatever
grade - the means by which these objects are to be achieved being a
healthy, natural, and economic combination of town and country life

Garden City, which is to be built near the centre of the 6,000 acres, covers
an area of 1,000 acres, and might be of circular form, (or nearly threequarters of a mile) from centre to circumference

Six magnificent boulevards--each 120 feet wide--traverse the city from

centre to circumference, dividing it into six equal parts or wards

In the centre is a circular space containing about five and a half acres, laid
out as a beautiful and well- watered garden; and, surrounding this garden,
each standing in its own ample grounds, are the larger public buildings
(town hall, principal concert and lecture hall, theatre, library, museum,
picture-gallery, and hospital)

The rest of the large space encircled by the 'Crystal Palace' is a public park,
containing 145 acres, which includes ample recreation grounds within very
easy access of all the people

Eminent Planners

GARDEN CITIES OF TO-MORROW

Running all round the Central Park (except where it is intersected by the
boulevards) is a wide glass arcade called the 'Crystal Palace', opening on to
the park. This building in wet weather in one of the favorite shelter for the
people, bright shelter close to Central Park

Here manufactured goods are kept for sale. The space enclosed by the
Crystal Palace is larger than what is required for these purposes

Used as a Winter Garden -the whole forming a permanent exhibition

The outer ring of the town (Fifth Avenue)-lined, as are all the roads of the
town, with trees-a ring of houses, each standing in its own ample grounds;
built either in concentric rings, facing the various avenues (as the circular
roads), or fronting the boulevards and roads which all converge to the
centre of the town

Eminent Planners

GARDEN CITIES OF TO-MORROW

The population is 30,000 in the city itself, and about 2,000 in the agricultural
estate, and that there are in the town 5,500 building lots

Varied architecture and design which the houses and groups of houses
display-some having common gardens, the fullest measure of individual
taste and preference is encouraged

Proper sanitary arrangements are strictly enforced

In the outskirts of the town, 'Grand Avenue' which is 420 feet wide, and,
forming a belt of green upwards of three miles long, divides that part of the
town which lies outside Central Park into two belts

In this splendid avenue six sites, each of four acres, are occupied by public
schools, playgrounds and gardens, while other sites are reserved for
churches, of such denominations as the religious beliefs of the people may
determine

Eminent Planners

GARDEN CITIES OF TO-MORROW

Eminent Planners

GARDEN CITIES OF TO-MORROW

On the outer ring of the town are factories, warehouses, dairies, markets,
coal yards, timber yards, etc., all fronting on the circle railway, which
encompasses the whole town, connecting it with a main line of railway
which passes through the estate.

This arrangement enables goods to be loaded direct into trucks from the
warehouses and workshops, and so sent by railway and also reducing the
traffic on the roads of the town

The smoke fiend is kept well within bounds in Garden City; for all machinery
is driven by electric energy, with the result that the cost of electricity for
lighting and other purposes is greatly reduced

The refuse of the town is utilized on the agricultural portions of the estate,
which are held by various individuals in large farms, small holdings, cow
pastures, etc.; the natural competition of these various methods of
agriculture, the willingness of occupiers to offer the highest rent to the
municipality, to bring about the best system adapted for various purposes

Eminent Planners

GARDEN CITIES OF TO-MORROW

Midst of the the estate are seen various charitable institutions. These are
not under the control of the municipality, but are supported and managed by
various public-spirited people who have been invited by the municipality to
establish these institutions in an open healthy district

Howard's basic concern was social reform, he was also setting an aesthetic
standard

Other important aspects derived from the early Garden Cities are the
flexible plan, and its heavy reliance on the site

A constant drive to retain the beauty and not to destroy, but improve the
natural aspects of the site on development

The increase in the amount of public building and the advent of the motor
car have been the prime challenge for this design, although aesthetical
design, remained remarkably static over the twentieth century

Eminent Planners

Ebenezer Howard

It called for the creation of new suburban towns of limited size, planned in
advance, and surrounded by a permanent belt of agricultural land. These
Garden cities were used as a role model for many suburbs

Howard believed that such Garden Cities were the perfect blend of city and
nature. The towns would be largely independent, and managed and
financed by the citizens who had an economic interest in them

In 1899 formed the Garden City Association, now known as the Town and
Country Planning Association is the oldest environmental charity in England

In 1903 Letchworth, the first English garden city, was founded

In 1920 he organized Welwyn Garden City

Eminent Planners

Ebenezer Howard

Howard's ideas also inspired other planners such as Clarence Perry

The creation of Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City were influential in the
development of "New Towns" after World War II by the British government

The creation of new towns of limited size, planned in advance, and

surrounded by a permanent belt of agricultural land

He also labeled each of his drawings "Diagram only. Plan cannot be drawn
until site is selected

By so laying out a Garden City, as it grows, the free gifts of Nature- fresh
air, sunlight, breathing room and playing room- shall be still retained in all
needed abundance"

Howard believed that such Garden Cities were the perfect blend of city and
nature. The towns would be largely independent, and managed and
financed by the citizens who had an economic interest in them

Eminent Planners

THANK YOU

Eminent Planners