History of

garden villages

The original idea of the garden city was created by Ebeneyer Howard back in the late 19th and early 20th century. He realised, that the whole network between nature, home, leisure and work was fundamental and direct connected to the health and wellbeing of workers. Howard formulated the garden city prinicples and his concept still applies today. 

Historic garden communities span a range of developments, from early industrial model villages to large garden cities. 

They all share the same characteristics:

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Usually they were small in scale with only a few hundred homes. However in earlier years more people shared one household, so these developments accomodated more people than they would these days. 

The whole village was well planned through a general masterplan, that included all the aspects of living, leisure, community and work. Large green areas, walkways, parks and enough social and leisure outdoor spaces provided a healthy life. Housing was designed attractive and with detail, using high-quality and often local materials. Little gardens provided the opportunity to grow food. 

These homes were designed to provide a genuinely affordable place to live for the local workforce, and a small way to commute to employment. 

Daily needs, amenities and community facilites were provided in walking distance without requiring frequent travel to surrounding larger towns. 

The land remained in single ownership and was established to look after the development and its residents trough trusts or organisations. 

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Further information

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  The history of garden villages

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