Thursday, 30 April 2015

6) Garden cities of to-morrow, by Ebenezer Howard Sir (1898) [electronic resource] (read Chapter XIII: The Future of London, pp. 151-159).

The UK population growth is environmentally unsustainable and the population growth in London remains at record levels, highlighting the importance of this precedent to my work. It is interesting to consider the political issues with relation to changes that could be made in London, affecting its ‘monopoly’ value if such transformations were to be made. Moving people out of the city and into more affordable homes where work places are at closer proximities, would inevitably lead to the decrease in London’s value, however it poses the question as to how long can this current situation be maintained. I think it is very important that these issues need be addressed quickly as shown by Paris, Berlin, Glasgow and Birmingham it can be achieved, and we should be following their leads.  There is far too much inequality in the UK and with the lack of municipality this has resulted in the most unmethodical collection of houses in the world.

All of Gropius’ ideas laid out in the CIAM are still remain present today. His concerns about modernity, improving conditions and organisation in the city are still very relevant. Likewise Le Corbusier’s outlined divisions of cities into leisure, housing, circulation and working space need to be affordably established and attractable to restore London’s value, or the temptation to migrate will be extremely strong.­ 

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