How Garden Cities Became England's Answer to World Town Planning Day

Garden Cities were England’s answer to World Town Planning Day. World Town Planning Day was created as a day of observance by Argentine planner, Carlos Maria della Paolera, after World War II, on November 8, 1950. This day was an effort to refocus city planning; as many cities were rebuilding haphazardly, due to the demolition of the world at large; specifically, how urban planning can improve a citizen’s health. Some of the specific goals of World Town Planning Day were to focus on cleaner air and more green space, like parks. The first World Town Planning Day was a multinational affair, as every continent had at least one city, if not more, participating and adapting Paolera’s ideology to their specific city's needs. Each town developed different tactics and ideas to their city problems, but this research highlights how London became a cleaner and greener city through the mobilization of Garden Cities across England. Mainly, why England chose Garden Cities to answer Paolera’s challenge of environmentalism in urban planning. Lastly, it delves into the socioeconomic identities that emerge as Garden Cities increase in popularity and how that relates to England’s value on nature, but more specifically their value on the countryside.