Cultures, Communities and Design

Abstract

How might we design Garden Cities in the 21st century to support the sustainable development of regional communities? How will new technologies, particularly the internet and renewable energy, influence future settlement patterns? Can circular economy principles enable economic activity that has a positive impact on the land and on people? This presentation will explore how Ebenezer Howard’s Garden Cities can be re-imagined as a network of Circular Economy Villages. The network of high-tech, regenerative villages would strive towards self-sufficiency and zero waste within their bioregion. Each village will house a discrete but diverse community of up to 200 people, integrating affordable co-working and co-living spaces with water and energy micro-grids and a regenerative agricultural system.