Just Housing? Evidence of Garden City Principles in a Postwar Japenese Housing Development
Date of Award
2006
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Social Sciences
First Advisor
Brain, David
Keywords
Garden City, New Town, Tokyo
Area of Concentration
Social Sciences
Abstract
Tama New Town is a 400,000 person modernist high-rise housing complex forty miles west of Tokyo, Japan. Although it is called a 'new town,' it is generally thought to be incomparable to British new town, which is based upon garden city principles. A garden city is a small, autonomous settlement with a complexity of urban functions. Because Tama New Town lacks a wide range of urban land uses, has austere architecture, and it a commuter suburb, it is generally not considered a part of the garden city movement. Upon looking at Japan's urban planning history, however, it becomes apparent that garden city theory pervades Japanese planning literature and theory, as it has since the beginning of the twentieth century. Official documents show that the Japan's new town construction program intended to create autonomous nodes of independent development in the Tokyo metropolitan area. We examine the Tama New Town project to see if it was intended to function as a garden city. Tama New Town was built according to garden city principles. Western garden city theory is so underdefined, however, that garden city rhetoric can rationalize projects that bare little resemblance to a Howardian garden city. Japanese planners tried to synthesize urbanist and anti-urban garden city paradigms, but to poor results. Recognizing the need to create a complexity of urban functions, provide local employment, and create an integrated transportation network, the Japanese have returned again to garden city theory in attempt to revitalize the project.
Recommended Citation
Scott, Stephen, "Just Housing? Evidence of Garden City Principles in a Postwar Japenese Housing Development" (2006). Theses & ETDs. 3710.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/3710
Rights
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