Garden cities, an ideal to be pursued

Henri Sellier, among others, contributed, to the design of a more well-balanced and more sustainable city. Humanist and visionary, he was the father of the garden cities which were built during the interwar years in the Ile-de-France region. He knew how to reconcile the need to offer comfortable and modern housing, and the need to do this at an affordable price. He prioritised a better balance between built and green spaces in order to improve residents' everyday life.

Garden cities continue to be a source of inspiration. Their architecture, their urban quality, their capacity to connect the city with the districts are recognised by those who lived in them: all this deserves to be explored and developed further. Because they still contribute to the image that we make of the city on a daily basis.

This issue of Les Cahiers is an opportunity to develop action plans adapted to the context of the Ile-de-France in the 21st century.