The concept of garden city, created by Howard, envisioned planned housing estates that combined access to work, culture and services with proximity to nature. In Poland, the first implementations of this idea appeared in the early 20th century, primarily around Lodz, Warsaw, and Wrocław, and to a lesser extent Kraków, Poznań and Gdańsk.
Dr Tomasz Figlus and Dr Łukasz Musiaka from the Department of Political and Historical Geography and Regional Studies at the University of Lodz were a part of a research team that has analysed the evolution of Howard's concept and the typology of historic garden cities in Poland. The results of this research have been published in the prestigious international scientific journal Journal of Historical Geography.
Although only about 15% of the analysed projects adhered to Howard's classic concentric-radial type, the very idea of a harmonious city with greenery and a high quality of life has gained a firm foothold in Poland. Researchers have identified four main paths for its development: garden cities, summer resorts and spas, patronage settlements and villa districts.
In total, over a hundred such units were built or planned within the borders of modern-day Poland. Although they often differed from the British reformer's original vision, they all shared a common goal: creating a healthier, more humane urban space.
Source:
Spórna Tomasz, Sudra Paweł, Figlus Tomasz, Musiaka Łukasz, Kryczka Piotr, Lisowska-Kierepka Agnieszka, Sikorski Dominik, Szmytkie Robert: From idea to urban form: The evolution of Howard's concept and typology of historical garden cities in Poland, Journal of Historical Geography, 2025, vol. 90, s.64-77. DOI:10.1016/j.jhg.2025.09.004 -
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305748825001136
