The yard at my door
“Public
face”
Monbiot
A large expand of land, about 110 acres of surrounding woodland, parkland and landscaped gardens to enjoy in the day, as well as tennis courts, a croquet lawn and a well-equipped gym. This is the outdoor landscape at the down hall hotel ‘Spa & Estate’ tagged “escape London for a luxury week”
(Smith, 2022)
What does this mean exactly? Homes in London are devoid of luxury? Quite the contrary, London is unlike any other city in the world with its rustic walls and structures, and its iconic Tudor style architecture; it cannot help having an air of class and nesse. In addition, wide varieties of modern luxurious elements associated with housing explains why London holds a spot as one of the most luxurious property markets in the world (Suhas, 2018).
Source : https://www.christiesrealestate.com/blog/the-luxury-index-top-ten-cities/
However, is this all we consider as luxury? there are many perceptions of luxury. An estimated 8.4 million trees make up London’s urban forest, and a green space occupation of about 47% of the city’s total land area (Trees and Woodlands, n.d.) (Key London Figures - GIGL, 2022). With the percentage of green spaces, London places rmly among the top 10 modern cities in the world in terms of “green”. In a world that is continuously striving for a greener future but still very much a concrete forest; a city with 47% of its landmass as green space is a luxury which cannot easily be ałorded by everyone. Still trying to understand the phrase “escape London” In the cleverly titled article “public luxury for all or private luxury for some” George Monbiot highlights the disparity that occurs due to our societal structure. The desire being to provide luxuries for individual needs of the elite few rather than doing the same for public needs. That then leads to the question: how are these urban forests distributed? Who truly bene ts from these spaces? According to calculations, private household garden land makes up 23% of Greater London (Key London Figures - GIGL, 2022). Inaccessible to the public, bene ting only few people who can ałord such luxuries for themselves. What then happens to others? Is circumstance a reason for not being able to enjoy the luxury of nature? How far must one travel to experience nature while others do so in their backyards. It is safe to say that the distribution of these green spaces is not evenly spread out around the community. “Escape London” to escape the truths of this reality, the public must travel to other places out of what London is to truly experience these outdoor green spaces and all that comes with it. This brings us to the main question that this article seeks to address: Is the provision of outdoor green areas around houses a needed luxury or something that can be disregarded? Understanding how valuable these spaces are to the populace and who should own these locations are two concerns that must be addressed in order to fully comprehend this issue.
The idea of public luxury is not a new concept, quite the contrary, it has been in existence for many years. However, it was only recently the term began to gain much spotlight. It is a term used to describe a way of life provided for the bene t of everyone that goes above the normal. But, due to our societal structures the terms public and luxury have not been synonymous. A greater portion of the things termed luxurious are not easily attainable by all. Our idea of luxury, however, transcends simply the most expensive places or items, or the ¤ashiest. To a person who cannot ałord to ride the bus any chance given to him/her to do so will be considered a luxury, to a person who has always known concrete walls and footpaths around his home a lavish green garden will be a luxury. Luxury is a subjective concept that varies between people, location, times, and many other factors. But we can say the feeling behind the concept remains the same, thus we de ne luxury as transcending what has been de ned as normal. It could be an abundance where the was previously none or safety where insecurity reigned, even health in the life of the aged. All situations where expectations have been exceeded can be termed luxury. Similarly, when considering housing, a variety of elements, including ownership, cost, location, history, materials, technology, places, and others, can be taken into account while de ning the luxury associated with the housing. The word public has also been thrown around a lot, but who are the public in the context of housing? The users? people who live within the house and experience it on all levels. The passers-by? all the people in the vicinity who experience a house while only interacting with the exterior. A public is characterised by a group of people who are linked in response to problems that are significant to them (Mwengenmeir, 2014). In this context the point of connection is the house, as such, any group of people concerned with a house are the public in question. This incorporates both the users and the passers-by.
The map below was created by like-minded professionals, to fully underst and the concept of public luxury in housing.
Luxury around our homes?
Sociual housing Co-housing Community housing Apartments
The typology of housing is one with many branches: apartments, hybrid or mixed use, co-housing, private housing, community housing, e.t.c. Being one of the few housing types whose primary objective is to serve the public, community housing is particularly intriguing. In a time where rent and home prices have skyrocketed across the UK as a result of the severe housing shortage, particularly in social and genuinely inexpensive homes (Unison, n.d.). For the public, the ability to own a nice spacious ałordable home in a desirable location and with outdoor green spaces is a luxury that is not easily accessible. Reliance on the private sector to build houses is one of the major causes of either substandard housing or high-cost housing or outright lack of housing entirely. The aim of the private sector is to make pro ts, but creating high quality spacious housing at ałordable prices is most often unpro table. (Social Housing De cit, n.d.). Another major cause of the problem is lack of space for both “private luxury” and the public (Monbiot, 2020). The rate of growth of public exceeds the rate of provision of housing for them. Rather than addressing this issue, priority is placed on providing luxuries for the elite few. Community housing is one of the solutions to many housing problems. It is a cost-ełective housing option provided for the public (Beck, 2020). However, this housing type has often been characterized by cramped solid concrete blocks, often with little or no outdoor spaces. The indoor spaces are also quite small and limited in functionality. However, a diłerent model of community housing also exists, with a more people centred design which attempts to go above just catering to the needs of the occupants, it seeks to care for the health and wellbeing of the occupants. One of the ways it seeks to provide housing that is above the minimum is providing outdoor vegetation rich communal areas, green spaces.
This study was carried out through the review of relevant literature. The literatureWhat are green spaces and why do we care about them?
Literature review: The literature review is structured to help understand green spaces and their value to humans. It also aims at giving insight into the rationale for these green spaces in and around our homes. Case Studies: The chosen case studies are Lillington gardens estate and Churchill gardens estate. These were chosen because in a period of concrete block and slab construction these selected estates stood out as being unique. High density housing schemes with well-planned green spaces in and around the structures, these were not very common during the time. The estates were commended for their innovative designs and have since been elevated to a conservation site. A combination of interpretive analysis and logical argumentation will be used to critique these case studies based on literature.
(Swanwick et al., 2003) information was subsequently used to guide in the analysis of selected relevant housing case studies. They offer numerous environmental education opportunities.
Lillington Gardens Estate Churchill Gardens Estate
Bio-parks, parks, gardens, places of recreation, informal green spaces such as aquatic fronts, vegetation surrounding historical sites, railway and road corridors and native vegetation types constitute the Urban Green Spaces (UGS) of a city (Anguluri & Narayanan, 2017). They could be natural, semi-natural or fully man-made; they could be functional; they could be accessible to the public or not, it takes on many forms. Many studies have been done on the importance of these areas to human life, and the bene ts include:
• Public health.
In a research carried out by Amano et al. (2018), residents of wealthier neighbourhoods with lots of green space saw an immediate and drastic improvement in their general health. Many other similar studies have shown that green spaces can improve human behaviour and attributes as well as assist people recover from physical and emotional stress and anxiety. These bene ts emanate from the chance to get some good exercise outside as well as the psychological bene ts of being able to get away to a less stressful, more soothing area.
• “Urban lungs”.
Haq (2011) Identi ed that one of the key importance of urban green spaces is its impact on the air around us. It absorbs carbon-dioxide, retains contaminations and discharges oxygen.
• Economic value boost.
Economic bene ts include both on-site bene ts like direct job creation and revenue generation and less obvious oł-site bene ts like ełects on local property values, contributions to attracting and keeping enterprises in a region, and a crucial role in attracting tourists.
• Increased biodiversity.
Green spaces are as a space for species protection, plant conservation, and soil and water quality preservation.
• The strategic placement of green spaces aids in Urban heat effect reduction
• They provide Functional spaces for personal, family or communal activities
• These green spaces if taken care of Increases attractiveness of the
It provides a level playing eld for all societal groups and has the potential to become the centre of a sense of community because of the abundance of chances for social interaction. It provides opportunities for outdoor active, and imaginative play that aid in child development and may have a favourable impact on behaviour of both individuals and wider society. In 2001 there were an estimated 922 million and 4 billion visits to parks and open green spaces a year in the UK.
• Well maintained green spaces give a higher sense of security. For parents having their kids play outside on the spaces, to the softness it gives
• Provision of opportunities to demonstrate sustainable management practices.
• Increased productivity.
Green space enhances employee morale and productivity in the workplace. A mere glimpse of nature, whether viewing through a window, a picture frame or indoor plant around them, makes employees feel more at ease overall.
From this brief overview, it is evident that urban green space has the potential to positively impact some of society’s most important urban goals. It demonstrates a wide range of social, educational and economic bene ts associated with community led green spaces. The key being “community led” green spaces. However, it is also worth noting that all these bene ts are subjective. Upkeep and maintenance is one of the key factors with regard to ensuring these spaces are bene cial. Placement is also an important factor, proximity to our homes have diłerent ełects which leads us to the question.
Green space as a buffer between stressful life events and health
Agnes E. van
den Berg,
Jolanda Maas, Robert A. Verheij, Peter P. Groenewegen
The experience of nature Rachel Kaplan, Stephen Kaplan
Role of green space in urban planning: Outlook towards smart cities
Ramesh Anguluri, Priya Narayanan
Why do we need them at our doorstep?
The Idea is very similar all the bene ts listed above: Health, Security, increased economic value, social inclusion, etc. But these bene ts still apply if they are 1 km away. A 1 km walk to the park doesn’t sound too bad, its more exercise for those who need it. proximity to parks and playgrounds also increase the value of our homes. Reduction in urban heath island ełect will bene t more from strategic placement of these spaces not just outside our doors. and the ecosystem certainly does not need a nice concrete house in its middle to thrive. A lot of these bene ts do not need to be outside our houses so them why should they be there? why is it something we strive for?
Stressful life event Health
Greenspace nearby of far away
The nature of the view from home
Ramesh Anguluri, Priya Narayanan
A lot of research has been carried out on the ełects of plants within proximity of the human. They highlight the soothing ełects of readily available green space around our homes. Having these green spaces in and around our homes serve as a bułer for stress and trauma. Having these spaces nearby leads to long-term contact with the aid of the window’s view and this contact is greatly bene cial. The maintenance of mental healing is made easier by such a strong link (Kaplan, 2001). However, in times of need for deeper healing, studies have proved that having to travel a certain distance provides a sense of disconnection and stronger connection to nature (Gulwadi, 2006). The level of healing needed varies depending on the level of trauma. Basic daily stressors, such as work, nance, family problems will greatly bene t from nearby green spaces. The ability to look outside a window and gaze upon the freshly trimmed grass, and a butter¤y ¤uttering from plant to plant can greatly alleviate one’s stress levels. However, for greater issues: death of a loved one, divorce and similar, these nearby greenspaces more of less lose their ełectiveness (Van Den Berg et al., 2010).
• Important for effective functioning.
• Buffer for stress (Kaplan, 2001) (Kaplan, 2001)
• Convinience.
A parent at home with 3 children, how convenient it will be to be able to cook do their daily activities without the noise and interruption of the kids. To be able to have them play outside in a safe environment without having to give up time for their activities to be able to keep an eye on them. Studies have shown that a vegetative environment is more bene cia to children. The ability to have these spaces nearby is more convenient for the parents, in their communities with friends and family.
For a family with pets, what is more convenient than having a lawn and garden space around the house for the pets to run around.
Who should these spaces belong to?
Monbiot (2020) in a public lecture asked the question “How is it possible to own land?” How can one individual assert control over 90 acres of land while rejecting everything undesirable to himself? How can this one Individual own this vast amount of space to use solely for his bene t? Throughout civilisation there has always been a strong oligarchic control over resources. The elite few whose major interest is solely pro t making has led to the collapse of society. This collapse of wildlife and ecosystems, the marginalisation and exclusion of so many people, the lack of adequate housing in many cities in many parts of the world. This collapse does not exclude the housing crisis, and the lack of space to take care of the needs of everyone beyond the bare minimum. The lack of public space in cities, and our exclusion from the countryside—all stem from the current pattern of land ownership and control. Monbiot highlighted that in a country which prides itself of walkers, the extent of this is con ned to a few walkways. In some areas of the country, many people have virtually no access to land. There are grossly insu®cient parks and green spaces in most cities, whereas large estates have walled oł the most beautiful areas of the countryside, posting “no trespassing” signs. However we subscribe to this idea that if we work hard enough we to can aspire to private luxury and this is the “foundational lie of capitalism”. Now, even if capitalism were distributive and did guarantee that everyone had an opportunity to become extremely wealthy, it would still be impossible to realise this promise since there isn’t enough room to do so. You cannot all own ranches, enormous estates, or skyscrapers in your own names. There isn’t enough land for everyone to have a 90-acre forest in his/ her backyard. However, the concept is not all bad since private ownership plays a massive role in economic development. Research has also shown that one of the key factors of the maintenance of quality green spaces is money. And private ownership has a high statistic of sinking more into these spaces nancially than public ownership. Public ownership of land in our current society is government control. Control with the perception of carrying the interest and wellbeing of the people at heart. It is however still the same government which allows an individual to own 90 acres of land. This gets you thinking, whose interest are the government really ghting for? Public ownership of properties however opens these spaces to everyone, “no trespassing signs” are non-existent. They are very easily accessible and positioned in places where they are most needed. The easiest example of these are parks, owned by government but fully available to everyone with the aim of enhancing the quality of life. Another form is the provision of allotments, in the United Kingdom everyone is entitled to a piece of land to use to grow plants and vegetables or to keep livestock, in accordance with the laid-out rules. About 75% of allotments in the UK are owned by the government, these allotments are run by allotment agencies. Although being accessible to the general public, the land is nonetheless subject to rental fees which is used for upkeep and as revenue generation. There lies the problem with the public owned spaces, maintenance, who takes care of these spaces? Typically, these spaces are not as well maintained as their private counterparts. Also, in a monetarily driven world how can these spaces be pro table? Our society has thus been structured to make private ownership to be the most desirable option but is it the best?
Churchill Gardens
Churchill Gardens, a complex of 1,661 homes spread across 31 acres, was created by two young architects Powell and Moya for a competition hosted by Westminster Council in 1946. It was constructed between 1946 and 1962 in four phases using 36 blocks. The estate was built in a sequence of huge slabs that are 9 to 11 stories high and enclosed by 7 storey blocks. Most of the other apartments, which make up the remaining 16%, are maisonettes and ¤ats in smaller blocks with three, four, and ve storeys. It was situated in Westminster’s southwest corner in Pimlico area. During the post-war period, London experienced a severe housing scarcity, this coupled with the desire for high-quality housing led to its conception for everyone. It was one of the rst post-war housing developments in the UK to adopt a modernist planning concept and depart from the more rustic, arts and crafts-inspired architecture that was popular during the pre- and inter-war periods. Trees line the walkways of the estate and Lawns, small enclosed public gardens, playgrounds, and private gardens arranged at various levels in raised and sunken sections make up the spaces between buildings.
Lillington Gardens Estate
Like the Churchill Gardens Estate but built 16 years later, emerged the Lillington Gardens Estate located in south Westminster, London also in the Pimlico area. This project was actualised between 1964 and 1972 in phases. It covers 16 acres and consists 14 blocks, mostly between three and eight storeys high, providing 540 homes for around 2000 people. (Municipal Dreams, n.d.). It combined high density with a medium rise building and set a new standard for housing scheme planning and design. Also, it was a mixed-use development meant to work as a neighbourhood and feel like a community. A community hall, 90 sheltered dwellings for the elderly and other housing tailored to persons with special needs, two doctor’s o®ces, a variety of stores, and many pubs were all mentioned in the original brief. The estate has a complex design which is softened by intricate landscaping. There are a variety of settings throughout the gardens, including big open gardens, smaller private amenity spaces, and more enclosed areas. The interconnected gardens, which are at the core of the plan, are essential to the estate’s personality, and the way blocks encroach into these areas results in a series of enclosed intimate green spaces and enclaves, giving this public housing scheme a sense of uniqueness. They are positioned at various levels due to the site’s mild contouring, which further enhances the informal nature of the layout. Several of the apartments and maisonettes have their own private gardens and balconies in addition to the shared ones, which creates a feeling of private home ownership.
Buildings
Green Spaces Movement
Both case studies were praised as tremendous architectural achievements when they were built. This was the case for many reasons one of which was the provision of multiple outdoor functional green spaces which at the time was not very common in social housing schemes. Both enjoyed some of the bene ts of having the green space around them. The most important being:
• They were aesthetically pleasing. The inclusion of these spaces greatly softened
• They provided functional spaces for outdoor activities for residents. years the look of the surrounding.
Although they were considered success stories, there were still issues which were observed over time. The use of these outdoor spaces at the Churchill Gardens was disproportionate, people on the lower ¤oors found it easier to use these spaces than those on the higher ¤oors. There were some reports that Parents did not feel comfortable letting their children go out to play due to the height of the structures and the absence of safe play areas on site as all the areas were open to the public. This is a common issue which arises with high rise structures often times making outdoor spaces on the ground ¤oor inełective. The design of the Lillington Garden estate attempted to combat some of the shortcomings of the Churchill Gardens housing estate. Its design successfully achieved a family friendly environment, by providing safe green spaces for children to play and limiting the heights of the structure. But was it better? This leads to the next issue, due to the more intimate and private nature of the gardens, unscrupulous characters use the spaces for illicit activities.
Both Estates have changed ownership from being a government-owned social housing project to a private property.
“Dickheads doing Fireworks” at Lillington Gardens Estate/ Credit: Jodie Clark-Facebook
Both case studies have stood the test of time. From a time where the value of green spaces around us had not been fully explored. Till current time where even amongst other similar counterparts it still holds its own as a great place to live.
Both case studies sought to provide outdoor spaces for everyone and it did all be it with different approaches. Churchill Gardens provided more open spaces while Lilliington Gardens providedmoreintimatespaces.Bothofthesespaceshowever were widely used and appreciated by the occupants
Residents of the Lillington gardens estate also benefit from well planned terraces green spaces. This could be one of the reasons whey it may have been a greater success than the former.
Lillington
Gardens Estate/ Credit: Jodie Clark-Facebook
Churchill Gardens Estate/ Credit: Alarmy
We now have a fundamental understanding of public luxury and how it ałects all levels. There are numerous examples of the concept of public luxury in housing, which is generally a private matter. This might be accomplished by creating green places around our residences. Both the residents and those in the neighborhood are impacted by these areas. I’m thinking about a public housing project for the community. By locating them close to these housing systems, the public starts to view them as a luxury. From reviewed studies we have understood how essential green space is to us. It is extremely important for both our physical and mental well-being, especially for our children. Children raised in locations with lots of green space typically perform far better than those who are surrounded by concrete and hard surfaces everywhere on a variety of indicators, including mental and physical health. The cases studies highlighted the ełorts at incorporating green spaces into housing estates with consideration for inclusiveness of the public. Although these attempts did not completely provide assess to all the bene ts associated with green spaces around housing projects but it was a step in the right direction. Contrary to any beliefs both these case studies were a success. Although they owe their success to many factors the provision of both these green outdoor spaces around them were of great bene t to the overall apeal of the area. They were loves by the owners and catered to most of their needs. They were highly rated by other professionals in the building industries. The outdoor green outdoor spaces were put to great use by residents. Although it has aged the value of the estate continues to increase over time.
The challenge therefore is for future architectural designs to come up with models that will further bring the general public closer to nature which should not be the preserve of the elite few.
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Relevance of green spaces around housing projects