Nr. 2 in our new series, Great Heroes: "A pioneer in urban planning"

Welcome to our “Great Heroes” series. In this collection of stories, we take you into the world of the people who motivate and inspire our team every day. You will be introduced to our personal heroes.

By sharing these stories, we invite you to get to know our team in a more personal way. Discover which pioneers, artists and thinkers have shaped us, and why their work continues to inspire us in our own creative journey.

Sander's great Hero:

Ebenezer Howard

London, 1850

Ebenezer Howard was an urban planning pioneer who revolutionised urban planning thinking in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His vision of garden cities inspired many, including powerful factory owners such as industrialist Stork, to make cities better and greener. In line with Howard's ideas, it was Stork that had Tuindorp ‘t Lansink in Hengelo built to house workers from the Stork factory.

In the late 19th century, urban living conditions were often very poor, with overcrowding and poor hygiene. Yet cities also offered advantages, such as employment and access to amenities. Howard's garden city concept combined the advantages of the city with those of a village, integrating green spaces and a healthy living environment into urban planning.

Howard's commitment to green space and his belief that cities should provide the harmonious balance between urban and natural environments are more relevant today than ever. Our modern cities often suffer from a lack of green space, but fortunately we are seeing a trend towards greening.

As we glance into the future, we can once again be inspired by Howard's ideas to better embed greenery in our urban environment. By applying his principles, we can create cities that are not only sustainable and liveable, but also contribute to the well-being of future generations.