Applying the garden city concept to historic Guanajuato

Abstract

First formally established as a mining outpost by the Spanish in 1548, the city of Guanajuato draws much of its façade from this era. With gardens scattered through the historic region, Guanajuato may appear to be a great candidate for the application of the Garden City Concept. Founded in 1898 by Sir Ebenezer Howard, the Garden City Concept attempts to increase visual quality, green space, and functionality of the areas in which it is applied. The purpose of the garden city is to combine the best aspects of country and urban living; despite the name, the focus of the Garden City Concept (GCC) is not only maximizing the amount of green space in a city. The focus of the GCC is creating an ideal residential environment by cultivating enterprise, convenience, comfort, and community through the use of open, green space. The city of Guanajuato’s hoary infrastructure and historic protections makes achieving this 20th century idyllic city vision nearly impossible. However, the entire Garden City Concept does not have to be applied, inspiration from the theoretical model can help to improve Guanajuato.