World Garden Cities Conference 2024

100 years later: the Garden City Conference returns to Amsterdam & Hilversum

5-7 June 2024 we are celebrating the 100-year anniversary of the 1924 garden cities conference in Amsterdam. We will look back at the first edition, and glimpse ahead to 2124!

A joint initiative from Museum Het Schip, the municipality of Hilversum, Aedes and Housing Europe

The Garden City principles

The garden city principles strongly influenced social housing and urban planning worldwide, from the late 19th century until today. Many garden city ambassadors contributed to different adaptations of the garden city through their social ideals and refreshing perspectives. There are various forms, from small garden suburbs to large garden cities. Yet, they are based on the same principles. The most important principles are:  

  • The accessibility of affordable social housing  
  • Shaping healthy, beautiful and green environments 
  • Stimulating flourishing communities  
  • Communal initiatives are key 

The Garden City principles today

Fueled by the current climate and societal issues, themes from the conference are still key in debates on the future of sustainable social housing and urban planning. We will explore the relevance of the garden city principles and discover its present values regarding social housing in healthy green environments and fostering a sense of community.

What to expect?

(The final program will be announced soon!) 

June 5 and 6 in Amsterdam and Hilversum
  • Welcome Anne Jo Visser, Director Federation Social Housing Associations Amsterdam.
  • Katy Lock, Director – Communities (FJ Osborn Fellow) Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) and board member of the International Federation of Housing Planning (IFHP): The Garden City movement today and the modern implementation of the Garden City Principles. 
  • Hilde Blank, CEO/partner BVR, office for spatial design, and chair Van Eesteren – Fluck & Van Lohuizen foundation: Back to the future, why garden cities are more relevant than ever.
  • Charlotte Griffioen, Director and Principal Architect MVSA: The future of Garden Cities: High-rise buildings as vertical forests and parks.
  • Guided Field trip to the garden cities of Amsterdam (Amsterdam-Noord) and Westelijke Tuinsteden (Amsterdam Nieuw-West) and a new garden city interpretation for the development of the new area HAVEN-STAD.
  • Guided field trip to Utrecht Overvecht-Noord. Revitalizing legacy post-war/modernist social housing estates with the community.
  • Lectures, workshops and guided excursions on the heritage and sustainable future of Hilversum, the largest garden city of the Netherlands. Learn all about the unique garden city of The Netherlands and use the qualities to find solutions for the future.

June 7 in Amsterdam (private conference for the members of Housing Europe)

Housing Europe Annual Conference: During the elections for a new European Parliament, Housing Europe will add the vital need for affordable, community-led housing to the restoration of ecosystems equation. How can we give nature the space it deserves in our cities while offering decent, accessible, energy-efficient homes to all?

And much more! Sign up now for the newsletter to stay updated – the official registration will be available in April. 

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About World Garden Cities

World Garden Cities is a brand new knowledge-based networking platform and an ode to all garden cities and their communities around the world. A platform that helps you get inspired by garden cities and allows your very own garden city or organization to be part of a large global network. It is a collaborative exploration that interacts with all communities, tenant organizations, municipalities, architects, visitor centers, policy makers, historical and heritage societies, and many others. Join the network!

Read more about World Garden Cities

The Garden Citiy Conference is an initiative by

With support from