Listen carefully to the calm breath of nature

Text written by: Magda Świć

In 1898 Ebenezer Howard published his book entitled “To-Morrow: A peaceful Path to Real Reform”, which was reprinted in 1902 as “Garden Cities of To-Morrow”. He came from a working-class background and was self-taught. Despite his lack of academic knowledge, he was a talented observer and showed great intuition. He also believed that he knew how to make people live better. It's the question that he asked himself repeatedly when observing the British, then later the Americans. Yet Howard was far away from dreamy visions. His theories were based largely around economics, the practical aspects of life and the atavistic needs of people. He claimed that city gardens should bring together the advantages of city life (employment, availability of services) as well as those of the countryside (close contact with nature, tranquillity, low cost of living). The main aim of this seemingly utopian vision was to improve the living conditions of society.

“Nature, of course, does not speak, but we can talk with her and she will show us the way” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Ebenezer Howard wondered how to make people from the countryside feel comfortable in cities where they were often shocked by the prices. He wanted to make sure they didn’t end up in small, sad, dark apartments that were often shared with others. His ideas resonated amongst urbanists, architects and planners, gaining widespread acclaim. Even Le Corbusier wrote about them in his book, and the subject was discussed intensively at city concept conferences. The conclusion was clear – when designing cities and housing developments, we need to remember some basic rules: comfort, proximity to nature, access to culture and the possibility of building social connections.

The topic of city gardens is still very much alive. There are many books about the innate human need to be at one with nature and the positive effect it has on well-being. We want to live close to nature. We want to see the changing colours of the leaves, hear the sounds of the birds and feel the dew on the grass right on our doorstep. Jan Kofta wrote “Don't forget about gardens. After all, that's where you came from”, and Ebenezer Howard would have certainly agreed.

The creators of the Botanica Jelitkowo project were also aware of the immense power of nature. Convinced by the validity of city gardens, they created a place that resembles an enchanted garden and implements the modern definition of luxury on many levels. Fortunately, there is no need to make a choice or compromise, because its location on the border between Gdańsk and Sopot means that it is only a five-minute walk away from one of the most beautiful beaches in the Tri-City area. There are beautiful pedestrian and cycle routes that connect the green enclaves – Gdańsk-Brzeźno and Sopot-Kamienny Potok, Jelitkowo Park, Ronald Reagan Park and Przymorze Park (dating back to the 17th century). They offer a sense of harmony and tranquillity.

The name “Botanica” is therefore not an empty promise. The housing development is encircled by spectacular botanical gardens with 47,000 different types of plant. Marek Łańcucki from Maarte architectural design studio comments that “The architecture of the Botanica Jelitkowo project is inspired by a typical modern home. It takes into consideration the human need to be close to nature and it takes advantage of its surroundings...”.

The above quote is taken from the exceptional “Story about Home” album.

Story about home

What makes a home? Listen and watch "Story about home".

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