Reinterpreting the Garden City: Green-Built Relations in Tel Aviv’s Metropolitan Planning

Abstract

The Garden City concept, first presented by Howard and further developed by Patrick Geddes, was adapted in his 1925 plan for Tel Aviv, where built form and green space were conceived as interdependent elements—green-built relations. While Garden City planning has been recognised as urban heritage, how its principles are interpreted in contemporary metropolitan planning remains underexplored. This study investigates how planning documents across the Tel Aviv metropolis address the attributes of Geddes’ plan that underpin the UNESCO World Heritage inscription of the White City, and whether these attributes extend beyond the core heritage area. The research analyses strategic plans, conservation frameworks, and master plans, by means of a workshop held during the 2024 Livable Neighbourhoods in the 21st Century Garden City conference. Eighteen participants reviewed six municipal planning documents against thirty-one predefined attributes to contemporary green-built relations. Findings reveal that attributes from Geddes’ plan, which underpin to Outstanding Universal Value, extend beyond the World Heritage area but are unevenly recognised, with variation across municipalities and document types. Results demonstrate green-built relations as a useful lens for linking heritage management with metropolitan planning and for supporting Nature–Culture governance approaches.