Masters and research students from Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Grenoble (ENSAG) visited the International Garden Cities Institute today. 

The French higher education institution is an Academic Partner of the Institute. Stéphane Sadoux, currently director of ENSAG’s Centre for Research in Building Cultures (Laboratoire Cultures Constructives), brought 18 students and 3 members of teaching and research staff to show them our exhibition of global garden Cities and explore Letchworth.

One of his students is starting work on a PhD looking at the contribution Garden Cities could make to solving the housing and energy crises. This piece of research is jointly funded by ENSAG’s Centre for Excellence in Architecture, Environment & Building Cultures (LabEx AE&CC) and by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency.

Stéphane said this work could inform future development: “This research project is particularly important as in France, as too in England, there is an opportunity for us to help ensure new places are designed and managed properly.”

David Ames explained the social and funding model which has helped ensure Letchworth Garden City is well maintained and facilitates community involvement.