Poundbury Village Photos

January 2008, William Hooper

Although the village of Poundbury is brand new, the buildings were designed by Neo-Classical Architects to mimic a traditional Dorset Village. The design is high density rather than suburban. Instead of zoning, the developers mixed shops, houses and business together giving the village more character. The project echoes the United States 'New Urbanism' movement (eg town of Seaside), except the design influences are, of course, English. The houses include many period features such as chimneys. Even the occasional bricked-up window is included (a feature found on many old British buildings, due to the window tax). The roads are free of lane markings and road signs are kept to a minimum. Street furnishings are also traditional. To reduce unsightly on street parking there are many courtyards in the Village. Building in the tradition style, using mostly modern materials and techniques, apparently adds just 15% to overall costs. Moderate build costs, relatively high density and skyrocketing house prices have delivered Price Charles handsome profits. Other developers are now copying the idea. Once derided, Poundbudy has now become a model for sympathetic and popular development.

Although my photos are taken on a very grey January day, and I am no professional, I hope they might be of use. I have included both photos of the buildings I liked, and the buildings I didn't like. One Poundbury problem I noticed is that unpainted concrete clearly deteriorates much faster than real stone, and I think its use should be treated with caution.

I believe the UK government should combine the Poundbury concept with the Singapore idea of high quality State Owned Housing. By confiscating green belt agricultural land at agricultural prices, the government could addresses the housing crisis, stimulate the economy, make the exchequer a profit, and cure many social ills by bringing beauty to people’s lives. In the 1960s the Socialists ruined the UK with their ugly concrete tower blocks, like the Athenians before the implosion of their civilization, they forgot that when it comes to Dionysian activities, the secret of social harmony is seeking the approval of not the patricidal populist nihilistic crowd, but rather of the elite. The neo-classical idea is even easier inside in London, following the example of Napoleon III in Paris, the UK government should completely rebuild the city. Think about the White Stucco Fronted Regency Style we see so much of in Chelsea London example here- easy to replicated in concrete, it's both beautiful and well suited to high density development in London. Kensington and Chelsea has both the most expensive and highest housing density in London, a wise government could save the UK and pay off the national debt at the same time.