Poundbury

“Em 1993, o príncipe fundou a Poundbury, uma vila-modelo localizada em terras pertencentes ao ducado da Cornualha, construída de forma contrastante com grande parte dos subúrbios da época, com uma maior densidade populacional e centrada no peão em vez do carro.”

Poundbury is an experimental new town or urban extension on the outskirts of Dorchester in the county of Dorset, England. The development is built on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall. It is built according to the principles of Charles, Prince of Wales, who is known for holding strong views challenging the post-war trends in town planning that were suburban in character. Since starting in 1993, the town has received both criticism and praise from architects and design critics.

The development is built to a traditional high-density urban pattern, rather than a suburban one, focused on creating an integrated community of shops, businesses, and private and social housing. There is no zoning. The planners say they are designing the development around people rather than the car, and they aim to provide a high-quality environment, from the architecture to the selection of materials, to the signposts, and the landscaping. To avoid constant construction, utilities are buried in common utility ducts under the town. Common areas are maintained by a management company to which all residents belong. It consists of 35% social housing and is designed for sustainable development,[1] which includes being carbon-neutral.

To some degree, the project shows similarities with the contemporary New Urbanism movement, except that the design influences are European. The designs of the houses are in traditional and new classical styles, with period features such as bricked-up windows, a feature found on many old British buildings, due to the window tax.