The rise and fall of the internal reserve

Abstract

The ‘internal reserve’ distinguished world's best practice for the early garden suburb movement. These ‘hidden’ spaces were designed for a variety of reasons: to encourage the formation of community, promote safe play for children, offer sites for small‐scale agricultural pursuits, address topographic and drainage constraints, and facilitate conservation of natural features. They were a feature of progressive plans for British icon developments such as Hampstead Garden Suburb. As these plans travelled globally, however, the purpose of the internal reserve was less clear than their spatial form, and most languished as undistinguished, left‐over spaces. The historical origins, development and demise of the internal reserve are surveyed, with a focus on the Australian experience against an Anglo‐American backdrop.