International Federation for Housing and Planning

Since 1913, the International Federation for Housing and Planning (IFHP) is an independent, non-profit, membership-driven international network responding to global urbanisation, displacement, and climate pressures beyond short-term political cycles. We connect practitioners, professionals, policymakers, and researchers working across housing and spatial planning, two fields whose integration is essential to addressing today's urban challenges.

Garden City origins

The Garden City movement, founded by Sir Ebenezer Howard in 1898, laid the foundation for the International Federation for Housing and Planning (IFHP). The original idea behind the Garden City movement was to integrate where people live, work, move, and gather. Howard's proposition was never just about houses. He envisioned communities that combined the advantages of city life with access to nature, creating healthier and more sustainable places to live. IFHP was founded to carry that integration forward.

Co-creating liveable cities for all

As a knowledge-based and politically independent organisation with over a century of experience, we provide a trusted platform for international cooperation and learning. We believe that integrating spatial planning, housing development, and the social dimension of housing is essential to co-creating liveable cities for all.

We share knowledge through concrete examples and facilitate exchange across territories, governance levels, and professional cultures. Our work is organised around four action lines that address today's most pressing housing and planning challenges: