Almere New Town Grows Up

"The key to Almere's original success, according to Dirk Frieling, head of the project group responsible for planning and developing the new town in 1973... was very simple -- the government owned all of the land being developed. This important fact enabled rapid growth and allowed for plenty of green spaces and low-density development, neither of which would have been possible if the land was privately owned. These two characteristics are still the most impressive features of the city."