Insights from 10 Years of Lectures at the Centre for Making Liveable Cities

Edited by Koh Buck Song Cities Liveable Making Cities Liveable: Published by Insights from 10 Years The Centre for Liveable Cities of Lectures at the Centre for Liveable Cities

First published in 2018

Editor: Koh Buck Song CLC is a division of

Project Leader: David Ee

Project Advisors: Joanna Tan Michael Koh CENTRE FOR LIVEABLE CITIES Set up in 2008 by the Ministry of Image Consultant: National Development and the Ministry Liew Yuqi of the Environment and Water Resourc- es, the Centre for Liveable Cities Contributions by: (CLC) has as its mission ‘to distil, Lincoln Lewis create and share knowledge on liveable Chong Hwee Jane and sustainable cities’. CLC’s work Toh Sing Ru spans four main areas--research, capability development, knowledge This book was designed platforms, and advisory. Through these and produced for CLC by: activities, CLC hopes to provide urban MAKING CITIES LIVEABLE H55 leaders and practitioners with the www.h55studio.com knowledge and support needed to make our cities better. For more informa- insights from 10 years of lectures DesignerS: tion, visit www.clc.gov.sg. Hanson Ho at the centre for liveable cities Shannon Lim CLC Lecture Series As a knowledge centre for liveable and Editorial Consultant: sustainable cities, the CLC Lecture Justin Zhuang Series provides a platform for thought leaders and experts in urban develop- Printed in Singapore ment and planning to exchange ideas by Dominie Press and share knowledge. These lectures are attended by a good mix of partici- ISBN: pants from the public and private 9789811176395 (Paperback) sectors as well as academia, bringing 9789811176401 (E-book) about robust discussions and a diversity of perspectives. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or For production information, transmitted in any form or by any please contact: means, electronic or mechanical, CLC Publications including photocopying, recording or +65 66459576 any information storage and retrieval Centre for Liveable Cities system, without the prior written 45 Maxwell Road #07-01 permission of the copyright owners. The URA Centre Every effort has been made to trace Singapore 069118 all sources and copyright holders of [email protected] information in this book before publication. If any have been inad- vertently overlooked, CLC will ensure that full credit is given at the earliest opportunity. Contents HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE 6 FOREWORD 42 Unconventional Ways 97 China’s COMPETITIVE ECONOMY Lawrence WonG to Launch Industrial Urbanisation Needs SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT Townships Urgent Reform INTEGRATED MASTER PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT 7 PREFACE Philip Yeo Li Jiange DYNAMIC URBAN GOVERNANCE Khoo Teng Chye 50 The Century of the City 98 Cities and economies 8 What will melt the Prof Paul Romer must reinvent themselves ice in human hearts? Prof Jan Peter Dr Jane Goodall 58 Conserving Heritage Balkenende in Hong Kong: 14 Global cities in A Paradigm Shift 106 Cities have No Choice SINGAPORE LIVEABILITY FRAMEWORK times of crisis Carrie Lam but to Adapt to Prof Saskia Sassen Climate Change 66 Grand Plans for Prof Eric Klinenberg 22 The Singapore Way a Growing London to Plan a City Sir Edward Lister 114 Why we need a new Dr Liu Thai Ker science of cities 67 How Three CitieS Dr Geoffrey West 23 From Care to of Colombia Were Lifestyle: Ageing Transformed 122 Seoul’s New Low- in Inclusive Cities Santiago Growth Development High Quality Dr Emi Kiyota Castro-Gomez Model of Life Dr Kim Soo-Hyun 24 Environmental Health 68 Singapore’s public goes hand-in-hand with housing story 123 How Cities Can Economic Progress Dr Liu Thai Ker Lead in Urban Competitive Sustainable Tan Gee Paw Development Economy Environment 78 Tourism’s Sizable Prof Marilyn 32 Transport planning: Indirect Contribution to Jordan Taylor Outcomes Keeping Singapore moving Singapore’s Development Joseph Yee, Pamelia Lee, 124 The future of port Mohinder Singh, Lim Neo Chian, cities: More Than Systems Integrated Master Planning Assoc Prof Loh Lik Peng, Just Ships & Development Gopinath Menon Dr Tan Chin Nam, Bart De Wever, Dr Limin Hee Toshihide Hirahara, 40 From “Garden Andrew Tan Dynamic Urban Governance City” to “City 88 A True Sign of a in a Garden” Liveable City: 134 New York City’s Dr Chua Sian Eng, Children and Elderly Lessons for Making Dr Shawn Lum, using Public Spaces Great Public Spaces Poon Hong Yuen PROf Jan Gehl Alexandros Washburn

41 India’s Cities 96 Auckland on the 142 biographies Cry Out for World Stage 152 10 YeARS, 100 LECTURES Infrastructure Len Brown 158 IMAGE CREDITS Dr Isher Judge Ahluwalia Foreword Lawrence Wong Minister for National Development, Singapore Preface Khoo Teng Chye Executive Director, The Centre for Liveable Cities

This year marks a decade since The Centre for Liveable Cities was founded in How does a city become more liveable? How did a crime-ridden city like Singapore to ask fundamental questions on how people can live well in cities. Medellín, once labelled by Time magazine as “the world’s most dangerous In these ten years, the Centre has become known globally as a thought leader city”, turn into the inspirational, socially cohesive place it is today? How did and champion for liveability and good urban development. It is respected for Copenhagen become an exemplar of a people-centric city, with cycling as a the way it has connected city leaders, private sector experts, researchers and way of life and with humanised streets and public spaces where everyone, advocates to share knowledge about the issues they are grappling with. including children and the elderly, can thrive? How did Singapore, in just There is an urgency to the Centre’s work, especially as cities everywhere 50 years, transform itself from a poverty-stricken former colony into an become increasingly dense and crowded. Good city living does not come affluent, modern and effectively governed metropolis? about naturally, or by chance. Cities must be carefully and thoughtfully The Centre for Liveable Cities was set up by the Singapore Government planned and developed, and effectively run, in order to be highly liveable. in 2008 to answer these questions. To make liveable cities, understanding Singapore is aware of the problems that arise when urbanisation goes the journey and process is key to the outcome. wrong. Just 50 or so years ago, the city had just about every urban ill one We have distilled the process behind Singapore’s urban development into could imagine—overcrowded slums, widespread poverty, water shortages, a framework that outlines how the country achieved its liveability outcomes, poor sanitation, flooding, traffic congestion, crime, and disease. However, which are: a high quality of life, a competitive economy and a sustainable Singapore succeeded in turning this around, and is now one of the most environment. It is the systems underlying these outcomes that are key, liveable cities in Asia and the world. emphasising the importance of integrated master planning and development, The Centre is working hard to understand and share knowledge about and a dynamic urban governance. Since its founding, the Centre has built up a how Singapore achieved its transformation. As cities mature and aspire valuable body of research centred on this liveability framework and how it towards new goals of walkability, ample green spaces, social inclusion, relates to Singapore’s past and future development. We share this knowledge public participation, and affordability, the Centre is also studying the with anyone interested to learn from Singapore’s experience. There is also a efforts of cities from all around the world, and sharing their lessons for lot that we can learn from others, and that cities can learn from one another. mutual learning. We organise the biennial World Cities Summit, which brings together city This book features valuable insights from the urban development leaders, industry experts and other urban practitioners, to discuss common experiences of Singapore and other cities, including New York City, Hong challenges, forge partnerships and share solutions. Kong, Copenhagen, Seoul, Rotterdam, and Auckland. I hope that countries Our CLC Lecture Series, on which this book is based, is another way we and cities across the world will continue to collaborate and learn from each enable learning about liveability. This commemorative publication gathers other’s experiences, and work together to tackle common challenges like lectures from some of the foremost urban thought leaders and practitioners urbanisation. Together, we can make all our cities great places to live in. we have invited to speak. The book captures their deep knowledge on city issues ranging from housing planning and people-centricity, to environmental sustainability, urban science and trends, heritage and ageing. Why do these lectures matter? Urban liveability is about real human lives, both present-day and in the future, and concerned thinkers are trying hard to find ways to improve this. This book, as well as our website, documents and shares these insights, not only as an aid to those interested in making liveable cities, but also to inspire more people to get involved. I hope that you enjoy reading it.

6 7 Dr Jane Goodall Date of Lecture: 05-06-2009 All the problems we find around the planet that have led us into the situation we are in today are interrelated: what was going on in Africa with the poverty and hunger, destruction of the forest, spreading of the desert, increasing lack of water, droughts and floods getting worse, and also ethnic violence, What Will Melt the often in competition for scarce resources. So much of this could be laid at the door of developed nations. The lifestyles of many of us are in the long run unsustainable if we don’t Ice in Human Hearts? learn to live in greater harmony with the natural world.

How and why The volunteer who came for four In 1986, whilst attending a she became an months was my amazing mother. conference in Chicago, USA, I learned 1 animal activist She was invaluable because she that chimpanzees across Africa were I did not go to university boosted my morale in those early days becoming extinct as forests were cut because my family couldn’t afford it. when the chimpanzees ran away every down; they were increasingly hunted Then I got this invitation from a time they saw me. She was there to for the bush meat trade. I left that school friend to go to Kenya. I earned point out what I was learning—about meeting as an activist, knowing I my fare by working as a waitress. the way they made beds or nests every had to try and do what I could to When I reached Nairobi, I was told night in the trees, the foods they ate, save the last chimpanzees and protect that if I was interested in studying wild the kind of groups they formed. their forests. That meant travelling animals then I must meet Dr Louis Over the years since 1960, with and trying to raise awareness, to Leakey, a palaeontologist searching other research on chimpanzee groups help people understand what was for the remains of Stone Age humans. across Africa, we have discovered happening. He was impressed, I think, because just how we are like chimpanzees. All the problems we find around when he took me around the Natural Biologically, we share over 98% of the planet that have led us into History Museum where he was structural DNA; you can have a blood the situation we are in today are curator, I could answer so many of his transfusion from a chimpanzee. interrelated: what was going on in questions because I’d spent so much There are fascinating relationships Africa with the poverty and hunger, time reading books about animals and in chimp society: in male-dominance destruction of the forest, spreading learning about them at the London strife, interestingly, those that are big of the desert, increasing lack of water, Natural History Museum. and strong tend not to stay at the top droughts and floods getting worse, Eventually, this led to him giving very long. But those who are smaller and also ethnic violence, often in me this extraordinary chance to go to and use their brains sometimes last competition for scarce resources. live with the animal that’s more like us in this role for six to eight years. So much of this could be laid at than anything else. It was a big battle Good and bad mothers in chimp the door of developed nations. The to get the authorities of what was then society make a big difference in the lifestyles of many of us are in the Tanganyika, part of the British way the young behave. Chimpanzees long run unsustainable if we don’t colonial empire, to allow this young are capable of violence and brutality, learn to live in greater harmony girl to go out into the forest. In the but also of showing love, compassion with the natural world. end, they agreed if I took a companion. and altruism. I started off travelling in Africa,

8 9 What Will Melt the Ice in Human Hearts? Dr Jane Goodall

2 There’s some kind of then realised I needed to travel in the and a brick wall. We think of the wall USA and Europe, and increasingly, and boulders as all the problems— disconnect between Asia. The more I travelled, the more environmental and social—that this clever human I realised how difficult it was to we’ve inflicted on planet Earth. It’s a pinpoint exactly what should be programme of hope. Thousands of brain capable of all done in any given situation unless young people around the world can I looked at it holistically. break through and make this a better this extraordinary The first problem we tackled world for all living things. technology, and was sustainable development at the What began with 12 high school Gombe National Park on the shores students on my veranda in Dar es the human heart, of Lake Tanganyika in 1992. Although Salaam, overlooking the Indian the seat of love I realised the deforestation outside Ocean, is now a programme from the park was extreme, I had not pre-school through to university. and compassion. realised it was utterly devastating. It has sprung up in the most unlikely The Roots & Shoots The only trees left were in steep places: in prisons, refugee camps, ravines where even desperate farmers among the staff of big corporations, programme is about couldn’t try to cultivate, and where in old people’s homes. It’s now in trying to put the women desperate for firewood nearly 100 countries, and has about couldn’t climb. How then could we 150,000 active groups. head and heart even think about saving these famous Roots & Shoots is about back together. chimpanzees—Flo, Fifi, Mike and empowering young people to think Goliath, anybody who’s seen National about all the problems around them. Geographic movies or read the books To sit around with friends, identify knows those names—if the people problems, and work out what you living around them were struggling would like to do something about to survive? and how. Then, roll up your sleeves That led to our programme and get out there and do it. It is when TACARE (Lake Tanganyika Catchment you start taking action, and see with Reforestation and Education), which your own eyes the difference your includes programmes that work with farming methods for this now very New shoots of hope since I was their age and I feel the action can make when you do it with the local community to improve the degraded land. We worked with for desperate youthS desperation. Is it true there’s nothing a group of friends, that this hopeless lives of villagers around Gombe in a groups of women, trying to empower It was not really surprising, given young people can do? Not true. That feeling starts to go away. 1 Dr Jane Goodall, at 84 years of age, very sustainable way. Local Tanzanians them to improve their lives through higher levels of education today, that led to the (Jane Goodall Institute’s) Humans are incredibly intellectual still travels about 300 days a year all around the world, promoting visited each community and learned microcredit, tiny loans for everywhere I went there were young global programme for young people of beings. How come we’re destroying environmental stewardship, what they felt they needed. So it was environmentally sustainable projects, people who seemed to have lost hope all ages, Roots & Shoots. It began in our only home? In the old days, among encouraging children to become not a bunch of white people going in and scholarships to keep girls in for the future. They were depressed, Tanzania in 1991. In 1995, it went over indigenous people in North America advocates for social and environ- mental change, and developing and saying, “We’re sorry for you and school. All around the world, it’s been apathetic, bitter, angry, sometimes to the USA and since then, it’s been and other countries, the elders would anti-poverty programmes in areas this is what we’ve decided is going to shown that as women’s education violent. They more or less said growing very fast. gather and ask, “How will the decision nearby to African nature reserves. make your life better.” It was going in improves, family size tends to drop. the same thing: “We feel you’ve Roots & Shoots is a symbolic name. we make today affect our people in 10 the African way: sitting and listening. And the reason for the destruction compromised our future, and A small seed can grow into a very huge generations time?” 2 Founded in 1991 by Dr Jane Goodall, Roots & Shoots is a They weren’t interested in of the forests outside Gombe? More there’s nothing we can do about it.” tree. The life force in that seed is so What criteria are we using today? global programme that aims to conservation at all. They were people living there than the land Well, we have compromised the strong that roots, to reach water, can “How will this affect me and my family inspire youths of all ages to take interested in education and health. could support. Too poor to buy food future of our young people. I’ve got work through boulders and eventually now? How will this affect the next action to make the world a better place for people, animals, and That’s how we began. Then we from elsewhere. Today, the lives of three grandchildren. I think of what push them aside; and shoots, to reach shareholders’ meeting three months the environment. gradually moved into sustainable the people have improved. we’ve done to this beautiful planet sunlight, can work through crevices ahead? How will this affect my next

10 11 What Will Melt the Ice in Human Hearts? Dr Jane Goodall political campaign or job interview?” about the environment. But the a moat. Later, a younger male If you see that look great pushing, managed to pull eyes of elephants chained, swaying These are the criteria we’re using. indigenous people from nine challenged Jojo. The dominant display himself up to where the ground from foot to foot. I’ve seen it in the Does it mean we no longer care about countries stood together as a body of the adult male chimpanzee is truly and you feel it in is level. And just in time, Rick got eyes of those in refugee camps, who our children and grandchildren? and tackled the environment head-on. an awesome thing: with hair bristling, your heart, you back over the barrier to safety and have seen their families slaughtered. No! I’ve been in the homes of CEOs I will never forget the Elder from the lips bunched in a ferocious scowl, his family. I’ve seen it in the eyes of street of companies knowingly spreading Eskimo nation in Greenland saying, throwing rocks, making himself look have to jump in A woman had been there with a children with no homes, caught up in carcinogenic chemicals into the “My brothers and sisters, we know as big and dangerous as he possibly video camera. That evening, that video inner-city violence with nowhere to go. atmosphere and on to fields. Yet, every day what you do in the south. can. Jojo hadn’t had the opportunity to and try to help. was flashed across North America. If you see that look and you feel it at home, they’re wonderful loving Up in the north, the ice is melting. learn about chimpanzee behaviour, The director of the Jane Goodall in your heart, you have to jump in and parents or grandparents. What would it take to melt the ice and was so frightened that he ran into Institute there saw it, and called Rick try to help. There’s some kind of disconnect in the human heart?” And that has the water. Three times he came up and said, “That was a very brave thing I don’t think there’s a problem between this clever human brain stayed with me, more than anything gasping for breath, and then he you did. You must have known it was anywhere where there isn’t a group of capable of all this extraordinary else I heard. disappeared underwater. very dangerous, everyone was telling passionate people working for little to technology, and the human heart, Luckily for Jojo, a man named Rick you. What made you do it?” Rick said, no money, risking their health, their the seat of love and compassion. The look of a cry for help Swope, who usually visited the zoo “I just happened to look into his eyes, lives, to try and put that problem right. The Roots & Shoots programme is I’ll end with a story about a once a year, was there with his wife and it was like looking into the eyes of And this is what makes me feel that about trying to put the head and chimpanzee, Jojo. Born in Africa, and three little girls. He immediately a man, and the message was, ‘Won’t the ice in the human heart, truly, is heart back together. he was caught and sent off to a zoo in jumped in even though a keeper tried anybody help me?’” beginning to melt. I went to the Millennium Peace North America, where he lived alone to grab hold of him and told him he That’s the look I’ve seen in the eyes Like what I’ve heard here, Summit at the United Nations in New for about 15 years. A new zoo director would be killed, that Jojo weighed 130 of chimpanzee infants whose mothers with efforts to make this a more York. There were 1,000 religious and decided to build the biggest enclosure pounds and could be dangerous. He have been butchered for meat. I’ve sustainable future for the young spiritual leaders from 100 countries— in North America, got 19 other pushed Jojo up out of the water and seen it looking out from the five-foot- in Singapore, with technology that an amazing sight, in all their regalia. chimpanzees together with Jojo, he’s sliding in the mud. Just in time, by-five-foot prison cells in medical can be shared around the world, with Almost none of them really talked and surrounded this enclosure with Jojo got a thick tuft of grass, and with research labs, where chimps are the opportunity for meeting with imprisoned for research use because those thinking along the same lines 3 they’re so like us. I’ve seen it in the in other countries, using our amazing 4 ability to discuss, and our incredible intellect to create new technologies. But none of it will work if the ice in the heart doesn’t melt. ■

Dr Jane Goodall, DBE Founder, Jane Goodall Institute UN Messenger of Peace

3 Dr Jane Goodall planting a tree with a group of Singaporean students. Story provided courtesy of the Jane 4 An adult and a juvenile chimpan- Goodall Institute (Singapore). For more zee embracing. Just like humans, information about the work of Dr Jane chimpanzees are capable of Goodall visit www.janegoodall.org.sg. violence and brutality, but also To learn about Dr Jane Goodall’s of showing love, compassion Roots & Shoots programme, and altruism. visit www.rootsandshoots.org.

12 13 Prof Saskia Sassen Date of Lecture: 21-08-2009 The city is not just a node where trade networks and financial circuits intersect. The city fulfils a second function: as a site for producing very Global Cities in particular kinds of complex knowledge. 1 Times of Crisis

Cities matter: They Another issue is firms can be European Union went from having all are where “complex operating in up to 50 countries, countries replicate certain routinised knowledge” is made each with different cultures of functions to remapping the most First, I want to talk about management and different types strategic functions, and so certain why cities still matter so much in of accounting and legal systems. cities emerged as critical for certain today’s globalised world, when digital The city is not just a node where functions, while others moved on. technology already allows all kinds trade networks and financial circuits There are two propositions I want of firms, activities and government intersect. The city fulfils a second to demolish: that globalisation institutions to move outside of cities. function: as a site for producing homogenises cities and urban When I first coined the term “global very particular kinds of complex economies become more similar, city” in 1982, people didn’t know what knowledge. and that cities increasingly compete I was talking about. The ancient city Let’s call this the “post-Petra with each other. of Petra in Jordan fell because trade urban function”. Yes, there’s competition, but far routes changed. This will also affect less than meets the eye. A city like cities today. But cities are not just Cities don’t compete; they Singapore is located with dozens nodes in networks; they are also sites just specialise differently of specialised circuits, and each for producing complex knowledge. The differences between cities matter. connects to a particular set of other One critical issue that explains not There’s a lot of redundancy in the cities and represents joint platforms. only the ascendance of global cities, systems of national economies and They’re not simply competing with but also their proliferation, is the global cities. This can be measured each other. Of course, to some extent, problem of incomplete knowledge. empirically for certain sectors, Singapore is competing with Incomplete knowledge has become especially finance. We have more Shenzhen in China as a financial more complex and challenging, difficulty establishing it for other centre, and with Hong Kong. Chicago because of the velocity of transaction sectors. and New York, the two leading and change. The cycle of technological Think of an earlier period of financial centres in the US, compete innovation no longer corresponds international finance, before the on some level, but actually much less to what we thought of as natural. deregulations started from the 1980s. than you might think. They’re simply Now, there can be five cycles in a Every national economy had its own specialised in different ways. workers’ work life and the life of a set of financial functions to deal with Some cities are far more able to firm. That’s a real issue. international transactions. The accommodate a financial crisis to do

14 15 Global Cities in Times of Crisis Prof Saskia Sassen

2 It’s critical for a large city to use its scale for diversifying the economy. Many cities fail to use all their scalar complexity. In the 1980s and 1990s, New York thought all it needed was to be a leading financial centre. It wanted to eliminate everything else, to transform all buildings into luxury housing or offices. I told the Mayor at the time that you’re reducing New York to a plantation economy.

with subprime mortgages, like the one instrument. This variability adds to cities. For certain issues, you can have in the USA in 2008, when, on average the flexibility of urban economies. alliances between these cities. 10,000 people lost their homes every It’s critical for a large city to use its If a major MNC wants to locate in day due to foreclosures. In São Paulo, scale for diversifying the economy. some of these cities, in the 1980s and in supposedly a poorer country like Many cities fail to use all their scalar 1990s this would have been critical Brazil, 90% of people own their homes. complexity. In the 1980s and 1990s, for many cities. However, they didn’t This is another way of making the New York thought all it needed was have network analysis. They looked argument that specialised differences to be a leading financial centre. It at the world from their own city’s between cities actually matter. wanted to eliminate everything else, perspective, so they felt they were to transform all buildings into luxury competing with the rest of the world. No such thing as housing or offices. I told the Mayor at That can often lead to short-sighted “the global economy” the time that you’re reducing New policy, to giving the city away. Cities I would say, as a general statement: York to a plantation economy. like New York and London simply “There’s no such thing as the global Cities should use their multi-scalar exempted corporations from taxes economy.” It doesn’t exist. What quality. I have an impression that because they were afraid that they there are, are hundreds of specialised Singapore does this very well. You have were losing out. By the late 1970s, circuits—that’s what cities are. to. You’re going to use every kind of all these powerful cities were totally You have to break it down to great activity. The Singapore economy is a bankrupt. Out of despair and fear, detail, take all the components of variable, multi-scalar system. they had put in place excessively 1 The ancient city of Petra in Jordan fell because trade routes changed. the so-called global economy and There are other circuits on which generous policies. But cities today are not only nodes There are two propositions see what are the places inside. There cities are located. For example, NGOs in a trade network—they fulfil a are mines, factory districts, and fighting for rainforests function in From pigs to derivatives: second function as sites for I want to demolish: that producing complex knowledge. then you also have cities. multiple circuits. There may be Creating urban globalisation homogenises That’s how I started doing my indigenous people who really know knowledge capital 2 The trading floor at the New York research on global cities in the 1980s. the forest on circuits that include The knowledge economies of different Stock Exchange. New York City is cities and urban economies Cities are messy animals. People say: Brazil and Indonesia, the global media cities really are different, with very a major hub for global commodity trading in, for example, coffee. become more similar, and “Global commodity trading includes centres of New York and London, and specialised forms of urban knowledge But it is not the coffee itself being that cities increasingly New York and São Paulo as major the major factory companies and capital. Chicago, Shanghai and São traded; it is an instrument. The city hubs…”, but New York doesn’t grow headquarters of sellers. A city is Paulo have deep mass manufacturing does not grow a single bean of coffee. This variability adds to the compete with each other. a single bean of coffee. It’s not the located on many different circuits, economic histories. Out of that comes flexibility of urban economies. coffee itself being traded; it’s an and each circuit has other specific a kind of knowledge economy. How do

16 17 Global Cities in Times of Crisis Prof Saskia Sassen you handle steel? It’s not just the Most countries have their produced the notion that globalisation Most countries have their particular material material; it’s the accounting, finance, particular material histories. I try to homogenises the city. insurance, advertising, etc. If a steel invite people to think of what kind of We recognise that to operate in a histories. I try to invite people to think of what mill in the USA wants to go global, you knowledge they have in common, or global economy, you need a certain kind of knowledge they have in common, or still don’t go to New York or Los Angeles, still have not pulled out of their own measure of standardised accounting you go to Chicago. economic history. This presupposes a and financial reporting standards. have not pulled out of their own economic history. The most complex financial complex economic history. Rather And you’re going to be outsourcing a instrument we have produced is the than thinking: “Aha! I am becoming a lot, which the world has done. This presupposes a complex economic history. derivative. You’re dealing with global city if I import creative classes Otherwise, nothing will work. This is Rather than thinking: “Aha! I am becoming a something for which you want to because they have creativity,” how the problem that happened with the establish a future price. In the free about understanding what it is that Boeing Dreamliner 787, that’s still not global city if I import creative classes because market concept from the 18th century we really know in this culture? out on the market. They outsourced they have creativity,” how about understanding economist Adam Smith, the price is The trick of the knowledge so much of the manufacturing that set by producers who are literally able economy is to commodify, then when they got all the parts back, they what it is that we really know in this culture? to see each other—think of the village extricate, from the material practices couldn’t put them together. I love that market. In Chicago, way back when of handling, say, pigs, to a kind of the city was producing millions of big knowledge—futures. That’s 3 pigs, you actually had to know the pigs: an extreme: from pigs to this very how were the pigs this year? When abstract financial instrument. were the pigs going to be slaughtered Singapore is different. You have and taken to market? But out of that something very material: a state- very material knowledge comes the of-the-art global port, and also a elements of establishing the future. knowledge economy that comes out Chicago invents futures and of that port. Out of those material derivatives out of that material history. activities, you’ve developed a knowledge economy to manage a global port. That means a specialised service economy dealing with finance, accounting, insurance, etc. Now you export that knowledge economy. I was at a meeting in Marseilles about 10 years ago with port directors from all over the world. The people in those countries don’t even know that their port is being managed by Singapore. Hong Kong and Singapore are the

3 Different cities have different two leading exporters of this kind of forms of urban knowledge capital, knowledge economy. which produces a particular There are indeed homogenised knowledge economy. Singapore built environments, like luxury has developed a knowledge economy about managing a global residential districts and the ultimate port, and is exporting this globally. shopping malls. But perhaps a sort of Singapore and Hong Kong are the confusion has emerged: that these two leading exporters of this kind of knowledge economy regarding built environments all have a kind of ports management. similarity that repeats itself. This then

18 19 Global Cities in Times of Crisis Prof Saskia Sassen

A global firm does not want one perfect city. It’s story. We can all recognise this. What of doing business”—rule of law, we’ve not quite understood is that government and all—London ranks not like the old empires, where the capital of the standardising standards affects the 43rd! That’s why Copenhagen, Zurich, empire had to have it all. Right now, depending built environment. Madrid have become significant. And Here comes my bit of theory: New York is 56th! It is Singapore that on what you’re after, you go to different places. the built environment has switched ranks number one in some variables. systems. We tend to think of an office In the Global South, cities like building as being about office work. Mumbai and São Paulo are in the top The famous first office buildings group for financial and economic talked a transparent language: “I’m services, but are brought down to about office work.” In fact, most jobs about 60th position by low rankings in were routinised office jobs. Nowadays, factors related especially to liveability. 4 office buildings don’t talk that My argument to corporate audiences transparent language. You don’t relates to the social questions: How really know what they’re making. you handle your population, or What is actually being done inside excessive homelessness, affects the these offices varies enormously. They corporate temperature. A firm that’s will not be competing with each other. going to have a large labour force with All these cities may look like they have multiple types of workers wants a the same urban economy, but what reasonable setting. Again, that’s why they have is similar state-of-the-art small European cities are gaining infrastructure. Even if all these urban ground over American cities. ■ economies look the same, they’re not. Singapore and Shenzhen are two Prof Saskia Sassen examples. There’s no perfect global Robert S. Lynd Professor of Sociology, Columbia University, USA city. Singapore is not perfect either. A global firm does not want one perfect city. It’s not like the old empires, where the capital of the empire had to have it all. Right now, depending on what you’re after, you go to different places. Copenhagen in Denmark has become the Dubai of the European Union. If firms don’t need London, Paris or Frankfurt, why not go to Copenhagen? Zurich is another city emerging like that. So, these small European cities have grown in importance. 4 Small European cities have grown There’s a study for which I was an in importance. A global firm expert, in which we looked at over 60 does not want one perfect city— variables. None of the leading cities depending on what it is looking for, it may choose to go to Zurich ranks top in everything. If we consider (pictured) instead of London, a critical variable such as “ease Paris or Frankfurt.

20 21 Dr Liu Thai Ker Date of Lecture: 08-09-2010 Dr Emi Kiyota Date of Lecture: 13-09-2012 The Singapore Way From Care to Lifestyle: to Plan a City Ageing in Inclusive Cities “Rather than hire professionals to do everything for older people, we should create a support system in Singapore adapted western theories to its culture and environment, which healthy older people can help other older people. building “a city developed by Asians in Asia within one generation”. You have to start creating a social capital system.”

The government’s planning efforts Nature layer considers green spaces; the Cities need to make themselves more social capital system,” she added. have transformed Singapore into Heritage layer strikes off areas for conservation; accessible for the elderly, and it is not Another urban solution that needs what it is today. By overcoming the Grid layer includes expressways and public too late to start now, said Dr Kiyota. reconsideration is the need for technology that is challenges in developing master transportation lines; and the Organs includes If the elderly cannot walk in the city, easy for the elderly to use. Besides age-related plans, the city-state has created world-class a Central Business District, housing, industries they would exercise less, she added, and clinical challenges such as physical, sensory and cognitive amenities, while preserving historical memories. and utilities. The government’s obligation to health would be compromised and become an impairment, there is also social impairment. Some Dr Liu said this required understanding lead with its planning role is like creating a economic burden. people become “paralysed” by the lack of access the fundamentals, drafting and implementing beautifully working stage on which people Walkable cities also foster connectivity. This is to technology, she said. “People think that if you good rules and regulations, ensuring faithful “create life’s drama”. crucial in helping communities have an identity, can stay at home with a home-care agency, you are enforcement, respecting and protecting the Dr Liu sees three possible planning as people living in poorly connected places tend okay, but if you cannot go out for basic services, like process, and systematic improvement of the approaches: to plan what we like, what we can, to be withdrawn and they stay at home. Thus, the grocery store or clinic, you actually are quite master plan. He sees a master plan as a or what we must. The first two are seductive, soft providing an environment for the elderly to walk socially paralysed.” “machine for living”—the correct placement options that require little hard work or know-how. will not only help them stay healthy, it will help them As part of Dr Kiyota’s efforts to empower the and connection of elements in a city being The challenge is to commit “to plan what we stay connected with one another, said Dr Kiyota. elderly, she conducts many workshops through her similar to the assembly of machine parts. Self- must” by understanding the people’s needs, Cities should also rethink the building of nursing non-profit organisation Ibasho to gather the input belief is crucial, he said, citing how Singapore and then connecting visions to sound plans. homes for the elderly, an urban solution which from the elderly and help them build a sense of dared to go against world trends with high-rise With clarity and understanding of core Dr Kiyota argues is something their “immune ownership. This also creates opportunities for them public housing in the 1960s. principles, combined with the courage and system” might reject. “I have never actually seen to talk with one another. “People get excited to Singapore adapted western theories to its conviction to value its achievements, Singapore any nursing home work in any city, but somehow see a building built because everybody feels they culture and environment, building “a city will continue to challenge world trends and stay we just keep building them because a lot of helped design it. We have to really move from care developed by Asians in Asia within one relevant, said Dr Liu. ■ governments think it is the easiest, most efficient, to lifestyle,” she said. “Rather than just caring for generation”. most convenient and cheapest option,” she said. people with dementia, what kind of lifestyle can “Good planning can let you have a cake and “Rather than hire professionals to do everything we help them re-create?” ■ eat it,” said Dr Liu as he outlined the five layers of Dr Liu Thai Ker for older people, we should create a support planning: the Basic Structure allocates land use Founding Chairman, Centre for Liveable Cities system in which healthy older people can help Dr Emi Kiyota for different city elements based on function; the Chairman, Morrow Architects & Planners other older people. You have to start creating a Founder and President of Ibasho, USA

22 23 Tan Gee Paw Date of Lecture: 28-02-2011 1

Environmental Health goes hand-in-hand with Economic Progress

Environmental vector control; the building of we will spiral down. If we do this Health is Critical infrastructure to supply potable water, well, we have a chance of spiralling for the Economy collecting and treating all waste water; up. There’s no midway, no and Country and the collection and disposal of equilibrium point. By the early 1970s, we knew that the solid waste. We want Singapore to Environmental public health is environment must play a critical role be totally different. A high standard still extremely valid for Singapore in the development of Singapore. of environmental public health is today. Unlike in other countries, if Economic progress then was the critical to our economic survival. there’s an epidemic here, you cannot, priority; it always is. But for us to Mr Lee Kuan Yew [Singapore’s first say, seal off Katong. We’ve got only succeed economically, we must have Prime Minister] was always promoting one densely populated city, with a good, clean environment. it along these lines. That’s why we had nowhere else to go, so environmental We depend on foreign investors in the Anti-Pollution Unit attached to the public health is our only safeguard Singapore, but who’s going to come Prime Minister’s Office, to give it a against infectious diseases. We’re here if the environment is not up to similar status as economic progress. jolted into action when we have the mark? The competition around us There were many issues to resolve. outbreaks like SARS (Severe Acute is so great—Malaysia, Indonesia, At times, we were at loggerheads with Respiratory Syndrome), when Vietnam, so many other countries the economic programmes. Even as suddenly, people were afraid even to go to. We’ve got to distinguish we industrialise, we must not pollute of [touching] lift buttons. ourselves so we can have that added the island we live in. Today’s situation is different; there factor to attract foreign investment. We understood how, as a small are more areas to cover. But these are Environmental public health is a very country with no resources, if we do the basics that have not changed. It broad area. It covers air, land, water; not handle economic progress and was a great challenge in the past. We issues like food safety and hygiene; care for the environment correctly, had approximately 21,000 squatters

24 25 Environmental Health Goes Hand-in-Hand with Economic Progress Tan Gee Paw

We understood how, as a small country with To your surprise, you’ll find that the We plan for the next 15 to 50 has to come in. You cannot plan just other side will eventually come round, for the next five years. no resources, if we do not handle economic because back home that’s what they years. For water, we plan for 100 We plan for the next 15 to 50 years. progress and care for the environment do too! They’re quite used to it. If you years, for the country’s ultimate For water, we plan for 100 years, for don’t, they will say: “Ah, these guys the country’s ultimate development. correctly, we will spiral down. If we do this can be taken for a ride.” development. We need to have We need to have the stamina to see In the early days, we had diesel the stamina to see it through. it through. well, we have a chance of spiralling up. piling hammers, which were terrible— There’s a lot of excitement cutting There’s no midway, no equilibrium point. diesel is pumped into diesel engines, ribbons for projects. But [for these then it explodes with black smoke all basic issues] it’s more than a policy, over the place! We were wondering day, we shook hands across the table hotel. The national service boys have more than a programme, more than how to modify the design, and it just because we were all looking out for no choice but live where we tell them a project. There’s a mission to without sanitation, without proper Conflicts between couldn’t be done. Then one day, when Singapore’s long-term good. to live.” A simple statement, and the accomplish, so we have to be mission- water supply and refuse disposal. Environmental and we visited the country that exported Political leadership, however, was matter was settled. It takes political driven. You need people with a Everything went down the drain, into Economic Agendas these piling hammers, we found crucial. As an example of where we courage, determination, just to say passion for that mission. You need the rivers. Another 15,000 premises in There were areas of serious conflict. that they were banned there! They needed good political leadership, to such words. people who work long-term as well the city used night soil buckets, which For example, we knew that having a were made for export. So, without our horror, one day, we found an army as who pay attention to short-term only took solid waste, so the rest went petrochemical complex would be hesitation, we banned them in camp built next to highly polluting Long-Term Mission, details. A good example amongst the into the drains. So, you can imagine highly polluting, but had no idea Singapore. As easy as that! We must quarries. We went to the Minister for Short-Term Adaptability old-timers is Tan Wee Kiat, former the pollution and disease. It was a how to control it. We insisted on always set international standards. the Environment, and said: “Somehow For the basic issues that will always chief of the National Parks Board. recipe for disaster. We were fortunate examining the companies’ plans, Manufacturers will understand that. or other, this slipped through.” I still be with us—clean water, clean air, The greening of Singapore was in his that we had political support from but what could we tell from plans? There was also good cooperation remember his remarks: “The army clean land in terms of solid waste hands. I’ve never seen anyone as the very top. Without the vision of They had their experts; we employed amongst government agencies. From camp has to [move] because it’s not a management—long-term planning committed to a mission as he was. Mr Lee, we would not have been our own consultants. There was the start, they understood that the able to achieve the high standards a lot of give-and-take. But on critical environmental agenda was for our of environmental public health we issues where you know you cannot own good. Fortunately, conflicts were 3 enjoy today. compromise, you’ve got to stand firm. all happily resolved. At the end of the

2 2 The SARS (Severe Acute Respira- tory Syndrome) epidemic began in China and first affected Singapore in 2003. In all, 238 cases were detected in Singapore, and 33 people died from the disease. Singapore acted decisively to combat the spread of SARS, and successfully contained the disease by May 2003.

1 Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park in 3 In the 1970s, the Singapore River Singapore, a spacious green was severely polluted by waste lung in the heart of the country. from squatters, street hawkers Singapore understood that, and farms, prompting government as a small city-state, its liveability intervention to clean it up. and sustainability would depend Today, the Singapore River has on its ability to manage economic been rejuvenated as a thriving progress while caring for the attraction in the heart of the environment. historic Civic District.

26 27 Environmental Health Goes Hand-in-Hand with Economic Progress Tan Gee Paw

It was a real social issue. For this, Policy Positions: You Win Some, You Lose Some you have to bring in the politicians; Of course, we didn’t have our way it’s 80% their job. The civil servant all the time. We wanted to clean up Kallang Basin completely—the must be politically sensitive, but shipyards at Tanjong Rhu were very polluting, and there was no way you must never try to be a politician. could clean up a shipyard. But the Economic Development Board had their own arguments. Finally, they prevailed. We backed down as we knew it was only a matter of time, and You also have to be ready for new time has spoken. Today, the shipyards situations arising. For a long time, we are gone. One regret is Benjamin were not satisfied with what was going Sheares Bridge, built because of the on in our wet markets. Housewives shipyards, for ships to pass under. liked to select chickens they had seen But maybe it’s not a total mistake, alive in a market coop, and warm meat because from the Bridge we can see such as pork, beef and mutton was left the skyline and city. around in the markets, covered with There were issues where we flies. Then animal-borne diseases partially succeeded. We wanted pig spread from abroad. Suddenly, farms out of Singapore completely. we woke up and, within six months, With a quarter of a million pigs, the revamped the whole system to the waste produced was like 2.5 million cold-chain system. Chickens and pigs people defecating into reservoirs. But had to be slaughtered in abattoirs, the Primary Production Department at that time disagreed that we should chilled and taken to the market to be 4 sold chilled. Each stallholder had to phase them all out completely, so they would get polluted. We went to thing we did was to license them to fork out S$700 to S$800 to buy a were re-sited to Punggol. The most the Cabinet and argued our case. cap the numbers. We wanted to put a chiller. Some stood firm and refused modern plant to treat pig waste, Finally, we reached a compromise stop to the growing number of street right up to the last day, before they with United Nations experts’ help, to reduce housing density in Bukit hawkers. So, we sent our inspectors buckled. We heaved a sigh of relief. produced effluent no cleaner than Batok [in Kranji Reservoir’s water down. Each time we saw a street We were really anxious: what would raw sewage. The farms were eventually catchment area] by about half. But hawker for that week, we told him: we do if they challenged us? There removed at great expense because later studies we did found that— “Here’s your licence.” He was would be a political uproar. the government had to compensate with pollution control measures in delighted that he got a licence. After The challenges ahead are far more the farmers. place—we can have high-density one week, we knew who the licensed than the basic challenges of the 1970s One policy where we succeeded housing development and the ones were. Any street hawkers without to 1990s. It’ll be the same issues but but realised it wasn’t all that good, reservoir water will still be clean. a licence after that week were illegal “softer”, and transformed—not just and then learned along the way, hawkers to be removed. clean air, water, land, but now climate was in our discussions with the Resettling Hawkers: Then we had to resettle the 4 Singapore began resettling street change, clean energy, clean and green Housing & Development Board (HDB). Managing the Community licensed street hawkers and that was hawkers into hawker centres in the issues. For these, you’ll still need They were intent on building high- The hawker resettlement programme the difficult part—livelihoods were 1970s, as part of the broader effort people with a vision, who are mission- rise residential blocks inside our is a good example of managing the involved; they had to start their to improve public hygiene, by providing access to proper waste oriented. This is critical for our unprotected water catchments, and community. In those days, there were business all over again. disposal and clean water. long-term future. we were afraid that our reservoirs 5,000 to 6,000 street hawkers. The first It was a real social issue. For this,

28 29 Environmental Health Goes Hand-in-Hand with Economic Progress Tan Gee Paw

you have to bring in the politicians; and they carried the ground. A year it’s 80% their job. The civil servant after they were re-sited, none of them must be politically sensitive, but ever complained again! That was the must never try to be a politician. history of Newton Hawker Centre. We had an excellent Head of the So, let civil servants be civil Hawkers Department, who built servants. Plan properly, get the vision strong rapport with every Member of and mission correct, and convince the Parliament (MP). They trusted him MPs that it is for the good of everyone. and had faith that he would deliver Then let the MPs do their work. what he promised. Without him, The two must go hand in hand— I think the hawker resettlement the civil servant and the politician. ■ programme would perhaps have faltered. It would not have succeeded Tan Gee Paw so readily. MPs in affected Former Chairman, PUB, Singapore Former Permanent Secretary, constituencies did a marvellous job Ministry of the Environment, explaining the benefits to the hawkers. Singapore The balloting was done by the MPs; everybody understood it. We built the hawker centres and re-sited them. Eventually, we succeeded, but not without a lot of heartaches. To the credit of the MPs, they were willing to bear the political repercussions. They were strong enough to carry the ground on this. Newton Hawker Centre is a good example. The hawkers were re-sited from Cuppage Road, where there was a Cold Storage milk bar. The street hawkers occupied the car park next to Stamford Canal and they were terrible, throwing trash into the canal every night. When it came to relocating them to Newton Hawker Centre, at first none of them wanted to go. They complained, organised themselves, and were badgering and lobbying. 5 They said that if they went there, their 5 Jurong Island, located southwest of the main island of Singapore, business would be seriously affected is one of the top global petrochem- and who was going to take care of ical hubs today. Singapore took a them? That was how it began. So, we tough stance from the beginning forced our way through and re-sited of its urban development, insisting on good environmental standards them, amid lots of grumbling. Nobody to prevent pollution from highly was happy. But the MPs stood by us pollutive industries.

30 31 Joseph Yee, Mohinder Singh, Date of Lecture: 06-04-2011 Assoc Prof Gopinath Menon

Transport planning: 1 Keeping Singapore moving

Singapore’s first The only transportation work done the pioneer of all land-use and long-term was very modest road-building by the transportation studies in Singapore. transport plan Public Works Department, addressing It included land-use surveys, The days after bottlenecks in the city and immediate comprehensive home interviews, Singapore’s independence in 1965 suburbs. The only transport problem traffic counts and floor area surveys were a time of turmoil, trying to run addressed was a shortage of car of homes, buildings, offices and Singapore without a hinterland. parking, as if parking requirements warehouses. The car population was growing very were the be all and end all. So, we There were two deliverables. rapidly. Many roads were congested. built car parks like the most famous One was a concept plan, to guide We had very poor bus services. There one at Market Street—the first, and Singapore’s physical development were 10 Chinese bus companies and probably one of the last, URA (Urban for the population to grow from the Singapore Traction Company for Redevelopment Authority)-owned 2.4 million then, to 4 million. The the whole of Singapore. Some only car parks in the city area. other was a transportation plan, had a handful of buses. They each Against this backdrop, the to address road development and had their own areas of operation, government recognised that there the longer-term relative roles of tariffs, ticketing systems and routes. must be a comprehensive set of cars and public transport. Travelling over any significant policies addressing land-use and distance required a transfer of up to transport development, and also a Four transport strategies three bus services. Such a situation proper assessment of the relative still relevant today was not tenable. roles of private and public transport. At the end of the study in 1971, It was very fortunate that we In 1968, it got a S$4 million grant four transport strategies emerged, had a government wise enough from the United Nations Development as follows: [Editor’s note: The policies to see that if public housing and Programme (UNDP) for a four-year have since evolved. For example, industrial development took place study, the State and City Planning cycling and a “car-lite society” have without also addressing long-term Project (SCP), to be conducted by been promoted since the mid-2010s. traffic problems immediately, there an Australian consultant and UNDP Zero growth for motor vehicles was would be chaos. project director. This study was announced in 2017.]

32 33 Transport Planning: Keeping Singapore Moving Joseph Yee, Mohinder Singh, Assoc Prof Gopinath Menon

2 (1) To integrate land-use and 3 transportation planning development Clearly, the old five-year master plan was no longer valid. What was required was a very long-term forecast of land-use projections and transport requirements.

(2) To expand the road network We would have to build many more roads to handle population growth.

(3) To manage vehicular travel demand This very important strategy has served us well. The SCP’s long-term forecast showed that, if current car ownership was allowed to grow as in the 1960s, the car population would become so big, and travel demand From October 1972, it introduced tax Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) price. so bad, as to become untenable. For measures on car ownership, with very If speeds go up, like during school example, some models forecasted that steep import duties and road taxes. holidays, down goes the ERP price. So, the 1992 city area would require nine It also introduced the additional it’s not the government, but motorists to 16 traffic lanes per direction. From registration fee (ARF), imposed on themselves, who set ERP rates. this came the recommendation that, first purchase. In the early days, ARF The park-and-ride scheme was before the 1990s, there would be a and import duties seemed to suffice. born as an alternative for people 1 In 1991, the first major review of need to curb car ownership for the Unfortunately, vehicular growth was who didn’t want to drive into the city, Singapore’s concept plan was whole of Singapore, and car usage irregular and not well-controlled. because public buses were really launched. Planners envisioned in the city area. Around 1990, the Certificate of quite rotten in those days. But the Singapore’s long-term develop- ment 30 to 40 years into the Entitlement (COE) was invented, and scheme failed miserably. We had future, developing transport (4) To improve public transport became a feature of car ownership 7,500 car parks that we had to find plans and integrating them with The 11 bus companies of the 1960s control—you pay what you can afford alternative uses for. However, the land-use plan. were unacceptable for the long term. for the privilege of owning a vehicle. because we did offer an alternative, 2 An aerial view of Bishan Bus It was very fortunate that we had a Very drastic improvements had to The advantage for the government is it was a political success. ■ Interchange in Singapore. be made. that, by having COEs set numbers to Planners are now studying how Joseph Yee to intensify land use for such government wise enough to see The early planners were very the last vehicle, ownership growth transport facilities, for example exhaustive in their studies. By the time control is very accurate. I don’t think Former Director of Planning and Transportation, Land Transport by integrating them with a that if public housing and industrial we concluded in the late 1970s, we anybody else can match us in this. mixed-use development. Authority, Singapore development took place without also were very certain we needed a heavy Is the COE bad? Yes, sometimes 3 A bus plying its route along Orchard rail system, and that the routes prices can be very high, but that’s the Road in 1970. Bus services back addressing long-term traffic problems explored were the right ones to build. price you pay for living on a very small then were inadequate, leading to On curbing car ownership, island, and we pride ourselves on major long-term plans to improve immediately, there would be chaos. public transport, including the the government took the SCP keeping road traffic smooth. When decision to develop a rail system. recommendations very seriously. traffic speeds get too low, up goes the

34 35 Transport Planning: Keeping Singapore Moving Joseph Yee, Mohinder Singh, Assoc Prof Gopinath Menon

4 It was a really exhilarating time. While the MRT system was mooted in the SCP, the North East Line was We envisioned Singapore’s planned in 1985 but implemented long-term development, what quite a bit later—it was opened in 2003. It is one thing to plan early, but shape it would take 30 to 40 implementation has to tie in with other developments. years into the future, and With the MRT plan in place, helped develop the transport the government started looking at the development of other parts of plans and integrate them with Singapore. For example, in the early the land-use plan. This was days, people were rather reluctant to go and live in Woodlands because the really active planning at work. MRT had not reached the northern part of Singapore at that time. So, the government decided to develop the MRT system—the MRT line was taken to Woodlands, making a loop Active planning—Integrating In 1991, the first major review around the central catchment area, transport and land-use plans of Singapore’s Concept Plan was to tie it in, so that people could also From this key SCP study came launched, led by the URA under Dr Liu easily travel to the western and transport studies that looked at how to Thai Ker. I had the privilege of working eastern parts of Singapore. develop the expressway system for with him. We spent many long hours Transport infrastructure needs Singapore, comprising the Central into the evening at URA, trying to to be tied together with land-use Expressway (CTE), Kallang Expressway thrash out all the issues—all very planning, and the timing of it. The (later Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway, professional and friendly debates success of Singapore’s public housing KPE), East Coast Parkway (ECP), Ayer between us and the land-use planners. programme depended, to some Rajah Expressway (AYE) and part of It was a really exhilarating time. extent, on the connectivity provided the Pan Island Expressway (PIE). We envisioned Singapore’s long-term by the MRT to link up various parts My first direct involvement was development, what shape it would of the island. Long-term, forward- from the 1980s, when the Northeast take 30 to 40 years into the future, looking planning is key—guided by Sector Study was done. Under the and helped develop the transport a clear vision of the city Singapore SCP plan, it was not envisaged that plans and integrate them with the wants to become. But planning also the northeastern part of Singapore land-use plan. This was really active requires sustained implementation would be developed for high-density planning at work. of policies, some of which may not residential development. It was called The next significant long-term be popular, in order to stay on top Kang Kah Area and Punggol Area. planning was after the formation of problems. ■ Subsequently, as the population of the Land Transport Authority (LTA) grew, another study was done to see in 1995. In 1996, we published a White Mohinder Singh whether, and how, we should develop Paper on land transport. This Head, Transport Planning, MSI Global Pte Ltd this area for housing. Arising from enunciated the long-term vision, Advisor & Former Dean, this, we worked on two key transport including a significant expansion of the LTA Academy, Singapore infrastructure projects—the MRT’s MRT. We then worked on preparing a 4 Stadium MRT Station on the Circle Line, designed by Singaporean North East Line, and Kallang-Paya rapid transit system master plan to architectural firm WOHA. Lebar Expressway (KPE). guide the expansion of the rail network.

36 37 Transport Planning: Keeping Singapore Moving Joseph Yee, Mohinder Singh, Assoc Prof Gopinath Menon

We decided not to Introducing the world’s biggest nemesis was the Automobile “If I have a hearing aid, I may go deaf.” What do all transport system users first road pricing system Association (AA) of Singapore. We had to prove that these things were want to know? Simple—four things: exempt anybody When we were talking about road They called us “restrictionist not a problem. (1) Can I get from point A to point B? except buses and pricing in the 1970s, we looked at two mandarins”, who just sat there Next, Lamborghini and Ferrari (2) Can I do it safely? (3) Can I do it in a reports. One was the first established and put in schemes. I was surprised, owners said, “We’ve got very special reasonable time? (4) Can I do it at a emergency vehicles. study in 1964 from the United three to four years later, that in electronic equipment. Once they go reasonable cost? If you’re a transport Kingdom Department of Transport. one Federation Internationale de under your system, it’ll fail.” One day, planner or traffic engineer, just Even the President The other was from the US-based l’Automobile conference, the AA we got all of them to go under the remember these four things. If you had to pay. Institute of Transportation Engineers. admitted that the ALS had improved system to prove it didn’t fail. Finally, meet them, you’ve succeeded. ■ We relied on these two reports to come our traffic situation. some people said, “When there’s an up with the Area Licensing Scheme The other problem was, when you accident, the IU (in-vehicle unit) will Assoc Prof Gopinath Menon (ALS). There were five policy aspects: put in the S$3 charge, traffic decreased hit my face.” We even simulated a Member, Public Transport Council, Singapore (1) land-use planning; (2) the network; a lot, and people said it was overkill. crash to show that it wouldn’t come Former Chief Transportation (3) traffic management; (4) public We felt it’s better to set a higher price off. We had five million runs to prove Engineer, Land Transport transport; and (5) road pricing. and lower it from there, rather than the accuracy of the system. People Authority, Singapore The most difficult challenge was start off lower and raise it. I don’t still don’t like ERP, but it’s been taken convincing people to pay. They think we ever got the price right. One as a necessary nuisance. all thought it was just to raise revenue. complaint was, “If I’m poor, I cannot 5 They were prepared to pay for water come in.” So, we said, “If you carpool, and electricity, but not for road usage. three plus one, you can come in for We couldn’t sell it just as road pricing; free.” A lot of people came in by we really had to sell it as a package. carpool, almost 50% of total traffic The first issue was the boundary: into the city. But then we found it was Everybody wants to be outside the ALS. not carpooling. Carpooling means all To lock in the boundary, Joseph Yee four persons have a car and only one and I walked to look at every spot. uses the car. But it was actually We didn’t want to include housing hitchhiking—(drivers) went to bus areas, so it was mostly businesses and stops and picked up (passengers). offices. The next issue was: what price As time went on, the bus companies to charge? Nobody had done road complained: “Look, you’re taking pricing before. At that time, in 1975, if my passengers.” So, in 1989, we you came into the city, you paid S$3 to removed carpooling. The best part park (your car) for the whole day. The is, we used to get a lot of visitors to next issue: who to charge? Everybody see the system. They couldn’t believe wanted exemptions: “I’m a doctor, there was not one reported crime I have to come to town”, “I need to incident in 14 years; that people work in the city” and so on. dared to go into strangers’ vehicles— We decided not to exempt anybody no molest, nothing. except buses and emergency vehicles. For Electronic Road Pricing (ERP), Even the President had to pay. at first, people didn’t like the scheme. We started out with cars and taxis A lot of red herrings were thrown up. 5 Singapore’s Electronic Road only, because we wanted to make sure They said, “You’re using radio waves, Pricing (ERP), implemented in that those who cause congestion it will cook me if I go under (the 1998 to improve traffic congestion, was the world’s first electronic would pay for it where they cause it. ERP gantry).” “If I’m using a heart road pricing system. Later, we extended it. At that time, our pacemaker, it might stop, I might die.”

38 39 Dr Chua Sian Eng, Dr Shawn Lum, Poon Hong Yuen Date of Lecture: 15-07-2013 Dr Isher Judge Ahluwalia Date of Lecture: 20-03-2014 From “Garden City” to “City in a Garden” India’s Cities Cry Out National Parks Board surveys show that 80% of Singaporeans are proud of this “Garden City”. A “City in a Garden” will be an improvement on this, with initiatives ranging from a 150 km for Infrastructure round-island cycling route to coral nurseries.

The whole concept of greening was even more green space will be needed for a good to “make Singapore interesting” and living environment with the psychological relief India has a great deal to learn from not a concrete jungle, explained Dr of a sense of “spatial-ness”. Some 85% of the Singapore in areas such as water, Chua, former Commissioner of Parks population will be living within 400 m of a park, and Recreation. Thus, nature was conserved, and businesses will embrace vertical and skyrise waste-water management and transport. from coastal mangroves to “long-grass areas” as greenery for more distinctive buildings. Meanwhile, bird sanctuaries. Depleted wildlife species were citizen ownership will be boosted to grow the re-introduced. Parks were connected for cycling number of community gardens from 600 to 1,000. and walking. More shade trees made for cool For Nature Society President Dr Shawn Lum, At 32%, India’s urbanisation is much nudge state and local governments to guide walks. In 1981, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew a “City in a Garden” entails preserving biodiversity lower than in China (48%) or South them in planning and management. The initiated planting of fruit trees in government and involving the public, simply because nature Korea (83%). By 2031, India’s urban Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal institutions and schools to inculcate social makes life “much more wonderful and magical”. population of 377 million today is Mission was set up to provide co-funding. discipline, for people to respect public property. This means protecting and managing the expected to increase to 600 million, and the There is still a lot of backlog in planning and All this was to help keep alive his dream for landscape to maximise a sense of place, number of metropolitan cities is expected to rise reform: While India may not be able to do it “the Singapore to become a green, shady city worthy greenery’s cooling effect, and the ecosystem’s from 53 to 87. Citing these figures, Dr Isher said Singapore way”, it can do it in “parcels”, said of an industrious people who also appreciate aesthetic and cultural effects, including not there are many unofficial urbanised areas “crying Dr Isher. She had not doubt that there is a great the beauty of nature. wanting to be the “weak link” to “break the chain” for urban infrastructure”, but lack the authorities’ deal to learn from Singapore in areas such as Today, bringing more biodiversity to people of millennia-old stopover points for migratory support in having their needs represented. water, waste-water management and transport. and bringing people closer to biodiversity remain birds. It also means getting people to overcome Since India opened up to foreign investments Dr Iser was struck by two things about the twin key aims of the National Parks Board their “intrinsic uneasiness of co-existing with in 1991, cities have become the engines of Singapore: First, its power of “soft governance” (NParks), said CEO Poon Hong Yuen. NParks nature” with more education and engagement. ■ growth. But there hasn’t been a similar increase to persuade citizens that current conditions are surveys show that 80% of Singaporeans are in employment, which has led to urban sprawl disastrous for future generations; and second, proud of this “Garden City”. A “City in a Garden” and an overall poor state of service delivery. the public sector’s “no wrong door” policy, will be an improvement on this, with initiatives Dr Chua Sian Eng Local and city governments lack predictable particularly in e-government services, because Retired Former Commissioner, ranging from a 150 km round-island cycling route Parks and Recreation Department, Singapore transfers of funds, as their mandates are not the Singaporean public expects to be given to coral nurseries. All this is possible because of funded. Finances have been a major problem information and not be turned away. ■ NParks’ unusually strong culture of pragmatic Dr Shawn Lum affecting their capacity to plan and execute. experimentation typical of Singapore’s civil service President, Nature Society Singapore India is in a demographic “sweet spot”, with Dr Isher Judge Ahluwalia in a “nation of doers”. “Just get it done, then study Poon Hong Yuen half the population under 25 years of age. But it Chairperson, Board of Governors, Indian Council and monitor. If it works, roll it out even more. If it Former CEO, SPRING Singapore needs to create more opportunities for its youth. for Research on International Economic Relations doesn’t, roll it back,” said Poon. In the future, Former CEO, National Parks Board, Singapore In 2005, the Indian federal government began to (ICRIER), New Delhi, India

40 41 Philip Yeo Date of Lecture: 19-10-2011 1 Unconventional Ways to Launch Industrial Townships

Batamindo had earlier advised me to go to the something in India the way you’ve Industrial Park, Pearl River Delta in China, but that’s done with Batam?” So, the “arrow” Batam, Indonesia: too far. He said, “This is a good came to me to do something about it. Just Do It location, so what are you going to I didn’t know anything about India. In January 1989, we had a big do?” I said, “Tomorrow, I start work. I had never been there. Singapore–Johor meeting. The next I don’t plan, you know? I act. I’m I called Indian industrialist Ratan month, the Indonesian Ambassador the antithesis of planning.” Tata, a good friend of mine for many walked into my room at the Economic The Batamindo Industrial Park years. He said, “Come to Bangalore.” Development Board (EDB) and said: in Batam started in January 1990 with I said, “You must be my partner.” He “Why don’t you look at Batam?” I had a signing ceremony, and we held the replied: “I’m not involved in industrial never been to Indonesia. So I went groundbreaking the next month. In parks, but okay, I’ll come with you.” to Batam, and found a place near a August 1990, just nine months later, I asked for 100 ha in a place called reservoir. I then went to see Dr Goh 10 buildings had come up. Whitefield. We only received 69 ha. Keng Swee—then Deputy Chairman, In 1996, we broke ground. Our Monetary Authority of Singapore—and International Tech Park, land title was freehold; in China, said, “Shall we look at this project?” Bangalore, India: our leasehold was only 50 years. I took him to Batam, straight Self-Contained, We officially opened International to the 500 ha location I had chosen. Self-Sufficient Park Tech Park Bangalore (ITPB) in I wanted to build an industrial park P. V. Narasimha Rao, then India’s 2000. In India, we have our own there because labour costs in Prime Minister, came to see then power supply, sewage, everything. Singapore were killing us, with Prime Minister of Singapore Goh What we can depend on is within the workers’ levies and quotas. Dr Goh Chok Tong, asking, “Can you do ITPB borders—there’s no trouble.

42 43 Unconventional Ways to Launch Industrial Townships Philip Yeo

“Tomorrow, I start 2 work. I don’t plan, you know? I act. I’m the antithesis of planning.”

1 Biopolis, created as an interna- tional research and development centre for the biomedical sector, contains 3.5 million ft2 of space for biomedical science laboratories. It also has retail and dining options, and nearby private residences.

2 International Tech Park Bangalore (ITPB), officially opened in 2000, contains land for a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), executive apartments, a hotel, and a shopping mall. It was conceived in 1992 after a discussion between then Prime Minister of India P. V. Narasimha Rao and then Prime Minister of Singapore Goh Chok Tong. It has since become a model for other similar tech parks in India.

44 45 Unconventional Ways to Launch Industrial Townships Philip Yeo

First, we restarted with 1,000 ha, focusing India is easy [to work with] because In August 2007, ITPB, together with a flat rice field. I was not involved. the law is in English. our other IT parks in Hyderabad and I was happily working on the WSIP on creating jobs. From jobs, you create At ITPB, there’s a shopping mall, Chennai, was listed on the Singapore when then Senior Minister Lee Kuan home demand, commercial, housing, executive apartments, a hotel and Stock Exchange as Ascendas India Yew called me. He put up the Urban land for a Special Economic Zone Trust (www.a-itrust.com). Redevelopment Authority (URA) the rest. I think there are over 400,000 (SEZ). The plot ratio is very high— plan for Suzhou Township on a table my original building plan was Industrial Townships in in front of him and said, “What do people in Suzhou Industrial Park now. 22 storeys. Everybody asked me: Wuxi, Vietnam and Suzhou: you think of this project?” I said, “Can you be more moderate?”, so Start by Providing Jobs “There are only less than 10% of I dropped it down to 12, 13 storeys. Wuxi Singapore Industrial Park (WSIP) brown patches.” He said, “What These 69 ha are self-contained, with was not my idea. The Wuxi City do you mean [by] ‘brown patches’?” almost 27,000 people—all young municipal government asked Dr Goh Brown patches are jobs. If you want graduates, no blue-collar workers. Keng Swee to be their advisor. For two to create a 7,000 ha township for After nearly 20 years, ITPB still has years, they bugged me. I said, “I’m 600,000 people, where are the jobs? another 30 ha left. busy in Indonesia, give me a break.” But Singapore parties made a 3 Later, when I decided to go, I went mistake of building infrastructure straight to the piece of raw land. No for all 7,000 ha. We should never study, evaluation, option—we just build infrastructure ahead [of time]; started work. I told the Wuxi party it should be done in phases. secretary who met me: “This land, Senior Minister Lee asked me to we start signing next year.” The rest take over the troubled project in 1996. is history [WSIP opened in 1993]. First, we restarted with 1,000 ha, This was before the China–Singapore focusing on creating jobs. From Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP). jobs, you create home demand, Shanghai, as an industrial city, was commercial, housing, the rest. too expensive, so all industries had to I think there are over 400,000 people move out. Wuxi is basically a little in Suzhou Industrial Park now. Shanghai—pure industry. In two years, we were making money. Then SIP came about. Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) started at about the same time [in the 1990s]. The Prime Minister of Vietnam asked then Prime Minister Goh: “Can we do something?”, and we started developing the industrial park. The Vietnamese were good. They relocated all the tenants, and built housing for them on the land I wanted, with proper development. Every relocation had a little house, a 3 Jurong Island is the only island in place for chickens. I had never seen the world with a petrochemical hub such a development. on it. It has been designed to be as compact and efficient as possible, For SIP, Singapore parties asked with underground pipes connect- for 7,000 ha. A big piece of land; ing one facility to the next.

46 47 Unconventional Ways to Launch Industrial Townships Philip Yeo

It’s not how many people we can take; it’s how we Biopolis, Fusionopolis, take; it’s how we design the facilities Jurong Island: Keep so that people don’t have to run design the facilities so that people don’t have to Everything Compact around from building to building. run around from building to building. You make it At home, I had an idea in 1990 to You make it as compact as possible. create a real science hub. It’s almost like a beehive. as compact as possible. It’s almost like a beehive. At Biopolis, we have 3.5 million There have been good journal ft2 of space for biomedical science papers written about social laboratories. The housing there has networks—it’s always about [having] advantages because it’s the first people nearby. When I went to Sweden housing provided in a scientific in winter—all the buildings are research district. You see lots of connected. You can freeze outside, 4 bridges. Why would I want to walk out so all the buildings were made in the sun? The key is to have many compact. I don’t have to go out; bridges, but bridges are not cheap. it’s almost like living in a cocoon. At Fusionopolis Phase 1, JTC You must design a building in such Corporation paid for the Mass a way that it’s like cluster living. Rapid Transit (MRT) station there; In the Middle East, there are a lot of it’s the first privately-paid for subway very compact high-rise buildings— station. What is unique about this with shops, restaurants, barbers— building is there’s a swimming pool like little beehives. That’s what a on top, meeting rooms downstairs, a smart city could be. ■ subway, apartments, an auditorium for scientific talks, six levels of Philip Yeo basements, a supermarket and 600 Chairman, Economic Development Innovations Singapore carpark lots. It’s a city, an example Former Chairman, SPRING Singapore where I really intensified the use. Former Chairman, Economic Now, we have progressively moved Development Board, Singapore towards more than just creating Former Chairman, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, jobs, to creating places to live Singapore and work. With all the facilities, transportation, water, everything, you can have a population that’s very compact. Today, Fusionopolis has a total area of 4 million ft2. Jurong Island is the only island in the world with a chemical park. One company manufactures something, then it just gives it to the guy next door through a pipe— 4 Fusionopolis (background) is an no need for vehicular transportation. example of land-use intensification The whole of Jurong Island, from where the compact mixed-use one company to the next, is all piped. complex contains office and The idea of an efficient city is the meeting space, a supermarket, apartments, an auditorium, a same—everything is underground. swimming pool, and an MRT It’s not how many people we can station underground.

48 49 Prof Paul Romer Date of Lecture: 29-11-2011 1

The Century of the City

Why a city’s size more than linearly with population, about 60% less copper to wire up and density matter what you get is 15 times as many everybody in the city because they are The Urbanisation flights per person in a city of more closely packed together. So, Project—the moving into 10,000,000 than in a city of 10,000. larger cities give us connectivity, and settled urban areas—is what humans So, if connectivity to other cities is they use resources more efficiently. started about 12,000 years ago. It is a an important part of our lives and how Very dense cities have less carbon project that not only has a beginning, we do our jobs, bigger cities are going per person, so they are very beneficial but also an end. We can see the end. to have inherent advantages—they are in many ways. This process of The reason I call this lecture ‘The places where we can live and get a urbanisation is something we should Century of the City’ is that The direct flight to another city. celebrate and be optimistic about. Urbanisation Project, for better or Scaling laws mean that there are for worse, will be over by the end of inherent advantages of size still How can cities urbanise this century. So, it makes this a truly playing out around the world, and more efficiently? unique time in human history. We there are some interesting strategic A question I want to raise is: what should step back and ask: why did we dynamics such as first-mover does it take to urbanise efficiently, urbanise? What was it about density advantages. There will never be getting the most benefits out of the that was so helpful? Let me give you another city in western Kansas or potential for connectivity and for two indications of the benefits of Nebraska like Denver because greener life? We want to think not bringing people together. Denver got there first, because it’s just about the benefits of cities, First, the scaling law is such that already a place that is big, with lots but also what is needed to take full the number of passenger trips on of airplane loadings. advantage of those benefits. airplanes scales with an exponent of Here is another illustration of a The Urbanisation Project will come 1.4, relative to the population of a city. scaling law about cities that suggests to a close in this century. Let me give What that means is, if you took a another side to density. Suppose you a sense of the kind of challenge thousand cities, each with 10,000 we increase the size of the city and that this presents us. In 2010, there people, and aggregated them into a population by a factor of 1,000. When were about 6.9 billion people on Earth single city of 10,000,000 people, you do that, you also make the city and the urban population was about because passenger loadings scale denser. What you find is that you use 3.5 billion. This figure got some

50 51 The Century of the City Prof Paul Romer

So, if connectivity to other cities is an attention—half the world’s population 3 that I can communicate to you. was in urban areas. But that’s not the New technologies that drive important part of our lives and how most interesting fact. improvements over time are part we do our jobs, bigger cities are Because of falling fertility rates, of the deep source of benefits from we can be quite certain that the interaction. If I invent one thing going to have inherent advantages— world’s population is going to stabilise and I can share it with 100 people, at about 10 billion people in this it has one value. But if I can share it they are places where we can live century. And we can guess that, given with 1,000 people, it’s got 10 times and get a direct flight to another city. the benefits of urbanisation, we will as much value because the same idea achieve urbanisation rates of 70% to can be shared over and over again. 80%. By the end of the century, we will This has long been a key tenet have seven or eight billion people in of macroeconomic thinking, that urban areas. This means we’re halfway progress depends on technologies. through completing The Urbanisation Technologies and sharing of ideas are Project. We’re going to complete the one of the deep sources of the benefits second half in one century. We took of scale, density, urbanisation and 12,000 years to do the first half. connectivity. But you also need rules Urbanisation is going to come much, that structure our interaction. The 2 rules of social organisation in one of those mobile communities for a foraging band are just totally different much faster—two orders of magnitude from the rules that structure social faster, and so, doing it efficiently may interaction in an urban setting. become more challenging. Once we’re done with The Urbanisation Project, the system of cities that we have builr will exist around the world forever. It will determine the human geography of a planet forever. 1 The city of New Delhi in India is You might have a few relatively projected to become the most small cities that shrink as bigger ones populous city in the world by the exploit their advantages of size. You year 2028, according to UN estimates. Its current population won’t find any new big cities, and of about 29 million is expected to by the end of the century, this will be grow to 37 million within a decade, true of the world as a whole. So, the surpassing Tokyo.

challenge is to set the worldwide 2 Shoppers congregate at a busy system of cities that we’ll live with street market in Tehran, Iran. More as a species forever. than half the world’s population currently lives in urban areas. This What is the opportunity implicit figure will rise to nearly 70% by in this challenge? One reason we 2050, posing challenges to city interact with each other is because planners seeking to accommodate of the benefits of sharing knowledge. this large influx of urban migrants. There are enormous gains associated 3 A crowded pedestrian crossing in with picking something I know Central, Hong Kong.

52 53 The Century of the City Prof Paul Romer

Once we’re done with Cities need to reset their norms to boost benefits The Urbanisation One of the deepest puzzles in social Project, the system science is why very inefficient rules can persist. For example, in one city of cities that we have in Africa, students do their homework under streetlights at the airport, built will exist around because they don’t have electricity at the world forever. home. There is a 100 year old proven technology for generating electric It will determine the light in people’s houses, but somehow human geography there are rules in place that prevent the spread of technologies that could of a planet forever. be shared in a way where everybody benefits. Somehow, the whole country is stuck in an equilibrium with rules that prevent those gains from being realised. We need better rules to keep up with things like new technologies. And we need to understand not just how we would invent better rules, but also how we can propagate the better rules that already exist throughout the world. Rules can either be laws or norms. For a simple behaviour like jaywalking in a city like New York, there’s a law against jaywalking, and there’s a norm that says jaywalking is good. So, people jaywalk. In Zurich, there is a law against jaywalking and there’s a norm that says jaywalking is bad. When we think about rules, we’ve also got to think about norms. One general empirical observation is that it is easier to change norms in a start-up organisation. Start-ups are powerful drivers of innovation partly because you can reset the norms about 4 With a population of nearly 25 million people, Shanghai is China’s what’s the right and wrong thing to do largest city. The city has a radical in a social group, by collecting a new plan to cap its population at this group of people who share some level by 2035, in order to address pollution and avoid a shortage of norms. They then reinforce those publc services. norms amongst each other, attracting

4 54 55 The Century of the City Prof Paul Romer

The opportunity here is that we have a chance to What will come out are a lot closer to businesses than to One analogy is, a city’s like a nations. Some new start-up businesses building. We just have to have achieve true progress both in a material sense of this is a vision succeed spectacularly, some go into architects plan where every door is and in having better, more inclusive norms and of a state that is decline, but nobody would conclude and how big every hallway is—that’s that we should never do any start- one extreme. The other would be like more equal treatment for everyone, because we narrow and strong. ups. In the same way, we should be the pure economists’ extreme, which thinking about hundreds of start-up says that once you’ve a legal system, have this unique chance to start hundreds of We can’t think about cities—some may not be viable, but just turn it loose, let anything happen. new cities in this century to accommodate the “big government, the ones that succeed will create so Neither of those extremes is going to much value compared to the costs for lead to a good city. What we’ve learnt billions of people who want to move into cities. small government” the ones that don’t make it, that we’ll from experience is that there are a few anymore. We’ve be way ahead. things like the road network, the right Geography matters. Some of way, that have to be planned from got to think about locations would be a lot tougher to the beginning. narrow government build a successful city in. The key to With those in place, to a very other people and assimilating them sustain growth and recover from the a city right now is that it connects to significant degree, you can just turn into the norms. For example, in shocks we’ve already had. How do we but strong. other cities, so where you are in the the private sector loose, and it will Shenzhen, if you’re Deng Xiaoping recover if those shocks get worse? world matters. For example, Honduras do things like what people did in [Leader of the People’s Republic of Remarkably, this idea of building has a coastal location, so there’s Greenwich Village in New York City China from 1978 to 1989] and your entirely new cities could also be opportunity for a port. But beyond the where I lived. Nobody expected challenge is: how do I get people to the solution to the mid-term potential for connectivity, a city is a that buildings that had tenement accept that it’s okay for a Chinese macroeconomic problem we face, place for a lot of people to go because sweatshops for a while now have worker to work for a “running dog” because those three or four billion a lot of other people go there. And start-up software firms and a capitalist? What he did was, instead of more people who want to live in cities that’s really all you need to make one university sharing the same building. saying, “This will be the law of the are all going to want to take advantage of these survive. What will come out of this is a 5 land throughout China and just live of urban infrastructure. The return on vision of a state that is narrow and with it, whether you like it or not,” he investment in urban infrastructure is strong. We can’t think about “big said there are some places where you obvious, very predictable, and the government, small government” could try out this kind of arrangement, demand is clearly there. All we have to anymore. We’ve got to think about and if you don’t like it, you don’t have do is to create an environment where narrow government but strong. to go there. Of course, Shenzhen all the places in the world that want to A key part of the success in turned out to be a huge success. do more saving, and therefore more Singapore has been a willingness The opportunity here is that we investment, can bring their resources to experiment, and then to revise have a chance to achieve true progress together with all the people from based on what you find. So, the real both in a material sense and in having around the world who want to move challenge is planning in a way that better, more inclusive norms and to cities, to get the benefits of builds in flexibility.■ more equal treatment for everyone, connectivity and higher density. because we have this unique chance Prof Paul Romer to start hundreds of new cities in this Cities are more like start-up Professor of Economics, Stern School of Business, USA century to accommodate the billions businesses than nations 5 As fertility rates continue to fall, Founding Director, NYU the world’s population will stabilise of people who want to move into cities. Academics organise their thinking Stern Urbanization Project, at about 10 billion people in this The overwhelming challenge using units of analysis—nation-states, New York University, USA century. Urbanisation rates will the world is facing right now is businesses and the individual. Now, Former Chief Economist, World Bank be about 70% to 80%—about seven to eight billion people will insufficiency of opportunities for think of sticking cities in between be living in urban areas. productive investment. How do we businesses and the nation-state. Cities

56 57 Carrie Lam Date of Lecture: 17-05-2012 1

Conserving Heritage in Hong Kong: A Paradigm Shift

Embracing the policy, adopted many years ago, to balance in a very delicate and sensitive people’s passion preserve as much of the countryside way, if we are to continue to take our for heritage as possible. Hence, we have chosen infrastructure forward. Our paradigm In my years as Secretary a very concentrated, high-density shift is that we do not oppose the for Development, I visited Singapore mode of development. Some 46% of passion for heritage conservation; on average once every year to learn and land is protected by statute, which instead, we embrace it and try to find be inspired by what the government the public guards very vigilantly; they a way forward. has done to make this a very will not allow the government to tap Let me share some key events in successful and vibrant city. As a good into the countryside to provide land. Hong Kong’s heritage conservation in student, I thought I should come back Developed land accounts for only 23%, the last five years. In 2007, the new here to present my interim report card so, with a population of seven million, owner of a historic mansion called on what I have done with the things we’re crammed into 260 km2, giving a King Yin Lei [built in the 1930s] I have learned from Singapore. Unlike density of 27,000 inhabitants per km2. wanted to demolish the building. But Singapore, we in Hong Kong came to In recent years, the Hong Kong he knew that for formal demolition, realise the importance of preserving a people have expressed passion for he would have required a Buildings city’s history, heritage and intangible our culture and lifestyle, with Authority permit. Instead of exposing culture only very recently. Hong Kong protests ranging from protecting his plan, he chose to deface the is very famous for her rapidly changing the Victoria Harbour to historic building, tearing down tiles and cityscape, with old buildings giving features like private mansions and sculptures. The incident was reported way to skyscrapers because of intense the Queen’s Pier. As a city, we really by the media, and within a couple of population pressure and growth over need to consider the public’s reaction, days, I used my legal powers to declare the years. In Hong Kong, we have 1,100 including that of the younger the whole site a proposed monument. km2 of land compared to your 700 or generation, and try to respond The Antiquities Authority can make so. But we are very constrained in land positively. As Secretary for such a declaration for up to 12 use because of our topography and our Development, I have to strike a months. We started negotiations

58 59 Conserving Heritage in Hong Kong: A Paradigm Shift Carrie Lam

with the owner, and came up with 2 government secondary school. It is a solution to do a land swap. In any also the school that Dr Sun Yat Sen normal situation, if the government attended when he was in Hong Kong, were to sell a green belt site via though at a different location. rezoning for revenue, the community The Central Market, a 1930s would have opposed us. But this case building in the heart of Central, was went through the town planning supposed to be redeveloped, but was board without much objection again pulled out from sale. If it had because people realised that the become a 45-storey office building, purpose was to save a historic not only would we lose a piece of mansion, which was far more history, the entire area would be valuable. The Former Hollywood suffocated and have poor air Road Police Married Quarters, which ventilation. Instead, it will become was supposed to be put up for sale a hangout area for workers and also as a high-density residential site, was for visitors. The inspiration for this revitalised into a creative industry came from Singapore. In 2008, I was landmark to create synergy with driven around Singapore’s financial the arts and antiquities galleries in district and I looked at the Lau Pa Sat the area. The buildings are pretty market stalls there. If Singapore could contemporary, built in the 1950s, spare this site from sale and turn it but its historical significance lies in into cooked food stalls, Hong Kong being the original site of the Central should be able to do the same. School, which was Hong Kong’s first In the same period, we realised that perhaps conserving individual buildings is not good enough. We discovered that the Central District, Hong Kong’s CBD, actually still had quite a number of interesting historic buildings. We identified a total of eight projects—seven of them were historic buildings such as the Central Market and the Former Police Married Quarters on Hollywood Road.The last 1 Hong Kong has about 1,100 km2 of land, but has a policy to preserve one was the Central Habourfront, a as much of the countryside as natural heritage. We pulled these eight possible. Developed land accounts projects together and did a little bit of for only 23% of total land area, resulting in a population of 7 what we call area-based conservation. million living in an area of 260 In such projects, we put a lot of km2, a density of 27,000 inhabit- emphasis on transparency and ants per km2. establishing a level playing field; 2 Hong Kong’s Chief Executive we did not just hand over historic Carrie Lam brought up Singapore’s buildings to one agency. We run conservation of the historic Lau Pa exercises to invite proposals and Sat market in the financial district as an example of successful look at designs before we decide to heritage conservation. partner with any particular agency.

60 61 Conserving Heritage in Hong Kong: A Paradigm Shift Carrie Lam

Our paradigm shift is that we do not Six key factors of development as an international heritage conservation global financial centre, and also oppose the passion for heritage Drawing from Hong Kong’s the impetus of infrastructural conservation; instead, we embrace experience, I see a few key factors development. In his later speeches, of heritage conservation that are he said that Hong Kong had done it and try to find a way forward. common to Singapore: something right by deciding on not-for-profit use for some valuable (1) A mandate to proceed urban projects, which benefited First, it would not have been possible local districts. to do anything without a leader’s mandate. Then Chief Executive Donald (2) The right Tsang recognised that cultural life implementation tools was a key component of a quality city The second factor is to have the life. He promised to accord higher right tools. The first set of tools is priority to heritage preservation the right institution or institutional work in his 2007 election manifesto arrangements. The Development while maintaining Hong Kong’s Bureau is not only the planning and

3 4

lands arm (which includes urban buildings. So, to have the planning renewal) but also the works arm in and lands, and urban renewal arms architectural services, drainage, water within the same heritage authority supplies and so on; we also have the means that I have the mandate to offer heritage portfolio. This set-up is very economic incentives in the form of conducive to facilitating heritage planning control relaxations or land conservation. Often, what will exchange, in order to save a historic undermine heritage is development, building. The third tool is to have 3 The Former Police Married Quarters on Hollywood Road including infrastructure. Nowadays, people who are very sympathetic to is a Grade III listed building that since I am both infrastructure old buildings. I created a dedicated used to house married junior secretary and heritage secretary, we office to preserve built heritage, the policemen. It was revitalised and opened in 2014 as an arts and say at the very beginning of planning Commissioner for Heritage’s Office, design venue with a mission to or conceiving a piece of infrastructure to be the focal point and to spearhead nurture local designers. that we’d better be very careful about our various conservation initiatives. whether we’re going to touch any We also facilitate heritage 4 The Former Police Married Quarters used to be an elite historic buildings. The second tool is preservation by having a building college before it was repurposed compensation. Compensating private authority that is more sympathetic, in 1951. Former Hong Kong owners with cash will not take you very such as regarding the building code, Chief Executives C.Y. Leung and Donald Tsang have lived there. far, because taxpayers do not like to to make it easier for developers to It closed in 2000. spend billions to preserve old support preservation work.

62 63 Conserving Heritage in Hong Kong: A Paradigm Shift Carrie Lam

5 Heritage will (4) Funding support the Antiquities Advisory Board, and we The fourth factor is very important work with academia. We also set up gradually have —money. For the revitalisation of heritage trails for public enjoyment. a spill over government-owned historic buildings Heritage will gradually have allocated to non-profit organisations, a spill over effect and draw more effect and draw for example, while we provide the support from people. necessary funding to refurbish the Although a latecomer to heritage more support buildings up to modern day standards, conservation, Hong Kong has many from people. we expect them to be self-financing in buildings that have won the UNESCO the long run. They should generate Asia Pacific Heritage Awards. But revenue as a social enterprise to more work needs to be done. We sustain operations, for example as a need to garner greater support and school, hotel, restaurant or hostel. But appreciation from private owners so initially, if they are running deficits, we need not have tough negotiations we will help them with funding of up every time. There can be win-win to HK$5 million per project. We also situations with voluntary efforts by provide advisory services. Without private owners. ■ funding support on both hardware and software, most projects simply Carrie Lam would not have happened. Chief Executive, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Former Secretary for Development, (5) Respect for property rights Hong Kong The fifth factor is respect for private property rights. We cannot just take over properties and assets. We give economic incentives to the owner— that is, if they do it our way, we would support a relaxation of planning and/ or land restrictions. We try to work (3) Clear policy and into hotels, while others perhaps have The Antiquities and Monuments with the characteristics of each site. working framework to be protected like an antique—you Ordinance (Chapter 53 of the Laws In one project in the Pok Fu Lam area, The third factor is to have a very clear do not touch it but just ensure they are of Hong Kong) provides for the we gave the developer exceptional policy, as well as an effective legislative properly maintained. In implementing preservation of objects of historical approval to build, to get over and administrative framework in this policy, we give due regard to a few significance. This includes the government restrictions on building in place. Our policy statement embraced aspects—first, public interest such as mechanism to declare a building the area because of traffic congestion. some key elements—we want to respect for private property rights or site as a monument, under which In other cases, minor relaxations of protect, conserve and revitalise, as because if Hong Kong loses this, any person, including the owner, is building height and plot ratio help appropriate, historical and heritage it will lose half its advantages and prohibited from excavation and accommodate new buildings while sites and buildings through relevant attractiveness to foreign investors; works on it. Government projects retaining some old parts. and sustainable approaches. This is for second, paying attention to budget are required to go through a heritage 5 The existing Central Market in the benefit and enjoyment of present considerations because you cannot impact assessment. Thousands (6) Community participation Hong Kong is a Bauhaus structure and future generations, because we simply look to the Treasury to buy out of projects go through screening; The sixth factor is community that dates back to 1939. It was at realised that historic buildings are not historic buildings; third, cross-sector some are required to have a full participation—our guiding principle that time the largest meat market homogeneous. Some historic buildings in Southeast Asia. It is listed as a collaboration and active engagement assessment. This is prevention, from day one. We involve the Grade III historic building. can be given a new lease of life, turned of stakeholders and the public. rather than mitigation. community in various ways, such as

64 65 Sir Edward Lister Date of Lecture: 30-10-2014 Santiago Castro-Gomez Date of Lecture: 01-04-2015 Grand Plans for a Growing London How Three Cities

“It is easier to persuade people using such plans of Colombia Were as they can see a larger plan and imagine the Security and political and outcomes. It also helps residents psychologically to economic stability are key to know they are not the only ones facing a trade-off.” Transformed the cities’ positive outlook.

Greater London has a bold plan—to crossings to relieve traffic congestion all at once. become the “greatest city in the It is easier to persuade people using such world”. London is not competing with plans as they can see a larger plan and Bogotá, Medellín and Cali—Colombia’s collection. Transport systems have expanded and other major cities in Europe, said Sir imagine the outcomes. It also helps residents three most populous cities, contributing improved. Medellín was named the world’s most Edward, but with cities like New York, Hong Kong psychologically to know that they are not the 36% towards the national GDP— innovative city in 2013 by the Urban Land Institute. and Singapore. Sharing the city’s strategies and only ones facing a trade-off. experienced profound changes during Its efficient cable car system services the city challenges, he made a distinction between its Investors consistently mention parks, open the last two decades. The national unemployment outskirts, connecting poor rural communities with strategic plan (a “very heavy” legal document spaces, restaurants, museums, theatres and rate dropped from 17% in 1994 to 9.9% in 2015 the city. Old jeeps that zigzagged the mountains that goes through public inquiry and other cultural offerings among London’s (8.7% for Bogotá, 11.3% for Medellín and 12.4% for were replaced by cable cars. This brought many is consulted in detail) and its infrastructure attractions. Hence, the Greater London Authority Cali). The homicide rate improved from the previous benefits to remote communities, enabling urban plan, “a much lighter document” that can be supplements existing greenery by ensuring that high of 486 (per 100,000 persons) in Medellín and renewal and attracting investments. changed quickly if needed. He listed “four big developers enhance these “public realms” on 218 in Cali during the 1990s, down to a national Security and political and economic stability questions” for infrastructure planning. First, their properties. “It isn’t just a nice-to-have, average of 28 in 2014. are key to the cities’ positive outlook. what infrastructure will we need? Second, where it’s actually an essential ingredient,” said Sir Castro-Gomez outlined the positive changes Export promotion has become more ambitious. will it go? Third, how will we deliver it? Fourth, Edward. London’s ambition is to have complete that shaped these cities. Citizen participation The government helps companies cut red tape— how will we pay for it? sustainability within the city, for example, by increased, drawing further investment and an overhaul in bureaucracy that has been positively For him, transport determines all other parts processing its own rubbish and recycling all innovation. New projects arising from these received. Every foreign attaché helps promote of the infrastructure. “It opens up the city, waste. By promoting green industries, the investments gave cities a benchmark by which investments and make the process less daunting, opens up the land use,” he said. “It is a driver city encourages developers to come in with to judge the performance of mayors, who are even with no commercial unit attached to its foreign of prosperity, of change.” From his experience, new projects. ■ elected every four years, as well as congressmen office, such as in Singapore. ■ presenting a comprehensive plan is more and members of city councils. effective than discussing separate single plans. Sir Edward Lister Chairman, Homes England Fiscal performance improved, with Colombia For example, not just building one bridge at any Former Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor working closely with the World Bank. Budgets are Santiago Castro-Gomez one time but a few bridges, a tunnel and for Planning, Greater London Authority high, with all three cities in a better state of tax President, Banker’s Association of Colombia

66 67 Dr Liu Thai Ker Date of Lecture: 21-03-2013 1

Singapore’s Public Housing Story

Daring to thought through what’s good for about our goal, and found ways to go against Singaporeans and the country, and deliver. By 2012, HDB had built over world trends chose to go against world trends, a million units. We cleared all the I’m going to try to which were then against high-rise squatters by 1985. paint the Housing & Development housing. Board (HDB) story from a broader When you clarify your ideas, you Six stages of HDB’s perspective. As HDB’s CEO, what have the courage to go against world development I did was to acquire land, resettle, trends. Clarity equals courage. The HDB story has six stages. Stages plan, design and manage 23 new In Singapore, the land component one and two were part of the initiation. towns. At the Urban Redevelopment on total cost of development is very In the first stage, we were trying our Authority (URA), I did the 1991 high, therefore the government has to best to make things work, to build Concept Plan, updated the Planning step in. We learned a lot from Hong up resources. In the second stage, Code and consolidated the Kong, a pioneer before us, and we consolidated our ideas and filled conservation effort. improved on their experience. If we in the gaps. In the 1960s and 1970s, we had a plan carefully, we can have our cake We moved from rental flats to large population, a small island and a and eat it. High density and liveability ownership, and the focus was shelter. government committed to providing are compatible. High density and In those days, improvement started housing for everyone—we had no high-rise buildings are common with cross-ventilation, good plumbing, choice but to go high-density and among Asian cities, but Singapore’s electric lights, and so on. After that, we high-rise. We made each new town experience proves it is viable. implemented home ownership with highly self-sufficient, so that people In 32 years, the colonial housing the Central Provident Fund (CPF), could have their daily needs, including agency, Singapore Improvement and improved our delivery capacity so jobs, mostly satisfied within the town. Trust, built 27,000 units. HDB, even we could build much more. We also To have home ownership for currently, builds more than 27,000 immediately started sociological all, the first-generation government units in one year. We were very clear research. We engaged about a dozen

68 69 Singapore’s Public Housing Story Dr Liu Thai Ker

When you clarify sociologists with PhDs, to do research pay for technology. 3 and investigations and give our We had basically solved the your ideas, you architects, engineers and planners housing shortage problem, so we had have the courage feedback on what makes a good city. the energy to examine whether HDB Stages three and four were about flats could be an asset to the people. to go against world refinement. The quality of flats in the This was the government’s decision first and second stages weren’t as —why should private properties trends. Clarity good; we used cheaper materials. appreciate in value, and not HDB equals courage. But in stage three, we changed the flats? We upgraded a lot of older flats, materials. Later, with Singaporean’s and after renovation, property values rising income, we looked for in those days would go up by, say, excellence in every way, including $70,000. This was what the provision of amenities in new towns. government did to help people feel Before that, public housing was they owned an appreciating asset. called “low-cost housing” and people In stages five and six, we looked felt embarrassed. At HDB, we felt to upgrade old estates and reduce we were under-marketing ourselves, the HDB stigma by bringing private so we renamed it “public housing”, housing into new towns. Response with larger flats, more amenities and to the first site sale was fantastic. much bigger building programmes. My estate officers explained: We progressed to better design and “With all the facilities we provide, finishes because we could afford to why won’t they come?”

1 Singapore chose to go against 2 world trends in the 1960s and 1970s, developing high-rise, high-density public housing to the frills and give people the biggest accommodate the country’s Everything HDB and CPF: Envy of growing population in the many countries area that the budget allows. So, we long-term. All squatters were that happens Without government backing and gave the residents freedom to decorate cleared and resettled by 1985, the foundation laid by the Land the whole flat by themselves. and Singapore’s home ownership in Singapore rate stands at about 90% today. Acquisition Act and Resettlement Act, We started by building for the is by design. HDB couldn’t have done what it did in lowest-income group who could afford 2 HDB blocks at Bendemeer Road in the last 50 years. We knew we wanted to pay rent. That was how HDB’s the 1970s. The low-rise buildings between the two blocks were to eliminate homelessness. Most finances continued to be sustained. Bendemeer Shopping Mall. cities’ governments have their target Later, we moved to higher-income Located behind the block on the groups, but only on paper. When it groups. By then, the lower-income right was a wet market and hawker centre. Each HDB town was made comes to implementation—for groups were mostly employed and highly self-sufficient, so that example, allocation of flats—the target could pay rent. HDB area officers gave people could have their daily needs groups seem to shift. We stuck to our employment as cleaners, rubbish mostly satisfied within the town. target group, and that was how the collectors, gardeners, and so on, to 3 MRT rail lines ensure high public Singapore government maintained help them pay the rent in the early transport connectivity between the support of Singaporeans. days. Of course, we were very strict on HDB towns, lowering travel times HDB offers standardised housing, eligibility criteria—citizenship, for residents. This also lowers the carbon footprint, and enhances but what we deliver must be value-for- household income, etc. quality of life. money. We felt we should cut out all What was important was that we

70 71 Singapore’s Public Housing Story Dr Liu Thai Ker

kept our rules very simple. For personal income tax from the building For a new town to be a self- the rest for roads, paths, etc. Reserve Taming the “high-rise, You don’t need a lot of land, but you example, unlike most other cities, industry, that’s how we get back the sufficient community, studies showed sites cater for future needs. Good high-density monster” must put in green at every opportunity. in the early days we didn’t have rules money to continue giving HDB grants. that you need a threshold population transportation is vital. This How did we tame the high-rise, If you have a one big circle surrounded regarding the number of persons per We could resettle people one to support all the facilities such as comprehensive inventory high-density monster? Many people by green, you benefit people only HDB apartment, or in each room. community at a time—people who commercial areas, educational and of community amenities was a big come to Singapore and say, “Your around a 500 m periphery. But if Our priority was to make sure there moved into HDB estates were still religious institutions, parks and contribution from HDB to city density is high, but I don’t feel it.” you cut it into small pieces, you was no homelessness. with their old friends and relatives. gardens, sports and recreational planning. If a city is like a machine for This didn’t happen by luck. It was benefit a 1,800 m periphery. Don’t We tailored apartment sizes to We also built schools nearby. facilities, polyclinics, police stations, living, these facilities are the machine designed to not feel like that. One underestimate the contribution of affordability. This was a constant The density of 20,000 persons/km2 community centres and transportation. parts. As a planner, I benefited a lot reason we became a garden city is that small green areas. exercise of looking at rising incomes was reviewed when I was in URA to The land given to residential use is from my 20 years with HDB learning there are green footpaths and a green Today, everybody is worried about and affordability, to use money as see whether Singapore could always less than 50%, because we need these machine parts. buffer ring around every new town. whether higher density will affect our much as possible on floor area accommodate the needs of 5.5 million because, unlike for landed property, Singaporeans by 2091. If I had instead 4 even if you had more money you planned for 2013, we would be in deep could not increase the floor area trouble now. It’s a good thing we of a HDB flat. planned long term. With this kind of Everything that happens in density, we could accommodate every Singapore is by design. single person and all their needs. The government pays HDB in a loan, not a grant. HDB spends the Building a community money to build new flats, then sells in each HDB block the flats and gives mortgage loans to HDB, to all of you, is hardware—just residents. Residents pay HDB through blocks of flats, design, architecture. CPF funds, and the government also But there’s a lot more behind it. gives some grants. Our CPF scheme is We planned new towns with the a key factor of HDB’s success, and is community spirit in mind. The the envy of many countries. segmented corridor is the smallest We cannot subsidise residents unit of a community. With the help of blindly. The government and HDB sociologists, I was told that a person must be financially viable. If we were can only have up to seven neighbours; soft-hearted and generous in the psychologically, they cannot cope beginning, HDB would have gone with more than that. I went to visit bankrupt. HDB makes profits from the blocks, and saw this sense of shops, factories, car parks, etc. It is a community for myself. This is one very simple logic. With income from way to create a sense of belonging. property tax, corporate tax and The bigger community is the precinct, about 3 ha in area. A survey showed that people could relate to a piece of land around this size—any 4 HDB towns and blocks were bigger, and they didn’t feel that they planned and designed with the community spirit in mind. belong. For access to basic amenities, Sociologists studied how best a survey we did showed that to design common corridors so Singaporeans were willing to walk that neighbours would interact with each other and build a only up to 350 m, because of the sense of community. hot and humid weather.

72 73 Singapore’s Public Housing Story Dr Liu Thai Ker

5 environment. But if we plan intelligently, we can work wonders. When we do master planning, we design the environment on a macro scale—it’s shaping the whole area. The government must take the lion’s share [of planning work] in the beginning but leave the rest to the people. People say this is undemocratic. But this is the reason for Singapore being what it is today: government involvement is very heavy. The government’s job is to create a perfect stage, and the people should act out an exciting drama on that stage. A lot of people tell me they feel Singapore is bigger than its real size. We consciously created the illusion of low density, of “bigness” and “greenness”. Otherwise, Singapore will not be as liveable today. How did we create low density? By using the chessboard as an inspiration. You have to use high and low zones carefully. I spent a lot of time studying building spaces in relation to height, so as to promote psychological well-being. For big buildings, we must maintain a certain amount of continuity, of tidiness. It was my hope that we plan each precinct as a piece of artwork, not as separate buildings. In a HDB new town, there are high- and low-density areas. You never feel that there’s only tall buildings everywhere you go, as you see in many other cities. HDB new towns contribute to the city like building blocks. Being self-sufficient, they minimise travel needs, lower the carbon footprint, reduce travel time, enhance quality of life, and also create high-density corridors for the Mass Rapid Transit

74 75 Singapore’s Public Housing Story Dr Liu Thai Ker

A lot of people tell me they feel 7 Singapore is bigger than its real size. We consciously created the illusion of low density, of “bigness” and “greenness”. Otherwise, Singapore will not be as liveable today.

6

5 Pang Sua Pond in the HDB town (MRT) to work better. It works like stuffiness inside the flat. Beauty experience is an open secret about of Bukit Panjang is the country’s a machine. doesn’t come from expensive our successful urbanisation, because second-largest man-made floating Visitors like Singapore because materials or creative shapes. Beauty everybody can see it. The same wetland. Singapore’s urban planners ensured that HDB towns our cityscape is very unique and tidy. can come from something that costs planning principles and methodology had sufficient green spaces— Don’t underestimate a mundane, nothing, by handling proportion well. can be used everywhere if you know this has created an illusion of non-sexy word like “tidiness”. We have We just have to use our cunning to how to adapt it. ■ low density. building height control, so, when you find the best design. 6 Detail of a block of HDB flats in drive through Singapore, you see the In HDB, 95% of people are satisfied Dr Liu Thai Ker Singapore. Some residents enjoy environment changing. Even in HDB with what we did. “No homeless”, “no Founding Chairman, growing plants and herbs along Centre for Liveable Cities the common corridor. estates, building height varies so it squatters”, “no poverty”, “no ethnic Chairman, doesn’t look very dull, so we have an enclaves”. I cannot think of any other Morrow Architects & Planners 7 HDB planners used the chess- interesting urbanscape and skyline. city that can claim these four simple board as an inspiration for creating As for HDB architecture, we statements. This is satisfaction. an illusion of low density. New towns were designed to have high studied building science to maximise Is HDB’s experience transferable? and low buildings, and with both cross-ventilation and minimise I always tell foreigners, the HDB high- and low-density areas.

76 77 Pamelia Lee, Lim Neo Chian, Loh Lik Peng, Date of Lecture: 27-08-2013 1 Dr Tan Chin Nam, Dr Limin Hee

Tourism’s Sizable Indirect Contribution to Singapore’s Development

Singapore’s way Loh Lik Peng (LLP): I’ve had the contribution of tourism is about 10%, of integrating pleasure of working with different according to the World Travel and tourism planning tourism authorities overseas, and it Tourism Council. But the direct and development always strikes me that countries like contribution is only about 3%. Limin Hee (LH) [Moderator]: I think Singapore do have a much more Tourism’s indirect contribution is what’s very unique about Singapore is integrated approach and are much very huge because it cuts across so its very integrated approach to planning smarter about how they do tourism. many different sectors. Therefore and development, both for tourism and Mainly because Singapore is a small it is important to adopt this total urban development. Pamelia saw very country. If we don’t manage these systems approach, which is our large-scale tourism development initiatives from a government’s point competitive advantage. strategies that needed the support of of view, there’s very little traction you For STB, the approach is always various agencies to be integrated within can get otherwise with fragmented to start with a compelling vision. Then urban development projects. Chin Nam private sector players. In Singapore, people will be aligned internally and worked very closely with the Economic the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) externally. Stakeholders’ involvement Development Board (EDB) as well as the is always thinking of new ways to do is absolutely crucial. You need to do arts and cultural sectors in planning things. This whole-of-government a lot of communication to achieve tourism development. For Neo Chian, approach has always been one of the buy-in. Otherwise, a project the big-ticket items and events like Singapore’s key success factors. like the Integrated Resorts would Formula 1 needed a very integrated not be possible. But the spin-off approach to achieve their impact. Tan Chin Nam (TCN): I think this is fantastic. Singapore has been And Lik Peng worked within the nexus need to have an integrated approach totally transformed in terms of its of urban development, tourism and is because of the multi-dimensional experiential offering, and property enterprise to bring his hotel concepts nature of the tourism industry. It prices have also risen because of to fruition. cuts across all sectors. The GDP this multidimensional approach.

78 79 Tourism’s Sizable Indirect Contribution to Singapore’s Development Pamelia Lee, Lim Neo Chian, Loh Lik Peng, Dr Tan Chin Nam, Dr Limin Hee

Tourism’s indirect This is also linked to the attractiveness and liveability of the city. In that sense, contribution is very it’s absolutely crucial to adopt a total huge because it cuts systems approach. across so many Lim Neo Chian (LNC): At STB, we like to tell ourselves that we could different sectors. accomplish a lot more by working Therefore it is with different agencies, compared to trying to do everything on our own. In important to adopt the case of MICE (Meetings, Incentive this total systems Travel, Conventions & Exhibitions), it’s very clear that you need to work approach, which is with the champions of industry our competitive clusters in areas including biomedical research, banking and transport. advantage. We also worked with the Ministry of National Development on Gardens by the Bay, the Singapore Garden Festival and the World Cities Summit. There’s a lot more we can accomplish as a whole government, rather than STB on its own.

Pamelia Lee (PL): I credit two men for this new integrated approach to getting the job done. Mr Ngiam Tong Dow, Permanent Secretary of Finance and Trade and Industry, asked me what I needed. I replied, “I can give 1 Gardens By The Bay is an award- you a long list!” This ended up as the winning waterfront horticultural S$1 billion Tourism Development garden in downtown Singapore. Plan, which led to the conservation Its 101 ha of parkland features two large conservatories showcas- of all the historic areas—The Civic ing flora from different habitats District, Chinatown, Little India, around the world. Conceptualised Kampong Glam, Bugis Street, in 2005, the gardens were a key part of the government’s “City in Singapore River, Raffles Hotel. a Garden” vision. Mr Ngiam was very clever; he chaired all the meetings himself. 2 Inaugurated in 2008, the Formula As he was so senior, everyone had to One Singapore Grand Prix takes 2 place each year on the Marina Bay match his stature by sending very Street Circuit. As the only night senior people to our meetings— race in the Grand Prix calendar, people able to make a decision and this unique event attracts up to 300,000 attendees from Singa- change existing policy. Right away, pore and around the region. big decisions could be made, old rules

80 81 Tourism’s Sizable Indirect Contribution to Singapore’s Development Pamelia Lee, Lim Neo Chian, Loh Lik Peng, Dr Tan Chin Nam, Dr Limin Hee

Singapore has done very well in Lik Peng spent a lot of time in the UK, TCN: Learning should be bi- Close collaboration between developed hospitality projects in directional. The whole idea behind public and private sectors being a very connected city. If you Europe, and brought in many the World Gourmet Summit was to LH: Pamelia worked very closely with speak to any chefs overseas, they Michelin Star chefs. To what extent bring world chefs to Singapore, the private sector on projects such as do we learn from others but at the to work with local chefs so there Raffles Hotel, Fort Canning and the admire Singapore’s food scene a same time develop a unique tourism will be a lot of fusion, of exchange. conservation districts. Chin Nam industry in Singapore? For example, British celebrity chef worked very closely with private lot. They’re very aware of what’s Gordon Ramsay coming to learn enterprises to build Singapore into happening in our very sophisticated PL: Other governments responded how to cook chilli crab. This is the a global convention centre and in quickly, especially the French whole idea of fusion, New Asia placemaking efforts such as at offerings. We have a lot to be proud Government. They asked us what cuisine and so on. Chinatown and Chijmes. Neo Chian’s of in that kind of globalisation. we needed. I said, “We need French ideas for developing iconic places, expertise, but can we choose the LH: This is also your idea of bringing using events and strategies to create consultant you send?” We searched, Singapore to the world because if buzz for Singapore, required not just and learned of a young expert by the you go to many cities in the world working with business, but also name of D. Repellin. He came and now, you can find Singapore food, engaging Singaporeans. Lik Peng could be adapted to suit new needs. gave us sound advice, but now, so it’s a very good exchange. worked closely with the public sector The other person I credit is Mr Lim looking back, Singapore was not ready on projects in conservation districts. Chin Beng, then Chairman of the for high quality French standards of Tourist Promotion Board. After the conservation, where less intervention tourism plan was approved, he said to is “valued more”. me: “What do you need for conservation? You should lead a TCN: It’s extremely important for government delegation overseas to Singapore, as a learning nation, to 3 study conservation.” So, we invited the adopt a learning strategy. For Sentosa fire department, building control, all Cove, Pamelia was the first to go to the people who had to change their Port Grimaud, France, to look at how codes and regulations to enable the to bring about a waterfront living conservation of buildings and whole environment. Today, at Sentosa historic districts. Cove, the environment is extremely conducive. That kind of learning How Singapore learns continues in many things we do, such from other countries as the new interpretation of fusing LH: Singapore learnt a lot from other modernity and heritage with al fresco countries. We went to many cities to dining at places like Boat Quay and look at placemaking experiences and Clarke Quay. brought in many international experts such as Didier Repellin to help with LLP: Singapore has done very well conservation, and Louis Clair to work in being a very connected city. If you on our lighting master plan. Chin speak to any chefs overseas, they Nam test-bedded many new tourism admire Singapore’s food scene a lot. 3 Many parts of Chinatown in products, engaging world-class They’re very aware of what’s Singapore have been conserved retailers and convention experts. Neo happening in our very sophisticated for their heritage significance, including these shophouses Chian brought in world-class players offerings. We have a lot to be proud along Pagoda Street. through the Integrated Resorts and F1. of in that kind of globalisation.

82 83 Tourism’s Sizable Indirect Contribution to Singapore’s Development Pamelia Lee, Lim Neo Chian, Loh Lik Peng, Dr Tan Chin Nam, Dr Limin Hee

LNC: STB’s role is to make sure How tourism helped to we work hand-in-hand with the build a liveable city private sector to help them do their LH: Tourism visions and plans not job. There are many areas where only built up the tourism sector, they the private sector will look to the also helped build a liveable city. government for support, especially Pamelia’s involvement in conservation when dealing with red tape, for districts and the adaptive reuse of old financial support, as well as in landmark buildings helped create a marketing Singapore. city that retains a sense of its past. Chin Nam’s idea of infusing tourism TCN: Co-creation of a vision is development with the development important. But when it comes to of the arts and culture was a way of implementation, collaboration can investing in people and talents, a very happen at two levels—government important aspect of building a liveable agencies helping individual city. Neo Chian’s initiatives created a companies to grow and respond to lot of vibrant precincts, iconic events all sorts of initiatives, and through and new lifestyle options. Lik Peng mechanisms such as a tourism brought heritage upfront to people consultative council or national who enjoy food. marketing council. When it comes to thematic development, like LLP: Tourist spending has expanded developing Chinatown or Singapore the pie for Singaporeans with the Riverwalk, you do need to involve great variety of restaurants, shops stakeholders through a mechanism and businesses. like a stakeholder association. It’s not just about jobs. We have to look at tourism as multidimensional. It helps a country grow and produces a lot of facilities that have knock-on benefits for Singaporeans too.

LNC: Tourism really is a catalyst for developing many things we would want to do anyway. It provides a context, resources and also the mechanism to help bring about big projects like the Integrated Resorts and F1. About 10 years ago, we wanted to see how to rejuvenate Orchard Road. Seeing it from a tourism point of view, it would be great to have a better shopping street. But we were 4 Shophouses in the downtown also quite clear that if you improve Tanjong Pagar district have been Orchard Road, all Singaporeans get conserved, and the area is today a vibrant destination with numerous to enjoy it. dining and entertainment options.

4 84 85 Tourism’s Sizable Indirect Contribution to Singapore’s Development Pamelia Lee, Lim Neo Chian, Loh Lik Peng, Dr Tan Chin Nam, Dr Limin Hee

It’s not just about jobs. We have to look at tourism as multidimensional. It helps a country grow and produces a lot of facilities that have knock-on benefits for Singaporeans too.

TCN: Under Tourism 21, STB was Singaporean society is all about. How The next step would be to allow already working with Universal do we do this in Singapore? I’d like to this for HDB flats. Given our large Studios to convince the company to suggest: Why can’t we have hotels in number of HDB flats, you might get a come to Singapore, but the company our regional centres and HDB estates, certain reasonable capacity to be able said we did not have the critical mass. in Toa Payoh Central or Ang Mo Kio? to take in quite a number of tourists. With the Integrated Resorts, however, Tourists could enjoy all the wonderful It would be a very good experience it became quite possible for Universal food we have there. Hotels situated for tourists. ■ Studios to be successful. By means next to an MRT station would allow of this integrated approach, we are tourists to easily take the train and Pamelia Lee effectively increasing the choices go downtown. In the heartlands, Senior Tourism Consultant for Singaporeans, enhancing the tourists can interact with locals. Lim Neo Chian quality of life and making the city More importantly, Singaporeans, Chairman, Agri-food & a lot more liveable. shops, food outlets and all will benefit Veterinary Authority, Singapore 5 from the tourists staying there. There Former Deputy Chairman and PL: To save Chinatown, I had to are so many places you can think of in Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board convince those who doubted the Singapore where it is convenient for a value of Chinatown. I had to show tourist. It also brings the benefits of Loh Lik Peng numbers and write-ups by the tourism into our heartlands. This is Hotelier and restaurateur international media. I said, “Tourists something URA can do. Dr Tan Chin Nam feel that Chinatown is authentic, My other suggestion is that Senior Corporate Adviser not a manmade tourist attraction.” homestays are a very attractive in various companies I used tourism as the excuse, but proposition. When I go overseas, Former Permanent Secretary, I really saved Chinatown for I always go for bed-and-breakfasts, Ministry of Information, 5 Now in its 11th year, the Singapore Singaporeans and future generations. which my wife and I love, because Communications and the Arts, Singapore Night Festival takes place over getting to stay with a family gives you two weekends every August, LNC: I have an idea that is quite an entirely different experience. Some Dr Limin Hee [MODERATOR] transforming the Bras Basah consistent with how tourists are of my trips I remember for a long, Director of Research, heritage precinct into a pedestri- Centre for Liveable Cities anised zone featuring arts looking for more authentic long time because of the interactions performances from Singapore experiences, to also learn what with the owner of the house. and around the world.

86 87 Prof Jan Gehl Date of Lecture: 28-03-2014 Wherever you go, just see if you can see children and old people on ordinary streets. A people-oriented planning strategy brings you a very long way towards a liveable city. Be good to the people, and you A True Sign of a Liveable have a much more liveable city. City: Children and Elderly

Using Public Spaces 1

The Copenhagen street, they always take the sidewalk or I graduated as an architect in 1960, model: First, be the bicycle lane across because trained in the worst days of city people-friendly pedestrians and cyclists are just as planning ever, in the heyday of the I’ll start with a little important as any guy in a Mercedes- modernists. I was told in school that story. In Vietnam, I met a Mrs Lan Benz driving in from a side street. cities are bad and free-standing from the Danish Embassy, who asked My daughter Laura, who is seven years buildings are good, that streets are me: “Do you have a baby boom in old, can walk to school on her own bad but grass is good. Never put Copenhagen?” Actually no, I’d never because she can walk on the sidewalk residents, workplaces, recreation and thought about it before, but in safely all the way. communication together. I swallowed Copenhagen, there are many children It dawned on me that what Mrs Lan it all and came rushing out of school and they’re very visible. Mothers on saw was a city where children are very to do wonderful new things…and maternity leave have a pram and go much part of daily life. Then I started then I married a psychologist. around with it for one year, and that to think that maybe having many We young architects and keeps a lot of babies visible on the children visible in the city, or having psychologists had many discussions streets. We have a very people-friendly many old people using ordinary city about what was going on in transport system. Some 30% of spaces, is a true sign of a people- architecture and planning. Did we families with children have a cargo friendly, liveable city. know enough about people to make bicycle to drive children to school, Wherever you go, just see if you these big decisions about how people and the children love this kind of can see children and old people on should live? What information did we transportation because they can sit ordinary streets. A people-oriented have in our education about people’s and see everything instead of being planning strategy brings you a very needs, and what people would prefer? trapped in a car. long way towards a liveable city. Be How would these structures influence Also, every time there’s a small good to the people, and you have a their quality of life? Why were we narrow street going into a major much more liveable city. architects not interested in people?

88 89 A True Sign of a Liveable City: Children and Elderly Using Public Spaces Prof Jan Gehl

That was a very hard question—it How motorcars and 2 forced me to go back to school, where modernism messed up cities I spent another 40 years to study how Enrique Peñalosa Londoño, the Mayor the built form influences life, how life of Bogotá, Colombia, once observed interacts with buildings, to find out that it is amazing that we have so little about people and life in cities. knowledge about what makes a good I’m still producing books, and it’s urban habitat for humans. “We know a great joy for me that these little so much about what makes good modest books have been found useful habitat for mountain gorillas, Siberian in the development of places like tigers, whales, elephants, but not Bangladesh, Vietnam and Iran. much about what makes a good Later, we started Gehl Architects, urban habitat for homo sapiens in a consultancy where we hoisted this different climates across the world. flag: “If you want a liveable, safe, It is amazing that so little has been sustainable and healthy city, we can studied in this area.” help you.” Since then, we have been Looking back at 50 years of research extremely busy. It’s fantastic that and practice in people-oriented city there’s an enormous interest in planning, I realised that around 1960, liveable, people-friendly cities from there were two important changes one end of the world to the other; worldwide in the background of from Nuuk, capital of Greenland, planning—the large-scale introduction to Christchurch, New Zealand. of modernist ideologists, and the invasion of the motorcar. The moment cars arrived, we all got obsessed and allowed them to occupy every space in cities. Over the years, we’ve seen traffic engineers become stronger as a profession. Everything had to do with capacity for more cars and car parking. We’ve lost our sense of scale. In the old days, all cities were in 5 km/h scale, like Venice where everybody walked. The spaces were small, signs were small, and there were many details. You could see the people. Anything in the city was up close, and you could see the mountains in the distance. 1 Today, there is a cycling culture Now, gradually, we make everything in Copenhagen, where 55% in 60 km/h scale, where you have big of residents cycle every day. Copenhagen aims to be the best spaces and signs. There are no details, city in the world for cycling, and and sensually it’s not at all very to be carbon-neutral by 2025. interesting to walk around. 2 Superkilen, a public park in What happened also was that every Copenhagen that opened in 2012. city at once got a transport and traffic

90 91 A True Sign of a Liveable City: Children and Elderly Using Public Spaces Prof Jan Gehl

3 department. As good professionals, they started to count all the cars and had perfect statistics of everything. Cars were well looked after. But all these years, not a single city had a department for pedestrians and public life. Almost no city had any documentation, knowledge or statistics about how people used the city—this has become a very great problem because you always plan for what you know, and if there’s a big sector where you know very little about, then it’s generally being overlooked. The other paradigm shift was the introduction of modernism. Modernism was formulated in the 1920s and 1930s, and in many ways is a very radical ideology from the pioneer Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier. His plan for a new Paris was to take everything down and put up high-rise buildings where everybody could live and have a good time. What happened was that we had to expand all cities very rapidly and planners had to get up in aeroplanes and look at the big areas from above. Nobody was asked to look after the “people scale”, down where people were. Instead of making spaces as we did in the old cities, now we make “in-betweens” and hope that people would like them. Generally, they did not like them very much. Also, we got confused about scale, because now we could suddenly make enormous buildings. We had very big companies who needed very big buildings, and we had these fantastic differences in scale.

The key is to make good public spaces Increasingly, we see that “lively” and

92 93 A True Sign of a Liveable City: Children and Elderly Using Public Spaces Prof Jan Gehl

We see that “liveable” is asked for a lot. We live cities—because man is still this tall, are Italians,” or “We are Italians, not more and more scattered, in smaller his senses are still the same and he’s Danes,” or “Now you are in the Big whenever we can and smaller households. We have still a walking animal. So not much has Apple, and you cannot ever realise make—anywhere in more and more leisure time. We changed, apart from the architecture. It’s fantastic that you organise the Lee some of the European ways of having have an ageing population. We have If we have a more people-oriented urbanity here in the Big Apple.” the world—good more years in our life and we have architecture, we’ll have safer places. Kuan Yew World City Prize and World Then they do it anyway and it’s a increasingly organised our lives so And if more people walk and cycle, Cities Summit, because it’s a strong fantastic success, and the mindset public spaces where we can do everything privatised. But it is very good for fighting climate starts to change. people can quietly as human beings, there is always a change. Now we’ve got a new problem way of signaling that there are good I’ve seen so many mindsets being private side and a social side. And the —and the worst place in the world cities, and that people around the changed, and there are so many good come together and social side is not really comforted by with this is Saudi Arabia—we have examples now around the world. have a good time, a very privatised living situation. city-planning that invites people to sit world are trying to make fine cities. People travel and they hear and see. We see that whenever we can and not move. A doctor once told me: To me, it’s amazing that [pioneering and see and enjoy make—anywhere in the world— “You can be very fat, but if you are urban studies professor and activist] each other, then good public spaces where people can active, there’s no problem. If you are Jane Jacobs’s old ideas have been quietly come together and have a good very slim and inactive, you are in a bad transported so quickly from one we see that these time, and see and enjoy each other, way.” One hour of moderate activity culture to the next in recent years. spaces are happily then we see that these spaces are every day, and you will have seven extra be a very natural and logical thing for with all these improvements, a bicycle They’re very sound ideas about happily being used. years of life expectancy, and a much us to move during the course of our culture developed. It’s a lifestyle to making a good urban habitat for being used. If we are more focused on better life because of much less day. We have been on the wrong track cycle— for businessmen, pregnant homo sapiens. It’s a very simple story, people, we will have a better human hospitalisation, medicine and doctors. trying to have everybody sit all the time. mothers, children and even the which people can understand right scale where people will feel more We as architects and planners can Copenhagen has been at it now for Crown Prince. 55% of people in away, but they have to see it and see comfortable, just as we had in the old plan cities in such a way that it would 50 years. In 1962, they pushed back Copenhagen are on their bikes every that other cities have done it. I’m the cars from the main street. It was day. Copenhagen has a policy to be very optimistic. very radical. Everybody thought that the best city in the world for cycling, I think Singapore is well on its way 4 the mayor was crazy and that it would and to be carbon-neutral by 2025. to some of these mindset changes that never work. But now, all squares are Do we have problems in will bring about a more liveable and cleared of parked cars and turned over Copenhagen? Yes, we have really awful happy city. to people and activities. This was congestion on bicycle lanes...So, we It’s fantastic that you organise the pioneered in Copenhagen, and is now doubled all the bicycle lanes, took Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize and applied all over the world. All streets another lane from cars because a World Cities Summit, because it’s a have been converted from four lanes bicycle lane can transport five times strong way of signaling that there are to two lanes; never one-way, always more people than a car lane. Also, good cities, and that people around two-way. There’s a policy of inviting trains have been forced to double the world are trying to make fine cities. people to cycle. There is a good bicycle capacity for transporting bicycles. We can be inspired by this. ■ system in all major streets, with a kerb on either side. You can transport Seeing that it can be done Prof Jan Gehl 3 Having children and old people everything all over the city; you don’t changes mindsets Professor Emeritus of Urban Design, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts using ordinary city spaces is a need a car. It’s one long story of changing true sign of a liveable, people- Founder & Senior Advisor, To have a good bicycle system, it mindsets. In every single city I’ve ever friendly city. Gehl Architects, Denmark must be integrated with other systems worked in, it always started with some 4 A good cycling system must be so it becomes a real system. All taxis people coming over and saying, “You integrated with other transport can take two bicycles. On the trains, must realise that this particular place systems. For example, cyclists should be allowed to carry their we can take our bicycles for free. is very different. We have another bicycles onto trains for free. That’s very practical. Over the years, culture here. We are not Danes, we

94 95 Li Jiange Date of Lecture: 21-09-2015 Len Brown Date of Lecture: 04-09-2015 Auckland on China’s Urbanisation the World Stage Needs Urgent Reform

To turn Auckland into a destination, the city adopted a design-led approach that focuses on people. It uses Compared with developed countries, China has a smaller activation projects, such as waterfront renewals relatively dispersed population, with less built-up areas and boardwalks, to enable people to feel special in the city. within its cities, which suggests inefficient land-use.

Auckland has a grand vision to details economic, social, cultural, spatial and become the world’s most liveable environmental goals over 30 years, and how to city, and this guides everything that achieve them. It is developed in partnership Urgent reform is needed for China’s Compared with developed countries, China the city council does. Mayor Brown with the government, NGOs, indigenous tribes urbanisation to work, said Li, an has a relatively dispersed population, with less shared his city’s path so far, with a focus on and over 15,000 Auckland residents. One experienced policymaker and built-up areas within its cities, which suggests transport issues, planning its economic future, strategy is to convert the economy from being renowned Chinese economist. inefficient land-use. and how the city puts Aucklanders at the centre import- to export-driven. This would be done by He referred to Stewart Brand’s Whole Earth The government has proposed the of its goals. In 2014, Auckland ranked third attracting more investment into areas ranging Discipline: An Ecopragmatic Manifesto, which development of Jingjinji, the Beijing–Tianjin– worldwide in liveability. from tourism to creative industries, and working argues that urbanisation’s greatest impact is on Hebei urban cluster, to ease congestion by For many years, Auckland was in “arrested towards making Auckland the “innovation hub of land use, and that efficiency improvements can moving some of Beijing’s population to this development”, said Brown. There were the Asia-Pacific area”. foster more sustainable development. new region. One proposed solution is having a fragmented and competing governance To turn Auckland into a destination, the city With about four decades of economic reform High-Speed Rail to enable the development of structures, infrastructure deficits and poor- adopted a design-led approach that focuses since 1978, China’s urbanisation has grown by another city centre away from the original. quality urban design. Car ownership per capita on people. It uses smaller activation projects, about 1% each year. By 2020, China expects Li reiterated three key areas of reform for was the world’s highest. But in 2010, the city such as waterfront renewals and boardwalks, to be 60% urbanised, although the annual China: Land system reform to allow better land was “thrown a lifeline”. The government set up to enable people to feel special in the city. urbanisation growth rate will certainly slow transfers and use; fiscal system reform; and a royal commission to examine Auckland’s While Auckland seeks to become more down. Compared with countries such as Japan, social security system reform to cater to rural- problems, and its bold recommendations were cosmopolitan in outlook, it practises “democracy Brazil and South Korea, said Li, China still has urban migration. There is a real need to increase adopted. Eight separate city councils were on steroids”, said Brown. This involves making room for urbanisation. While working in the capacity for public services, develop smart combined into “one super-city council”. sure people are accepted, including maintaining central government, Li organised several studies eco-cities, manage migrant workers better, For Brown, liveability is definitely attainable special relations with the indigenous Maori that found that China has relatively few cities and increase expenditure for growth, he said. ■ “because it is measurable”. His team looks at people by formalising their roles and including of over five million people. China has too few 18 indices in areas including giving children and them in the decision-making process. ■ megacities, he said. Only 11% of its population young people a better start in life, fixing transport lives in megacities, a lower rate compared to Li Jiange Vice-Chairman, Central Huijin Investment Co., Ltd problems, reducing housing shortage, creating the United States. While one may think that Chairman, Board of Trustees, Sun Yefang Foundation more jobs and protecting the environment. Len Brown Beijing is large, its built-up area is in fact not Co-Head, Tsinghua University National Institute of The Auckland Plan, finalised in June 2011, Former Mayor of Auckland, New Zealand large enough, he argued. Financial Research, China

96 96 97 Prof Jan Peter Balkenende Date of Lecture: 16-09-2015 The “next economy” is relevant for the development of cities. Hence, people are also talking about the “next city”, which is about improving quality of life in cities. Cities and Economies Must Reinvent

Themselves 1

A new world A few years ago, when he was 33 years health—his analysis is that we have so of cities old, he authored How To Run The many technical solutions, a lot of Let me start by reflecting World: Charting A Course To The Next innovation, and the possibility to on three experiences I Renaissance. His message is that tackle all these issues, but we fail had with some thinkers. The first is previous centuries were all about the because of a lack of good governance. Professor Benjamin Barber, a political development of nation states, covering There are too many vested interests; scientist from the United States. I met legislation, financing, and so on. But too many people thinking in old- him when I was Prime Minister of today, a lot of issues are above the fashioned ways. The Netherlands. He’s now involved level of nation states: climate change, If I bring together these three ideas in a new organisation, “The Global security, energy, etc. So, he says: —Prof Barber’s “Global Parliament of Parliament of Mayors”. He has the instead of nation states, you will see Mayors”, Khanna’s new alliances, and conviction that it is necessary to talk the development of a world of new Diamandis on good governance, in terms of regional and city alliances—between governments, I think we’re in the midst of a world development. He said that mayors businesses, NGOs, knowledge centres, of cities. I would like to make three can make a difference, and that it’s etc. He’s referring to the role of cities points. First, some general remarks also about developments at the local as well, and there you will also find about liveable cities: what’s on our and city level. He says that if we want new alliances. agenda, and why are cities so to change things in the world, we The third thinker is Peter important? The second bit is the need liveable cities. Diamandis, who wrote a fantastic Rotterdam experience, based on my The second is Parag Khanna, who book Abundance: The Future Is Better work as Chairman of the International was an advisor to US President Barack Than You Think. For the many issues Advisory Board of Rotterdam. And Obama and is considered one of the on the world agenda—poverty, the third part is about sustainability, most influential people in the world. hunger, illiteracy, human rights, and its consequences.

98 99 Cities and Economies Must Reinvent Themselves Prof Jan Peter Balkenende

Cities are crucial for The “next economy” is relevant improving quality of life for the development of cities, hence First, about cities. Today, we’re people are also talking about the “next talking more about improving city” which is about improving quality people’s quality of life. We discovered of life in cities. that the old Keynesian and neo- People do not accept living in an classical approaches to economic area where it is dangerous, where it is development have to be partly not secure, where the environment is replaced by a new view of organising polluted. The next city is also about things in society. I think that’s also how you can stimulate the awareness why there’s so much attention today and responsibility of societies and on the role of cities worldwide. NGOs, and how you can use bottom- There is another development— up approaches to benefit from the the fascinating world of the “next knowledge of people, allowing room economy” and the “next city”. for social projects, creativity and The “next economy” means an start-ups. economy influenced by new developments like robotics, 3-D Rotterdam: Towards the printing, nanotechnology, and the next economy and next city Internet of Things. It also has a My second point is about my moral category. The “next economy” experience in a city like Rotterdam in is a sharing economy. Can you use the Netherlands. The interesting thing things together? There is a new about Rotterdam is that it is constantly relationship between ownership reinventing itself. You can change a and use of products. city when there is a willingness to change things. For example, young people with their cultural, social, environmental and economic projects—you can learn so much from these young people with their dreams and ideals. The good thing is that the local authorities are taking up these bottom-up initiatives. A city like Rotterdam is about creativity and sustainability. The Port of Rotterdam has a strategy called 1 The “next economy” refers to an economy influenced by new Rotterdam Port Vision 2030. It wants technological developments to be a sustainable port. Its criteria is such as robotics, 3-D printing, stricter than other ports in Europe, nanotechnology, and the Internet and now people from Singapore and of Things. Brazil are coming to Rotterdam just to 2 The Markthal, an indoor market hall learn more about the concept of a in Rotterdam that is co-located with sustainable port. We also see new residences and offices. Cities must be creative and sustainable, and concepts of local production of food constantly reinvent themselves. and energy. In Peter Diamandis’ book

2 100 101 Cities and Economies Must Reinvent Themselves Prof Jan Peter Balkenende

We need to have new alliances. Abundance, he says that if you have we should have room for these four or five big apartment buildings experiments. The third theme is: Companies cannot act alone. in New York City, and you use new transparency and accessibility of If you want to act, you need to agricultural techniques, it would the system. The fourth theme is: be enough to feed everyone in the city. storytelling and communication. work together with others. This is the type of insight we are It always helps when you have a nice seeing more and more of. story to tell, because then you can 3 Rotterdam is indeed about the convince people. It’s about dreams, “next economy”, the “next city”— about realising new developments. it’s about doing the right things for society, about bottom-up strategies. A new business case That’s why people are so enthusiastic for sustainability is about Rotterdam’s developments. It’s being embraced a city that knows that if you’re happy My third point is sustainability. about the results of the past, that’s not We have to be aware that we will have enough. A real entrepreneur will nine billion people on Earth in 2050, always innovate, because if there is no with scarce natural resources and innovation, you can forget about it. climate change issues. One thing In the International Advisory Board is clear: we cannot go on the same of Rotterdam’s most recent report, way—we have to rethink our way of we said that there should be five producing and consuming or we will dimensions on our cities agenda: good have big difficulties in the future. governance, making the city realise all There is also the connection with the the different developments, social “next economy” and the “next city”. development and responsibilities, I think things are changing. sustainability and supporting the One thing we need to do is create next economy. We also identified four shared value. Milton Friedman, the major themes. First, you have to try famous management guru, said in to connect all the networks from 1970: “The business of business is schools, universities, companies business.” You have to do it in the and government organisations. The right way, respect the rule of law. second theme is: dare to experiment. Today, we have Michael Porter, a To give an example, I was in an management guru from Harvard old car with a man who was an Business School, and he says no, ex-criminal, and he was constantly it’s about creating shared value. smoking. He has seen the bad side of society. When he left jail, he said: “I only want to do one thing. I want to convince young people that they have to work on a better quality of life and, in any case, they should avoid going 3 A rooftop farm in Brooklyn, into prison.” He knows the language New York City. Local, urban of young people and he says to them: production of food is another way in which cities can be “You must have training. Try to get a creative and sustainable in trying job. Be honest, don’t steal.” I think to meet their demand for food.

102 103 Cities and Economies Must Reinvent Themselves Prof Jan Peter Balkenende

governments, universities and businesses. When I was a student, If you want to do business we had a kind of left-wing approach. Profit was a kind of dirty word in today, it’s also about your role left-wing political circles in my country. in society. It’s not only about That time has changed completely. We need business. We need each other. being active as an entrepreneur We are in a process of transition, and in the traditional sense, it’s now therefore, it’s so important that we are working together and redefining about choosing quality of life. strategies. So the concept of the “next economy”, the “next city”, liveable cities, the role of businesses…these are all related themes. The last book I would like to is: how can it influence and change and ecological performance of the mention is a beautiful book titled your business model and strategy? company, and the integration of Why Nations Fail. It is by two Are you integrating those components both. That means that accountants professors, Daron Acemoglu from in your business model? and auditors need a more holistic Harvard University, and James There is a business case that it is approach. Robinson from the Massachusetts possible to be profitable by choosing Institute of Technology. For 15 years, sustainability. Prof Robert Eccles Economics, society and they did research on 3,000 years of of Harvard Business School made ecology are all connected world history. Their key question was: a comparison between 90 high- There’s a connection between the under what conditions can countries sustainability companies and 90 future of cities, the Rotterdam be successful, or not? Their answer low-sustainability companies between experience and the world of was threefold. First, if you want to be 1993 and 2010. The outcome was sustainability. There was a time successful, you must always have the 4 that high-sustainability companies when we tried to split everything up. willingness to innovate; there must be had a higher rate of return on You had economic researchers for room for disruptive change and creative A company is there to generate government officials and academics. investment, a better position on the economic issues, social scientists destruction. Second, you must have economic value, but you also have to We will see more of such new alliances. stock market and a better reputation for social issues, environmentalists rule of law—integrity, transparency, generate social value by addressing We must have more focus on the than the low-sustainability ones. for ecological issues. Today, we and no corruption. Third, you must the needs of society. long-term. In the 2008 global financial There’s enough proof that it is know that you must have a holistic have inclusive institutions. People We need to have new alliances. crisis, we saw what the consequences possible to change things if you approach. What’s happening in must be able to share in the revenues Companies cannot act alone. If you of short-term focus on making profit have the willingness to rethink energy is relevant to climate change. of growth, because if revenues are only want to act, you need to work together can be. If you fail at having a long-term your business model. What’s happening with climate disappearing into the pockets of with others. focus, then you will get into Also, if we choose sustainability, change is relevant for migration. communist or capitalist elites, then Unilever integrated sustainability difficulties. It’s true, the discussion it must be an honest story, and that All these issues are connected. you will have difficulties. There has to into their business model: they have about corporate social responsibility is about measurement and reporting. If you want to do business today, be fairness. ■ a strategy called “Sustainable Living has been there for decades, but Auditors will have another task and it’s also about your role in society. 4 Built to create Marina Reservoir Plan”. When they had their first-year something has changed. Today, we responsibility in the future. Now, it’s It’s not only about being active as an Prof Jan Peter Balkenende in downtown Singapore, Marina evaluation, it was not an internal say growth is part of human nature, about delivering assurance on the entrepreneur in the traditional sense, Chairman, International Advisory Board Rotterdam Barrage was also designed as a Unilever event, but an event with all but not at all costs. It must be financial performance of a company. it’s now about choosing quality of life. public green space. Visitors can Former Prime Minister picnic on its green rooftop, and take their partners in the value chain. Also sustainable growth. Now, when we In the future, it will be about Therefore, you can see new of The Netherlands part in water sports in the reservoir. invited were other companies, NGOs, talk about sustainability, the question integrated reporting, about the social relationships forming between

104 105 Prof Eric Klinenberg Date of Lecture: 02-12-2015 Interestingly, culturally, in many parts of the world, we have failed to recognise that heat is something very dangerous. Cities have No Choice but to Adapt to 1 Climate Change

A City’s “Social places will be left exposed. It’s a biting buildings attract heat from the sun, Infrastructure” irony, because affluent people and and pollution from industrial facilities Determines Life places are the most responsible for and cars trap the heat. You don’t and Death greenhouse gas emissions. get evening cooling as in other We have released so much carbon In the wealthiest cities, securing environments, so it was also extremely dioxide and other greenhouse gases yourself from the ravages of climate hot at night. We all take air- into the atmosphere that, even if change is no easy task, even if you have conditioning for granted, but in we could stop all greenhouse gas resources. I want to call attention to American cities the electrical emissions right now, we would still two facets of climate security. One is infrastructure isn’t so reliable face centuries of climate change. hard infrastructure—the kind of anymore, so the system falls apart. In This means higher sea level rise; thing that Singapore has invested Chicago, about 250,000 households, more frequent, intense and longer- so much in, with sea walls and maybe 700,000 people, had no power, lasting heat waves; stronger gates and other flood management some for more than two days. In a hurricanes and greater floods. systems. The other aspect is high-rise building in a big city, the We have no choice but to adapt. unusual for these conversations: elevators fail when there’s no But there’s a problem: adaptation the social infrastructure, which electricity. Water is pumped up is expensive. There’s a risk—a often determines life and death. electrically, so with no electricity, you certainty, to be honest—that it will also don’t have water. If you’re older, inevitably exacerbate old inequalities Chicago’s Devastating frail or disabled, you’re really trapped. and generate new ones too. People Heat Wave In the US, when it gets very hot, lucky enough to live in nations, In Chicago in July 1995, summer especially in poor neighbourhoods, cities or neighbourhoods that have temperatures got extremely high. people open up fire hydrants to get resources will be better able to protect We had the urban heat island water. So many thousands of fire themselves. People who live in poor phenomenon—concrete and steel hydrants were opened at the same

106 107 Cities Have No Choice but to Adapt to Climate Change Prof Eric Klinenberg

There is the tendency to treat disasters as public time that neighbourhoods lost water their doors to new patients. There was neighbourhoods to understand if pressure. The city had to send police no system for coordinating which there’s something about the texture relations crises rather than public health problems. officers to prevent residents from emergency rooms were open, so of places that helps explain these Many governments try to make sure no one really opening up hydrants. They started ambulance drivers had to drive all different outcomes. to fight over this basic resource. over to look. Two neighbourhoods in Chicago— pays attention, because they don’t want to be blamed. The heat will break down your Interestingly, culturally, in many both 98% African-American ghetto body. Very quickly, people began to parts of the world, we have failed neighbourhoods, very segregated, get sick. Many were trapped in their to recognise that heat is something extremely poor, with unusually high apartments, and children got very dangerous. violent crime rates—had totally dehydrated in buses that were stuck In Chicago, people didn’t think different outcomes. One on gridlocked streets. Thousands went about heat as a health issue. Many city neighbourhood, Englewood, had been to emergency rooms for heat-related leaders were on vacation. When it gets abandoned and depleted—no stores illnesses. Half the hospitals couldn’t very hot in most societies, people with or movie theatres, with broken take any more patients and closed power and money go out of town. sidewalks and parks that were fairly That’s not a moral statement; it’s a threatening. People who were older sociological one. City leaders forgot and frail tended to shut themselves in 2 about a heat emergency plan they had during the heat wave, and so, were 10 developed, and didn’t use it. During times more likely to die. the week, 739 people died. And since heat-related illnesses can have ripple effects that last the rest of your life, many more faced serious consequences. What was really disturbing to me as a sociologist is that hundreds of people died alone, and many were discovered in their apartments days or even weeks after they died. They tended to be older and poor. I called Heat Wave, the book I wrote about this event, a “social autopsy” of this natural disaster. It’s a social disaster as well. We need to understand the sociological underpinnings. The map I created showing areas 1 The devastating 1995 heatwave with the highest heat-death rates and in Chicago killed 739 people. While highest death rates were those with concentrated poverty concentrated in impoverished aligned almost perfectly—they were neighbourhoods, studies also all very racially segregated African- found that strong social infrastruc- ture and community ties helped American neighbourhoods. But what save many lives. was scientifically more interesting was that many poor neighbourhoods 2 Damaged homes in Connecticut actually fared better than the most in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The storm caused affluent ones. I decided to go out and economic damages amounting really get to know a bunch of to about US$60 billion.

108 109 Cities Have No Choice but to Adapt to Climate Change Prof Eric Klinenberg

By contrast, in the Auburn When Chicago published its big 3 Gresham neighbourhood, just across report about the heat wave, the phrase the street, even though the buildings “heat wave” does not appear anywhere baked like ovens, street conditions on the cover, and there’s a snowflake were more likely to draw people into on it. It was designed to make sure social life and have contact with the no one ever knew about it. Climate neighbours. Saving someone’s life in change brings “black swans”—weird a heat wave is relatively simple. It weather we never thought we’d have to involves seeing that they’re suffering prepare for. If we don’t stop and learn and finding a way for them to get cool. from a disaster, it’s much easier for If you had this, you fared much better the next city and leader to say: “How than if you didn’t. Social infrastructure could we have known?” But we should saves people’s lives during heat waves, have known. but also every day. If you lived in Auburn Gresham, your life expectancy Hurricane Sandy and would be five years longer than in New York CITY’s 19th Englewood across the street. Century Infrastructure Understanding what breaks down Many of us who live in wealthy, during disasters helps us understand thriving cities are tempted to think everyday conditions of neighbourhood that we will be taken care of and life that we could pay more attention protected if a storm hits. We believe to. The one silver lining of disasters is that our infrastructure will work. The that we can learn from them, so things power will stay on; our phones will go better the next time. But Chicago operate; the flood waters won’t come refused to do that. in. But that’s not really true. We There is the tendency to treat learned this in New York City in 2012, disasters as public relations crises when a storm called Sandy hit 20 rather than public health problems. states in the US and smashed into Many governments try to make sure Manhattan, the financial centre of the no one really pays attention, because world. We were out of power for five they don’t want to be blamed. days, and it was out even longer in some places nearby. The economic impact of Hurricane Sandy was about US$60 billion. What happened? As in many regions in the world, the way the electrical grid works, we hang electrical wires on poles underneath 3 Climate adaptation is expensive, big trees with large branches. Every and existing inequalities will be time there’s a big wind storm, exacerbated by climate change. This image of an impoverished branches fall, wires go down and favela (Brazilian-Portuguese for everyone loses power. The authority slum) next to a wealthy private that handles power in this region, residential development starkly captures the gap between São Long Island in New York, held an Paulo’s rich and poor. emergency meeting a few days before

110 111 Cities Have No Choice but to Adapt to Climate Change Prof Eric Klinenberg

How do you make sure communities continue service are much looser than they used protect every coastal city. If we build life? In an article for The New Yorker emergencies is actually not by telling to be for the telephone system. During gates, first of all, they’re very, very magazine about how cities could people to prepare for storms. It’s by to work well? The way you prepare for Sandy, having no communication was expensive. But also, if you have to adapt to climate change, I wrote many making sure their local community emergencies is actually not by telling people one of the most profound problems. keep the gates closed most of the paragraphs about Singapore because life works well every day. If you find I know New York City is not alone in time, you’re changing the ecosystem I think you’re really doing some good the way to do that, the odds are that to prepare for storms. It’s by making sure trying to solve this situation. behind it. So, gates have not been work here. people are going to be able to protect New York City requirements for the best solution. Let me ask you to join me in each other when they really need it. their local community life works well every zoning ask hospitals to put things If we’re going to invest in climate thinking about how we can start to We all have to start to reconnect day. If you find the way to do that, the odds such as vital systems for power and security, let it be about improving learn from what we’ve experienced, with the ecological environment in a backup fuel for generators in the the quality of our lives, communities and begin to remake cities for the more profound way. Climate change is are that people are going to be able to basement because it helps prevent and cities, all the time. And not only world we’re entering. No matter how making us re-imagine the places we protect each other when they really need it. chemicals from circulating in the air. making sure that the disaster that we design things, no matter how live in and know. If we were in Chicago But we didn’t think about flooding. may happen, doesn’t happen. It’s brilliant our engineers, at some point and you said, “What should the Now, we live in a different world about the whole world that is created things will break down. And that’s government do to improve community and it can flood here. During Sandy, for residents and visitors who want to when all the social things really conditions?” I’d tell you: we have a lot hospitals lost their backup power. see, for example, what the Marina start to matter. If something like to learn from Singapore. The quality of Elevators didn’t work. Premature Barrage looks like. What I have really supporting community gardens could housing, infrastructure, parks, density babies had to be carried by hand, tried to advocate in the policy work do something for the social resilience of commercial life—these would be down nine floors with air being I do, borne out of social scientific of cities, that’s worth paying attention the fantasy of the most endangered pumped into their lungs by paper work, is to come up with designs like to. Those depleted neighbourhoods in neighbourhoods elsewhere. There’s a bags, transported into ambulances on the Marina Barrage that will serve Chicago could really use gardens, to social infrastructure here that keeps Sandy. They saw it coming, but spent the street during a hurricane. Not a multiple functions. bring people of different generations most people healthy and safe, most less than one minute talking about single one died. But if we don’t design Can you design a drainage system, together in the neighbourhood. of the time. That comes from a real how to prepare. They didn’t, for our cities and systems to deal with in this case, that will help relieve the How do you make sure public investment in a high-quality instance, prune back the trees to make threats we now face, we would require threat of flooding but, at the same communities continue to work public realm. sure there was less risk that the system heroic action [like this] to keep time, have additional benefits for daily well? The way you prepare for But not even Singapore can be would go down. ourselves alive. complacent. The climate has changed. During storms, New York City’s More storms are coming. They will subway lines fill up like bathtubs. Building Singapore-Style likely be bigger and more dangerous The system is not built to withstand Social Resilience 4 than the storms we’ve seen before. the weather of the future; it was What can we start to do to protect the The population is changing too. built for 19th century weather. The cities we live in, where we have so There are more old people, more communication grid also failed. many people now living in harm’s people living alone and at risk of Previously, when we had copper way? How do we think about climate isolation. Regardless of the weather, wires underground connecting our security as a collective project? There they need special support. ■ phone system, these were relatively are places that could not have existed resilient. Now, increasingly, we all if we didn’t build large sea gates to Prof Eric Klinenberg carry mobile phones. Mobile phone keep the water out. There’s no New Professor of Sociology and Director, Institute for Public 4 This 2009 fire in the Angeles systems depend on electricity. They Orleans without the levee; no National Forest, USA, was the Knowledge, New York University, USA are connected by towers that can be Rotterdam, no Netherlands, without largest wildfire in the history of Los Angeles County, threatening blown over very easily. In the US, the big sea walls. Venice is about to be communities nearby to the city of Federal Government considers mobile saved by a flood protection system Los Angeles. Climate change has phones to be entertainment devices, they call MOSE. But these measures led to increasing incidences of extreme weather events that will not life lines, so regulations are very are big, expensive and difficult, and impact cities and their residents. loose. Standards for maintaining they don’t always work. You can’t

112 113 Dr Geoffrey West Date of Lecture: 14-03-2016 1

Why we need a new science of cities

The root of Earth’s is now based on the idea that we need When you use the word “cities”, problems: Rapid to sustain open-ended exponential you think of buildings, cityscapes, urbanisation growth. So, the fate of the planet is streets, gatherings. But what you really The world’s population determined to a large extent by the want in cities is people. The whole is seeing an exponential expansion, fate of our cities. Understanding point of cities is to facilitate the mostly going into urbanisation. what goes on in cities, the dynamics interaction of people, the gathering of It’s true for almost the entire planet, of their structure, becomes something people both formally and informally. especially the developing world. of urgency. This activity is the essence of a city. Urbanisation crossed the 50% mark Cities are associated with greater It’s entrepreneurial activity. Creating globally a few years ago, and about material well-being—greater ideas, wealth, and a certain buzz. It’s 80% of the world’s population will opportunity to jobs, access to almost that churning, creating atmospheres live in cities towards the end of everything. Not only material well- like this for both innovation and this century. That’s equivalent to being, but also cultural activities, growth creation. urbanising roughly one and a half various kinds of education, The physicality of the city in terms million people a week, adding a New restaurants and so on. What is so of energy resources that will go into York City every two months, or a attractive about cities? All of this the metabolism of the city, Singapore every month, continuously, has to be driven by energy. And as represented by the infrastructure, has till 2050. This is extraordinary in terms the fundamental law of the universe, to be integrated with its exchange of of the stress on resources, energy and, if you transform energy, you produce information. The point of the city is to in particular, the social fabric. This is entropy somewhere—pollution, maximise its exchange of information an enormous issue and challenge to so to speak. By transforming that to create ideas. All the problems we’re the planet, and we are all part of it. energy, building up extraordinary facing on the planet today, from Human beings are on this vertical places like Singapore, some inevitable climate change to questions of rise, on the grand scale associated result of this is socio-economic resources—energy, water, health, with the paradigm growth trajectory entropy. The question is how we pollution and so on—originate in we invented 200 years ago. Everything can minimise it. cities because that’s where most

114 115 Why We Need a New Science of Cities Dr Geoffrey West energy is being transformed and All cities have the an extraordinary economy of scale— We desperately need to ask the question: where most people live. same “biology” the bigger you are, the less you Cities are the origin of all of We talk about the metabolism of a need per capita. The pace of life “Is it possible to have a theory, a science, the problems we face, but also the city, the ecology of the marketplace— systematically slows down the bigger of cities, that is quantitative and predictive? solutions because cities are magnets all these kinds of metaphors. Are these you are. You grow, then you stop, that suck up smart people. Ideas, just metaphors, or is there some and then you die. It has to involve all of these kinds of concepts: innovation and wealth are created serious substance behind it? What This curve is beautiful for biology almost entirely in cities. I find most intriguing is that all but it is considered disastrous in resilience, evolvability, growth, scalability, Is any of this sustainable? From companies are destined to die. No socio-economic systems. The and so forth. They all come together; each this, I conclude that we need to have company survives. It doesn’t matter President of the USA gets clobbered sustainable cities, if we are to have a how grand or rich they are. But almost if he says that the growth for this one is a complex, adaptive, evolving system. sustainable planet. all cities survive. It’s very hard to kill a quarter was only 1.2%, not 3%. We desperately need to ask the city. You can think of ancient cities question: “Is it possible to have a that have disappeared, but most cities 2 theory, a science, of cities, that is growing on this planet still exist. You quantitative and predictive? It has can even drop atomic bombs on cities to involve all of these kinds of and 20, 30 years later, they’re fine. concepts: resilience, evolvability, In biology, as you get bigger, you growth, scalability, and so forth. get an increasing economy of scale. They all come together; each one is a In a highly systematic way, the bigger complex, adaptive, evolving system. you are, the more efficiently you use Most importantly, they’re not yourselves. You are more efficient independent. They’re all coupled, than your dog, but a horse is more all part of a systemic problem. One efficient than you are. What is even of the things you learn when you more extraordinary is that the same study complex adaptive systems is kind of scaling holds true for any that, if you only treat one piece of it, physiological variable or anything that then you are very likely to have measures life history, for example, unintended consequences that heart rates. Everyone has exactly the will change everything else there. same character. They all scale in this All these need to be thought about very simple way when plotted in this in one unified framework. logarithmic fashion. The slopes of the graphs are almost always some simple multiple of one-quarter. The magic number of life is 4. 1 Cities contain buildings and Big things live slowly but for a very streets, but what they need is people. Cities facilitate the long time, and little things live very gathering of and interaction quickly for a very short time. One thing between people, generating buzz, we have in common is that we are ideas, innovation, and wealth. sustained by networks. We’re just a 2 In biology, larger organisms are bunch of networks: your circulatory more efficient and have a greater system, renal system, respiratory economy of scale. Cities scale system, bones, neurological system, similarly—if you double the size of a city, it needs only 85% more gas and so on. Biology has these stations, not twice as many. extraordinary scaling laws that express

116 117 Why We Need a New Science of Cities Dr Geoffrey West

All the good things 3 Are cities scaled versions of each other? Is there any universal in cities—income, behaviour? Cities are, of course, wealth, patents, extraordinary network systems— all the roads, pipes and cables you colleges, creative can’t see. But cities are not only buildings and roads; they really are people, restaurants; people. Looking at how cities scale, and all the bad— you have an economy of scale, but the slope is not as it is in biology—not disease and crime— 0.75—but much more like 0.85. So, increase by about if you double the size of the city, you don’t need twice as many gas stations, 15% every time you only need 85% more. We looked a city doubles in at data from everywhere. It turns out to be the same for any country you size, and, at the look at. same time, you All the good things in cities— income, wealth, patents, colleges, save 15% on all creative people, restaurants; and all the infrastructure. the bad—disease and crime—increase by about 15% every time a city doubles in size, and, at the same time, you save 15% on all the infrastructure. What is the universal mechanism that makes cities that had essentially no interaction during their evolution end up having the same common behaviour? The one thing common to all cities is that they have people, and are there for people. Social networks are the same across the globe.

3 Tokyo, Japan. Cities are the origin of all the problems we face, but also the solutions, because ideas, innovation and wealth are created almost entirely in cities.

118 119 Why We Need a New Science of Cities Dr Geoffrey West

and what is that trajectory? I would say that my own conclusions If you want to continue on this from this work are quite pessimistic. The whole system is destined for trajectory and maintain open- collapse unless we make a major, ended growth, then we have to complete revolutionary change. The idea that you can have this continuous have, in the next 15 to 20 years, open-ended growth is not conceivable. another major innovation I don’t think the system will survive, because each one of those curves is an comparable to the information increase in the pace of life, as if you are on a treadmill that is going faster and technology revolution. faster. Every once in a while, you have to jump from that treadmill to another treadmill that’s going even faster. And you have to make that series of jumps faster and faster. consequence—the system cannot trajectory and maintain open-ended So, it’s hard not to see that the continue. You’re going along this growth, then we have to have, in the socio-economic system will have a curve. Life is getting faster. You will next 15 to 20 years, another major heart attack. Something very serious collapse. Somewhere along the innovation comparable to the will happen. My speculation is that it way, you’d better reset the clock, information technology revolution. will manifest itself in social unrest, by discovering iron or inventing These scaling curves represent some which will get more and more serious computers, or whatever. That would average idealised city. But every city as various segments of population mean you can start again and go on. either over-performs or under- around the world find themselves Of course, it would eventually collapse performs relative to it. When you caught in this phenomenon, and for the same reason. So, you’d better look at one of these scaling curves, basically can’t keep up. Had we been make another innovation. And so it you can rank cities on how well thinking along these lines 75 years goes on. If you want to have open- they’ve performed. For example, are ago, we might have been able to do 4 ended growth, which is what we have they gaining more patents than they something about it. The big issue is Different histories, cultures and There may be 15 people you are demanded, then you have to be should for a city of their size? Cities not that we can’t make change, it’s geographies are irrelevant. People all very good friends with, but not as continuously on innovation cycles. are very hard to change, and this is that we can’t make it fast enough. have essentially identical biology and intimately as you would be with the You have to be resetting the clock or useful for gauging the success and We are right at the edge of the cliff. ■ genes, and it manifests in the way we first five. So, there’s a structure that reinventing yourself in some way. performance of cities. interact. We all have pretty much the seems to have a kind of universal But there’s another catch—when The big issue for Singapore is, Dr Geoffrey West same number of children. There are quality that transcends culture. you normally go along one of these you’re not part of a larger urban Distinguished Professor and Past President, Santa Fe Institute, USA anthropological and psychological Amazingly, that is determining curves, you’re getting bigger, life is system, so you have nothing to Associate Fellow, Green-Templeton studies that claim that if you ask how why cities look the way they do. getting faster, but the time between mobilise yourself against. You’re College, Oxford University, many people the average person has those innovations is getting shorter. independent. You’re by yourself. United Kingdom powerful interactions with across the Open-ended exponential Something that might have taken 100 You’re unique. What does it mean Visiting Professor, Nanyang globe, it’s always between four and six. growth will surely collapse years to develop 500 years ago, now to be a global city? Is there a global Technical University, Singapore It’s not 150 Facebook friends, it’s five I want to relate these ideas to the takes only 15 years. And the next urban system? And where do we sit? people. They’re usually your parents, growth of cities and to consider some innovation should take less than 15 Are we over-performing, which 4 A view from space of the earth at children, lovers, very close friends. implications. These scaling curves years, maybe 10 or 12 years. appears to be the case? Or maybe night, with urban lighting visible. And there’s a kind of hierarchy. are consistent, but they have a dire If you want to continue on this under-performing in some things,

120 121 Prof Marilyn Jordan Taylor Date of Lecture: 26-07-2017 Dr Kim Soo-Hyun Date of Lecture: 19-10-2015 Seoul’s New Low-Growth How Cities Can Lead Development Model in Urban Development

“Plans should be based on citizens’ intentions and “The most resilient communities that can respond to desires, even though the process or the result could crisis are not those with the most financial resources, be crude. Professionalism versus political consensus... but those with the closest social networks.” in Seoul, we’re in the process of finding the right way.”

Once a dead part of town, Union simply hanging out. What makes Singapore so A new paradigm of urban development with citizen participation; second, extend welfare Station in Denver, USA, has since vibrant, she said, is the mix of scales that give embracing innovation, community services; and third, improve quality of life and the been transformed into a successful the city “personality, specificity and identity”, as participation and economic city’s revitalisation without dependence on large- mixed-use development. This seen when looking over the roofs of Chinatown. revitalisation is needed for cities to scale construction projects. project, led by a public-private partnership “Not everything has to be a housing estate or answer 21st century challenges, said Dr Kim. Harnessing the population’s talents and that attracted investors and created creative a dense office district; these things are better East Asian metropolises such as Seoul, creativity is another major thrust of Seoul’s policies. economy opportunities for the people, was when interwoven,” she added. Singapore, Tokyo and Hong Kong are facing new The city’s mayor, Park Won-soon, he noted, always realised with the will of the mayor and citizens, Prof Taylor also observed new levels of challenges. “Contrary to past trends, we encounter emphasises citizens’ innovative potential and urges said Prof Taylor. The station was remodelled into engagement between the public sector and low [economic] growth rates, low birth rates, new city officials to listen to the ground. a major transportation hub connecting 23 communities. It is no longer just about seeking social conflicts and low development demand,” he “Plans should be based on citizens’ intentions municipalities through various transit modes. opinions and adjusting plans, but asking citizens said. The key issues include an increase in poverty and desires, even though the process or the result Such a complex undertaking required an what comes next. She said, “The most resilient and inequality, a greater need for welfare and social could be crude. Professionalism versus political adaptable approach—things were shared rather communities that can respond to crisis are not safety nets, social exclusion of groups such as the consensus...in Seoul, we’re in the process of finding than owned individually, flexible rather than those with the most financial resources, but those unemployed young and immigrants, and urban the right way,” said Dr Kim. permanent, and were very much site-specific. with the closest social networks.” Citing how degeneration. “We need a new kind of urban He was optimistic that Seoul can escape the This project saw five government entities the Singapore government engages in “more political mechanism to ease citizens’ impatience legacy of over-development and its associated coalesce into a single authority. “We wanted constructive self-criticism than any other set of and anxiety,” he added. problems because of the city’s dynamism. “A city to take advantage of citizens’ requests that public officials I’ve ever seen”, she suggested Dr Kim, who was part of the Seoul municipal is like a living organism because of the people. we shift to a transit-oriented world, and away that the local community and government should administration’s efforts to meet these challenges, People are the owners of the city, not simply from a car-oriented world,” said Prof Taylor. work even more closely together. ■ noted that after the 1997 Asian financial crisis, customers. As long as people live, the city will Having worked on major projects in government-led economic strategies reached a revive,” he said. ■ Singapore over the last few decades, she fundamental limit. Entering the 2000s, Seoul shared her admiration for the great strides Prof Marilyn Jordan Taylor endeavoured to find a new development model the city had made. She urged Singapore to Professor of Architecture and Urban Design for this stage of low growth. Seoul’s priorities have Dr Kim Soo-Hyun continue giving the public realm more attention, and former Dean, School of Design, been: first, to fix the side-effects of development President, Seoul Institute, South Korea creating more space for walking, cycling and University of Pennsylvania, USA

122 123 Bart De Wever, Toshihide Hirahara, Andrew Tan Date of Lecture: 12-07-2016 1 The future of port cities: More Than Just Ships

Antwerp: nautical accessibility of our port with is a mostly abandoned industrial site, Rejuvenating the deepening of our river—a very looking like a post-apocalyptic site old port areas important project to handle bigger where you could shoot horror movies. The secret of Antwerp ships of 13,000 TEU (twenty-foot It’s polluted ground so nobody wants is that it is an inland seaport, 80 km equivalent unit). The number of ships to invest in it. Certainly, nobody wants from the sea, but big vessels can reaching Antwerp is rising. Just last to live there. And it’s very near to the reach it. The river has always been month, we opened the Kieldrecht historical city centre. The old quays, the source of our prosperity. Antwerp Lock, the largest in the world; we built in the 19th century, are on a brick grew throughout medieval times to broke our own record. We’re still wall, and the wall is beginning to slide become a very big city. In the 16th investing and we hope to build an into the river. Parts of the quays are century, it was the biggest city in entirely new tidal dock. totally unstable, and it would be very Europe after Paris, and certainly the But there’s a downside—rapid dangerous to put something on there. most important. It was the capital change and a port that physically So, a lot of work has to be done. of trade, culture and commerce. moves away from a city leaves you We started the Blue Gate project Today, we still think we’re the with zones that are abandoned. to transform this entire site into a most important city in Europe, Re-engineering the port and sustainable, innovative and water- but unfortunately for us, the world industrial areas into new areas of bound industrial site, built to meet has changed quite a bit. opportunity is a big task. I would the highest standards of sustainability. It took us from the 16th century to like to present two cases where We want to attract high-level, innovative 1980 to reach 100 million tonnes of we have started to work on this. companies. We will build a heat network cargo. It took us 25 years to double The first project is in the south there to make the entire site CO2- that to 200 million tonnes. We of the city. Here, in the early 20th neutral—even negative, if possible. certainly hope we can progress further. century, we had the first petroleum This month, we will start the sanitation In 2015, we were one of the world’s harbour of Europe. Nowadays, of the polluted ground. The end result, fastest-growing container ports. petroleum harbours are not so far hopefully, will be new quays. This had a lot to do with the upriver; it’s impossible with the We will have three zones. The first investments we made to ensure vessels of today. So, what you get is a logistics zone where inland vessels

124 125 The Future of Port Cities: More Than Just Ships Bart De Wever, Toshihide Hirahara, Andrew Tan

It’s possible to transform old port areas into can load and unload products, on investment and public-private a site of more than 13 ha. This site partnerships to draw in more new urban and industrial areas, but you need will be available for smart logistics, private investors. three things to get going: First, a vision and a including city distribution, a major Antwerp is also trying to be a technique to enhance quality of life “beta-city” for innovation, where you plan; second, long-term work and perseverance; in our city. Transport by water is, of can start up a business, scale up, and course, a very sustainable form of find a test audience. We cannot be an and third, public investment and public-private transport. The second zone will be “alpha city” like London—we’re too partnerships to draw in more private investors. a production zone where a new small. For our Urban Living Lab, we company, Bexco, is already being put in sensors and two radiophonic 2 installed, to produce high-tech networks in the entire city. Anyone ropes for the offshore industry. The who has an application for the third zone will be a research and Internet of Things can come to development zone, in which the most Antwerp and immediately test it on important project is Bluechem, an 200,000 people. You find your first incubator for sustainable chemistry. market, scale up, and hopefully, Bluechem, the chemical sector, the we can pick the fruits from that. ■ city, the university and other partners like the Flemish Institute for Bart de Wever Technological Research will work Mayor, Antwerp, Belgium together to make an incubator for sustainable chemistry. The second project is in the north of the city, the historical 19th century port that we want to transform into a residential, office and cultural area called Eilandje, the Little Island. In the 1990s, we hired a Catalonian architect, Solà Morales, to create a global vision for this area. The first projects were the renewal of old warehouses into fancy offices and lofts, the construction of a nice marina, and a bit of a garden city— something we picked up after visiting Singapore. And we said goodbye to very bad old habits like using a nice part of your city just to park your car. That’s unthinkable nowadays. 1 The Museum by the River, called Museum aan de Stroom in Dutch, It’s possible to transform old port opened along the waterfront in areas into new urban and industrial 2011 and is the largest museum areas, but you need three things to in Antwerp. get going: First, a vision and a plan; 2 The Port House in Antwerp, called second, long-term work and Havenhuis in Dutch, was repur- perseverance; and third, public posed from a derelict fire station.

126 127 The Future of Port Cities: More Than Just Ships Bart De Wever, Toshihide Hirahara, Andrew Tan

Yokohama: Becoming an The Minato Mirai 21 district The main focus [for Yokohama] was environmental showcase occupies 186 ha in that central As a global city, we are striving to make waterfront area. The concept was to transform the character of the area Yokohama more attractive. In 2008 announced in 1965 during Japan’s between the two city centres away and 2013, our African development high-growth period. Because of the city partnership was formed. In 2014, concentration of the economy and from piers and shipyards, with Yokohama received a special mention population in Tokyo, Yokohama had from the Lee Kuan Yew World City suffered the negative effects of excellent city design. Prize. In 2017, we were selected to host dramatic inbound migration and 3 the Asian Development Bank’s 50th chaotic development in the capital. annual meeting. Yokohama became more of a In our urban development, we suburban commuter town and lost focus on the relationship with the its identity as a business region. port because it is the city’s strength. The main focus [for Yokohama] To mould the central waterfront area was to transform the character of into the face of a charming global city, the area between the two city centres we are currently developing the city away from piers and shipyards, with centre based on three pillars: excellent city design. (1) development of business and Access from Tokyo was improved, industry that propels Yokohama’s and now, about 200,000 users use next-generation vitality; the subway line from the capital every (2) development of a Yokohama style day. As of 2015, the Minato Mirai of living in which creativity and 21 project has hosted around 1,770 citizen power thrive; and companies and 102,000 employees, (3) development of a city centre that and about 76 million people have integrates the charm of the city’s visited this area. Economic activity many unique characteristics and is valued at approximately US$17.5 develops together with the port. billion, and leading companies such as Nissan, Shiseido, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Fuji Xerox and Lenovo have established a presence in Yokohama. Among our future initiatives, a cruise ship terminal will be completed in 2017 to attract more cruise ships. In 2020, we hope to have new MICE facilities completed, increasing the city’s value for international tourism and MICE destination hosting. Yokohama is also looking for more technological collaboration to become an environmental showcase. ■ 3 Yokohama, Japan. The city aims to use urban design to transform the character of its port area away Toshihide Hirahara from piers and shipyards. Deputy Mayor, Yokohama, Japan

128 129 The Future of Port Cities: More Than Just Ships Bart De Wever, Toshihide Hirahara, Andrew Tan

4 The question we have to ask part of the island, where we’ll be ourselves is: how have we maintained building a port that will consolidate this role throughout the centuries? our city terminals, double the current This remains as relevant a question capacity, and allow us to handle up to today as it was in the past. If you look 65 million TEU. at maritime Singapore today, we We will have a smart and are not only a shipping hub port. intelligent port where we will harness We are still the second largest port the latest technologies to manage by container volume at 30.9 million vessels coming in even better. We have TEU as of 2015. We’re still the world’s over a thousand vessels in our port at largest transshipment hub and any one time. This shows how busy bunkering port. it is. Going forward, we expect it to But beyond that, we have also become even busier. For example, now developed into an international we will use data analytics for the maritime centre. We have more than detection of hotspots and anomalous 5,000 maritime companies based activities in our new vessel traffic in Singapore. We have companies management centre and integrated that are into maritime finance, command and control centre. To classification societies, protection and improve efficiency, we are looking to indemnity insurance clubs, brokers, reduce the number of touchpoints for agents and more than 130 shipping vessels coming into our port through groups. You probably won’t find such our Maritime Single Window. We’ll be a high concentration of shipping among the few ports anywhere using groups in any other part of the world. automated guided vehicles for a large And that’s a phenomenon that has transshipment hub. We are also arisen over the last 10 years through harnessing drones for inspections and our efforts to build on our global preventative maintenance. The new hub port, to track and establish these port will also be able to handle larger companies in Singapore to serve vessels, including the current mega the wider needs across the region vessels, and even if they grow a bit Singapore: A community- and beyond. larger. Because land is so scarce in oriented next-generation port The port’s expansion is finite. Singapore, we’ll have to look at how to Singapore has always been a trading But the rest of the maritime cluster optimise land use when we move the post. We’ve continued to play that role doesn’t encounter that same sort of port to Tuas. We’re exploring the use 4 Singapore is moving its port to To garner community support, as a place where you see the exchange limit. It’s at once virtual and physical. of underground space for storage of the western part of the island, of goods and services, the exchange of The services around ports, value- oil and water, and for warehousing. where it will have double the current capacity. It will also you do really need to put a bit people, as a meeting place for new added activities, and international Above ground, there are opportunities harness the latest technologies more heart-and-soul thinking ideas and innovation. We started off networks—that’s the part we need to to create so-called “new land” where to manage incoming vessels as a small trading post, until the build on for future growth. we can have mixed-use developments, even better, and aims to be founding of modern Singapore by Today, the maritime sector as well as clustering of logistics and more community-oriented. into how you can build a port Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, but contributes some 7% to Singapore’s maritime-related businesses along 5 Cargo ships anchored off the coast that can also be very much actually our history goes way back to GDP, and provides employment to with port-centric activities. of Singapore. The maritime sector the 14th century. Our fortune has 270,000 people. The port’s city The next-generation port will also contributes about 7% to Singa- embedded with the community. pore’s GDP, and provides employ- waxed and waned, but over time we terminals—Keppel, Brani, Tanjong be clean and community-oriented. We ment to about 270,000 people. have continued to maintain this role. Pagar—will be moved to the western can incorporate more green features

130 131 The Future of Port Cities: More Than Just Ships Bart De Wever, Toshihide Hirahara, Andrew Tan

5 and comfy spaces, and bring more of these activities as near to the port as possible, as part of the wider development of the port region. To garner community support, you do really need to put a bit more heart-and-soul thinking into how you can build a port that can also be very much embedded with the community. Having worked at the National Environment Agency, of course I have to make sure that the port is also built to meet the highest environmental standards that are possible. Whether it’s better air or water quality, these are important considerations, especially when the public begins to value these aspects more. We also want to leverage renewable, clean energy for the port, including harnessing solar energy and getting ready for LNG (liquefied natural gas) bunker vessels. The government has plans to transform the western region into a more liveable and sustainable part of Singapore. We have to factor these ideas into our plans, to see how the port can be an iconic part of this western region transformation. We can also draw ideas from other ports like Rotterdam, Osaka and Los Angeles to bring community activities closer to the port—very liveable elements, waterfront walkways, viewing decks, even beaches. This will be our effort towards a liveable, sustainable Singapore. ■

Andrew Tan Chief Executive, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore

132 133 Alexandros Washburn Date of Lecture: 01-03-2017 1

New York City’s Lessons for Making Great Public Spaces

How Politics, turkeys to a meat processing factory. printed in The New Yorker and Finance and Design After that, the mighty steel structure of became a sensation. Created New York the High Line was abandoned and just Suddenly, the public was City’s High Line went to seed. Nature invaded it. demanding that this not be torn Cities succeed when they manage to Trees took root. Birds came to nest. down, and the Friends of the High bring politics, finance and design into In the 1990s, a group of very Line had some momentum. When alignment. I’m going to show you one smart speculators realised that the Michael Bloomberg became Mayor, of New York City’s great city planning cheap land underneath the structure he rescinded the demolition order successes: the High Line Park. Today had value. This group formed an and made one of the Friends of the it is the world’s most popular park organisation and lobbied then-Mayor High Line, Amanda Burden, Chair per sq m, but it was built almost 100 Rudy Guiliani to tear the High Line of the Department of City Planning. years ago not as a park, but as a down. He agreed, but the planning She directed the division to figure wonderful feat of transportation process first required a public out a way to save the High Line. They infrastructure—a four-track freight hearing. There, two guys from the very quickly told her that if you must railroad raised seven metres into the neighbourhood, Josh David and save the High Line, you’re going to air—so that manufacturing products Rob Hammond, met and said, “This have to capture the value needed to could glide over the crowded city isn’t a good idea to tear it down. We improve it through the development streets of Manhattan and directly into don’t know what we want to do with of the surrounding area. This led to the shop floors of the giant factories this thing, but let’s give it another the West Chelsea Special District, above. This worked brilliantly for a shot.” They formed Friends of the which transformed the High Line generation, until manufacturing left High Line to see how this strange into a unique linear park, while Manhattan in search of lower wages piece of infrastructure could be redeveloping the surrounding former and larger spaces elsewhere. The last reused. They got a photographer, manufacturing area into a mixed time a freight train used the High Line Joel Sternfeld, to photograph it over use area that combined arts, retail, was in 1982 to deliver a load of frozen a year. Those photographs were offices, hotels and affordable housing,

134 135 New York City’s Lessons for Making Great Public Spaces Alexandros Washburn

I can’t tell you how many cities came in to especially to address New York City’s huge housing deficit. The first step see us, asking how to create a High Line in was the zoning change from their city. It’s not the form that matters. It’s manufacturing to mixed-use. Adding residential at the edges, keeping the the way the politics, finance and design were art galleries that had grown in the old factory spaces in the centre, and brought together. It’s the way a special district allowing the rest to blossom into a was created around the asset, and the asset dynamic mix would create enormous value. But what about the speculators improved the area around it, so that private eyeing land under the High Line? money ended up doing public good. A rezoning would increase land value and make them want to tear it down even more. Politics and money were not in alignment. The answer came from the old hands at City Planning, who remembered the fight to save the historic Grand Central Station from being torn down and replaced with an office building a generation ago. 2 The answer was a win-win solution— a transfer of development rights. In New York, there’s a provision that allows you to treat a historic structure 3 as a granting site. In exchange for not tearing it down, you’re allowed to sell your development rights elsewhere. So, for the enemies of the High Line who had been wanting to tear it down to build five storeys of manufacturing in Manhattan at US$200 per sq ft, suddenly, under the new plan, You can’t have everything. The design of 1 An aerial view of the High Line, which stretches 2.33 km in they could sell and transfer their the sidewalk and the street requires a Manhattan, New York City. development rights to build housing atop new skyscrapers at US$2,000 a political decision: What’s more important? 2 The last time a freight train used the High Line was in 1982, after foot. Kaching! Ten times the value was What’s less important? If you believe in which it was abandoned. Today, being created. Within hours, minutes, rejuvenated as a unique linear of this law passing, lawyers were at sustainable transportation, you will think a park, it is hailed as one of New York City’s great planning successes. the Land Office filling out forms. bike lane is important. If you believe cars Amazing! 3 Today, the High Line attracts Politics and finance were now in have an unfettered right, you will put in almost five million visitors every line. What about design? We had year. The park has good views of parking and vehicular lanes. That decision the city and the Hudson River, and to figure out how new buildings various arts and cultural activities springing up around the High Line reflects the values of society. are organised on it.

136 137 New York City’s Lessons for Making Great Public Spaces Alexandros Washburn

I encourage young designers to analyse 4 what they do from a pedestrian point of view. To build a great city, build a great sidewalk. If you want to change things now, change it from the bottom-up.

would keep views, light and air in Line, US$3 billion was spent by the abundance for the new park. We had private sector. If you include Hudson to figure out how new development Yards, that figure goes up to US$10 would cradle the High Line: Does a billion. For the special district, that’s building touch or not touch the High a 30-to-1 ratio, a higher leverage than Line? What’s the right building form? what the financial services firm Because the High Line was saved and Lehman Brothers achieved at the the legislation shaping the buildings height of the financial crisis. was in, you could use as much of the plot ratio as possible onsite, and the How the New Times Square rest you could sell to the top of Keeps Street Life Vital another development. The result is Another success is Times Square. great architecture and great public A piece of Broadway running through space—the Jean Nouvel building, the Times Square was turned into a Neil Denari building and the High pedestrianised plaza, what we call Line Park. It’s a home run. Everybody Bow-tie Plaza. It’s a very tricky major wins. It’s a model for urban design intersection, one of New York City’s and development all over the world. top five, and if you asked the transport cars.” Bloomberg is a fantastic restriped and painted as a pedestrian challenging you and overcome it. I can’t tell you how many cities department to close it down, the manager. He backed her although plaza and the public flocked in. The vitality of street life—that’s what came in to see us, asking how to create answer would likely be “no”. the opposition was immense. Just like the High Line, the people we never give up, as New Yorkers. a High Line in their city. It’s not the The person who achieved this is How did the transformation opposed to this change in the first Just because a bomb goes off in Times form that matters. It’s the way the Janette Sadik-Khan, our very dynamic happen? It came down to a couple of place became its biggest proponents. Square, doesn’t mean people don’t 4 A mass yoga session in Times politics, finance and design were transport commissioner. When she lines in the administrative law. The The retail owners in Times Square go there. Everybody goes there. Square, New York City. Success- brought together. It’s the way a special was being interviewed for the job by transport commissioner is allowed thought pedestrianisation would Everybody walks, and it’s the walking fully pedestrianising part of the district was created around the asset, Mayor Bloomberg, he asked her: to restripe lanes at her discretion, kill sales because cars wouldn’t go that makes New York City unique. iconic public space has revitalised the district’s street life. and the asset improved the area “Why do you want to become traffic administratively, without further through. Instead, sales went up, so How many songs are there about the around it, so that private money commissioner?” She said, “I don’t approval, because striping is not a they became big supporters. Once sidewalks and streets of New York? 5 Begun as a short-term trial in ended up doing public good. want to be traffic commissioner. capital project, which would have gone they were supporters, the capital Frank Sinatra, Alicia Keys, Jay Z. In 2009, the pedestrian plaza in The leverage ratio is phenomenal. I want to be transport commissioner. through a two-year procedure and programme could proceed. the rest of the world, pedestrian Times Square, New York City, was made permanent after the number For US$100 million of public money I want to think about how to get people probably would have been killed. If you love your city, you change means ”blah”, but in New York City, of visitors who visited Times spent on actually improving the High from one place to another. Not just Instead, overnight, roads were your city. You question what is pedestrian means fabulous. This did Square on foot increased.

138 139 New York City’s Lessons for Making Great Public Spaces Alexandros Washburn

5 not happen by accident. It was a chief except these were outdoor rooms with focus of City Planning under Burden. the sky, ground, shop and road planes. She put us to work drawing streets Under each one, we listed streetscape over and over again. The point is, elements: trees, lights, facades, there’s a finite space between property benches, sidewalks, flooring, and lines. Public right of way is small, and traced those elements to the agencies you have to fit an enormous number of regulating them. Regulations come in different functions—bike lanes, truck four flavours: regulations that allow lanes, trees, benches and sidewalks. you to do something, encourage you You can’t have everything. to do something, require you to do The design of the sidewalk and the something, and those regulations that street requires a political decision: impede you and must be removed. what’s more important? What’s Each regulation should have some less important? If you believe in relationship to a policy goal. We traced sustainable transportation, you all these through, and came up with will think a bike lane is important. a manual for active sidewalk design. If you believe cars have an unfettered Anyone who follows through on this right, you will put in parking and workplan learns that these elements vehicular lanes. That decision reflects are tied to larger policies, and are the values of society. regulated by different agencies. I’m very proud that New York Once you understand the system, City now has one of the world’s as an urban designer, you feel greatest bicycle networks. This empowered to be able to work things, shows commitment. The city bike and understand how you’re going programme proves that our values to change things. are correct. It’s something every I encourage young designers city has to make a choice on. to analyse what they do from a pedestrian point of view. To build a Plan Every City from a great city, build a great sidewalk. Pedestrian’s Viewpoint If you want to change things During the Bloomberg administration, now, change it from the bottom-up. we found people who had been in We have new tools now, new their municipal jobs for years, but powers, so a bottom-up approach somehow didn’t realise how this all fit can be quite powerful. As Josh and together—how designing a tree pit Rob proved with the High Line, your affected a pedestrian flow, a block, a community plan could just possibly neighbourhood, and improved a city. change the world. ■ That’s what urban design has the power to unlock, by showing how the Alexandros Washburn smallest changes can work towards CEO of DRAW Brooklyn LLC Former Chief Urban Designer, the largest goals. New York City, New York, USA In our analysis, we broke down the design of the sidewalk experience into four planes just like an architect would design the planes of a room,

140 141 BIOGRAPHIES 3 5 1 Dr Isher Judge Ahluwalia 3 Prof Jan Peter Balkenende 5 Dr Chua Sian Eng Chairperson, Board of Governors, Chairman, International Former Commissioner, Indian Council for Research on Advisory Board Rotterdam Parks and Recreation International Economic Relations Former Prime Minister of Department, Singapore (ICRIER), New Delhi, India The Netherlands Dr Chua was Commissioner of Parks and Prior to her current position, Dr Prof Balkenende has been a partner Recreation from 1983 to 1995. He was Isher served as Director and Chief at Ernst & Young since 2011, focusing also on the Board of Singapore Labour Executive of ICRIER from 1997 to 2001. on corporate responsibility, Foundation Leisure Enterprise (SLFLE), She is an economist and policy adviser international affairs and areas at involved in the development of the with wide experience in economic the interface of the public and Orchid Country Club. With this growth, productivity, and urban private sectors. He is chairman of development and for his contribution planning and development. In 2008, the Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition to the Garden City campaign, he was she was appointed Chairperson of and has been Professor of Governance, awarded the Public Administration the Expert Committee on Urban Institutions and Internationalisation Medal (Silver), Friend of Labour Award Infrastructure and Services by the at Erasmus University, Rotterdam since and the National Trades Union Congress Ministry of Urban Development and 2010. He served as Prime Minister of Meritorious Service Award. Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty The Netherlands from July 2002 to Alleviation. She is the author, October 2010. co-author and editor of several books, 6 Prof Jan Gehl including India’s Economic Reforms Professor Emeritus of and Development: Essays for Manmohan 4 Len Brown Urban Design, Royal Danish Singh. She co-edited a volume on Former Mayor of Auckland, Academy of Fine Arts Urbanisation in India: Challenges, New Zealand Founder & Senior Advisor, Opportunities and the Way Forward, Len Brown was elected Mayor of Gehl Architects, Denmark 1 4 with Prof Ravi Kanbur of Cornell Auckland in 2010 and was re-elected In 1966, Prof Gehl received a five- University and Dr P K Mohanty, in 2013. His vision was for Auckland year research grant from the School former Secretary of Housing. to be the world’s most liveable city, of Architecture at the Royal Danish by committing to four top priorities: Academy of Fine Arts to study the form 2 Dr Emi Kiyota Improving Auckland’s transport and use of public space. This work Founder and President network; quality compact urban design spawned his first book, Life Between of Ibasho, USA and more affordable housing; improving Buildings. His research on public Dr Kiyota is an environmental Auckland’s economic performance; and spaces and public life began in gerontologist and organisational building an inclusive culture in a Copenhagen, but was quickly applied culture change expert, focusing on city of 1.6 million people and 210 to many other cities in Europe, North initiatives to improve the quality of ethnicities. Under his leadership, America, Asia and Australia. His ideas the built environment for long-term Auckland (1) developed a 30-year and approach towards designing for care and ageing services. She is a blueprint for the growth and public spaces incorporate the cutting- consultant to numerous age-friendly development of the region; (2) edge of technology without losing design projects for senior housing, launched an Economic Development sight of what best supports and hospitals and clinical-care centres Strategy; and (3) improved its enhances people’s experience of in the US, Europe, Asia and Africa. standing on all three major everyday life in the public realm. To help meet the needs of the elderly international quality of life surveys, As a founding partner of Gehl in the developing world, she and a placing in the top 10 of the Economist Architects, Prof Gehl has served as a group of like-minded colleagues Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability consultant to city councils and city created a non-profit international Report, Monocle magazine’s Most planning departments across Europe, organisation, Ibasho, which embodies Liveable Cities Index and the Mercer North America, Australia, Japan and the Japanese concept of “a place where Quality of Living Survey. Singapore. He is an honorary fellow of one feels at home being oneself”. She the Architects Institutes in Denmark, 2 6 was awarded the Bellagio Fellowship England, Scotland, USA and Canada. from the Rockefeller Foundation for a He has been awarded the “Sir Patrick residency on an “innovative response Abercrombie Prize for exemplary to global ageing”. She plans to contributions to Town Planning” by further develop her idea on creating The International Union of Architects, a process for community planning that as well as honorary doctor degrees embraces and engages the elderly for from universities in Edinburgh, the benefit of all. Halifax, Varna and Toronto.

142 143 7 11 7 Dr Jane Goodall, DBE 9 Dr Limin Hee 11 Toshihide Hirahara Founder, Jane Goodall Institute Director of Research, deputy Mayor, Yokohama, Japan UN Messenger of Peace Centre for Liveable Cities Hirahara joined the Yokohama city British ethologist Dr Goodall is a At CLC, Dr Hee oversees research government as a civil engineer in highly respected member of the world strategies, initiatives and 1981, serving in social infrastructure scientific community and a staunch collaborations. She has helped to development projects on rivers, advocate of ecological preservation, oversee the Urban Systems Studies sewers, waste processing and urban who created one of the most series, which delves deep into the redevelopment. After being closely trailblazing studies of primates in transformation of Singapore over the involved in Yokohama’s hosting of modern times. Born in London, England, past 50 years. She is the project the 2002 FIFA World Cup TM final, she set out to Gombe in Western leader for collaborative research he worked in the city planning and Tanzania to study wild chimpanzees projects, including those with the urban development sectors to develop 9 without the benefit of a college Urban Land Institute, “Creating Yokohama’s central and suburban areas. degree, and made discoveries about Healthy Cities through Active He has contributed particularly to primate behaviour that have continued Mobility”, and “10 Principles for the city’s development by focusing to shape scientific discourse. Liveable High Density Cities”, as well on producing value through economic From 1970-1975, she held a visiting as the multi-agency collaborations stimulation, environmental professorship in psychiatry at on “Re-Imagining Tampines”. Prior to consideration, disaster prevention, Stanford University. In 1973, she joining CLC, she taught at the School regional partnership, and creation was appointed honorary visiting of Design and Environment at the of art and culture. As one of the key professor of zoology at the University National University of Singapore, players in Yokohama’s development, he of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, a where she was a Principal Investigator was integral to its receiving special position she still holds. She has at the Centre for Sustainable Asian mention in the 2014 Lee Kuan Yew World received international recognition Cities, as well as being jointly City Prize for its long-term vision 8 and numerous awards such as the appointed at the Asia Research to revitalise the central waterfront National Geographic Society’s Hubbard Institute. Her research is focused on area. As Director General of the Urban Medal, Japan’s Kyoto prize, and the sustainability and its agenda for Development Bureau, he was awarded Benjamin Franklin Medal in life architecture, urbanism and public the Ishikawa Prize for contributing to science. She is also a United Nations’ space. She has published widely on city planning progress and development Messenger of Peace. cities, including her books Future through creative and awareness-raising Asian Space and Constructing Singapore activities organised by Yokohama Public Space. Citizen’s Community Building Project 8 Prof Eric Klinenberg and the City Planning Institute of Professor of Sociology and Japan. He continues to develop and Director, Institute for 10 Li Jiange maintain the city’s social Public Knowledge New York Vice-Chairman, Central infrastructure by pursuing sustainable 12 University, USA Huijin Investment Co., Ltd development and promoting FutureCity Prof Klinenberg is the Research Chairman, Board of Trustees, and Smart City initiatives. Director for the Rebuild by Design Sun Yefang Foundation competition, a federal project that Co-Head, Tsinghua University provided nearly US$1 billion for National Institute of Financial 12 Dr Shawn Lum innovative solutions to climate Research, China President, vulnerabilities in the New York Li has held several high-level posts Nature Society Singapore metropolitan region. He is the author in various organisations, including Dr Lum is a Senior Lecturer at the of several acclaimed books: Heat Wave, Chairman, ShenYin & WanGuo Securities National Institute of Education, Fighting for Air, and Going Solo, and Co. Ltd; Chairman, China International Nanyang Technological University, he has contributed to The New Yorker, Capital Corporation Limited; Vice where he teaches plant diversity and Rolling Stone, and This American Life. President (Vice Minister level), ecology to future science teachers. 10 His 2015 book, Modern Romance, is a Development Research Center of the His work as a researcher and educator unique blend of social science and State Council; Vice Minister, State have led to his attempts to involve comedy, co-authored with Aziz Ansari. Council Office for Restructuring the schools and community groups in the His latest book is Palaces for the Economic System; Vice Chairman and documentation, study, protection and People: How Social Infrastructure Can Executive Vice Chairman, China celebration of the natural history Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, Securities Regulatory Commission; of Singapore and the region. and the Decline of Civic Life. and Chief of Staff, Securities Commission of the State Council.

144 145 15 18 13 Carrie Lam 15 Lim Neo Chian 18 Sir Edward Lister Chief Executive, Hong Kong Chairman, Agri-food & Chairman, Homes England Special Administrative Region Veterinary Authority, Singapore Former Chief of Staff and Former Secretary for Development, Former Deputy Chairman and Deputy Mayor for Planning, Hong Kong Chief Executive, Singapore Greater London Authority Lam has been the Chief Executive of Tourism Board During his tenure, Sir Edward advised the Hong Kong Special Administrative During his tenure, Lim led the the Mayor of London on strategic Region (HKSAR) since July 2017, the changes in Singapore’s tourism scene, planning applications and had first woman to hold this highest including the Formula 1 race and oversight of the London Plan and position. Before becoming the Chief Integrated Resorts. Previously Community Infrastructure Levy. Executive, she has served Hong Kong in Chairman and CEO of JTC Corp and CEO As the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, he various government positions for more of China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial led the Greater London Authority’s 13 than 37 years, including the posts of Park Development Co. Ltd, he continues (GLA) budgets and administration, the Chief Secretary for Administration to serve as Chairman on various boards and oversaw operations in City Hall. from 2012 to 2017 and the Secretary including Ascendas Hospitality Trust, Prior to that, he served as leader of for Development from 2007 to 2012. In and as Board Member of Gardens by Wandsworth Council from 1992 to 2011. her five-year tenure as Secretary for the Bay and Singapore Cruise Centre As the longest-serving council leader Development, she pressed ahead with Pte Ltd. in the country, he made Wandsworth various initiatives in pursuit of the most successful value-for-money diversified, balanced and sustainable local authority with the country’s development. These initiatives 16 Loh Lik Peng lowest council tax charge and top included a new heritage conservation Hotelier and restaurateur satisfaction ratings from residents. policy with the Revitalising Historic Owner of refurbished hotels including Buildings Through Partnership Scheme Hotel 1929 and New Majestic Hotel, 16 19 and Conserving Central being two of Loh was named “Tourism Entrepreneur of 19 Dr Liu Thai Ker the highlights. In recognition of her the Year” at the Singapore Experience Founding Chairman, achievements as Secretary for Awards 2011. He is a member of Centre for Liveable Cities Development, she has been awarded Singapore Tourism Board’s Tourism Chairman, Honorary Member of the Hong Kong Consultative Council and Board Member Morrow Architects & Planners Institute of Landscape Architects, at the National Heritage Board. As architect-planner and later CEO of Honorary Fellow of the Hong Kong the Housing & Development Board (HDB) Institution of Engineers, Property between 1969 and 1989, Dr Liu created Person of the Year in the RICS Hong 17 Assoc Prof Gopinath Menon two dozen new towns, each with a Kong Property Awards 2012, Honorary Member, Public Transport population of about 200,000 residents, Member of the Hong Kong Institute of Council, Singapore and oversaw the implementation of more Architects, Honorary Member of the Former Chief Transportation than half a million dwelling units. 14 17 Royal Institution of Chartered Engineer, Land Transport As Chief Planner and CEO of the Urban Surveyors, Honorary Fellow Member Authority, Singapore Redevelopment Authority (URA) from of the Hong Kong Institute of Assoc Prof Menon had his public 1989 to 1992, he spearheaded the major Architectural Conservationists, and service career with the Public revision of the Singapore Concept Honorary Fellow of the Institution Works Department and the Land Plan, consolidation of conservation of Civil Engineers. Transport Authority (LTA), being the policies and practice, as well as Chief Transportation Engineer from streamlining of planning application 1991 to 2001. He has been involved in guidelines and procedures. 14 Pamelia Lee all major traffic management schemes Internationally, he has been Senior Tourism Consultant since the 1970s, including the Area planning advisor to some two Lee contributed 35 years to the Licensing Scheme, Intelligent dozen cities in China. Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Transport System, Electronic Road 20 helming various senior positions Pricing, bus priority and road safety 20 Santiago Castro-Gomez and achieving numerous outstanding engineering. He has been an Adjunct President, Banker’s Association awards and recognition for her work Associate Professor with Nanyang of Colombia in heritage conservation, urban Technological University since 1991. Castro-Gomez was a former Director development, tourism and environmental He is Vice-Chairman of the Singapore General of the Colombian Civil protection. She also served on the Road Safety Council and a board member Aviation Authority. He was also a Boards of the Urban Redevelopment of the Public Transport Council. Colombian Congressman elected for four Authority and National Heritage Board. He is a Principal Consultant with consecutive four-year terms between CPG Consultants, Singapore. 1994 and 2010, and a Member of the State Congress of Valle de Cauca and Councilman of the city of Cali.

146 147 21 26 21 Poon Hong Yuen 24 Dr Kim Soo-Hyun 26 Dr Tan Chin Nam Former CEO, SPRING Singapore President, Seoul Institute, Senior Corporate Adviser Former CEO, National Parks South Korea in various companies Board, Singapore Dr Kim heads the Seoul Institute, a Former Permanent Secretary, Poon has held various appointments think-tank established and sponsored Ministry of Information, across the Public Service, including by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Communications and the Arts, as CEO, SPRING Singapore, and at the He has served as chairman of the Singapore Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Trade Seoul Policy Advisory Committee, Dr Tan distinguished himself in and Industry, Economic Development Vice Minister of Environment, and diverse leadership positions, Board, Infocomm Development Authority, Secretary to the President for including Chief Executive, Singapore and the National Parks Board. Social Policy, National Economy Tourism Board, and Managing Director, and Social Inclusion. He has written Economic Development Board. He was 24 several books in Korean, such as named Tourism Personality of the 22 Prof Paul Romer Principles And Issues Of Housing Year 1996 by Pacific Asia Travel Professor of Economics, Policy, Real Property In Danger, Real Association and Travel Trade Gazette Stern School of Business, USA Property Is Over, and Urban Policy In (TTG) for his role in leading Founding Director, NYU Low Growth Era. His research interests the Singapore Tourism Board and Stern Urbanization Project, span Seoul’s urban issues, including Tourism21 Masterplan. New York University, USA housing, regeneration, poverty and Former Chief Economist, social inclusion. World Bank 27 Tan Gee Paw Prof Romer received the Recktenwald Former Chairman, PUB, Singapore Prize in 2002 for his seminal 25 Andrew Tan Former Permanent Secretary, theoretical work on ideas as the Chief Executive, Maritime and Ministry of the Environment, 22 25 27 drivers of economic growth. While Port Authority of Singapore Singapore teaching at Stanford University’s Tan has been CEO of the Maritime and Tan was Chairman of PUB, Singapore’s Graduate School of Business, he took Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) national water agency, from 2001 to an entrepreneurial detour to start since 2014. MPA is responsible for 2017. He was Permanent Secretary, Aplia, an education technology regulating, developing and promoting Ministry of the Environment, between company dedicated to increasing Singapore as a premier global hub port 1995 and 2001. In 1978, he received student effort and engagement. He also and an international maritime centre, the Public Administration Medal founded Charter Cities, a non-profit and for advancing and safeguarding (Silver), and in 2001, the Meritorious research organisation focused on the Singapore’s strategic maritime Service Medal. He also received a interplay of rules, urbanisation and interests. He has also worked in Special Award (Gold Medal) for Clean development. In 2010, Harvard Business various government agencies, including River Commemoration in 1987. He Review selected Charter Cities as one the Ministry of Information and the received the Medal of Commendation at 23 of its 10 Breakthrough Ideas, and Arts, Ministry of Defence, Ministry the NTUC May Day Awards in 2005, the Foreign Policy selected Prof Romer as of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister’s President’s Award for the Environment one of its Top 100 Global Thinkers. Office, Ministry of the Environment in 2007, and the Distinguished Service and Water Resources, and Ministry of Order at the 2010 National Day Awards. Transport. He was also CEO of the 23 Prof Saskia Sassen National Environment Agency from 2009 Robert S. Lynd Professor to 2013 and Founding Director, Centre 28 Bart de Wever of Sociology, Columbia for Liveable Cities, from 2008 to Mayor, Antwerp, Belgium University, USA 2010, where he remains a Fellow. De Wever is the Mayor of the largest Prof Sassen is a member of the city in Flanders, Belgium. He has been Committee on Global Thought at general chairman of the New Flemish Columbia University, which she chaired Alliance since 2004 and served as a 28 from 2009 to 2015. She is the author representative in several of the of several books, including The Global country’s parliaments. He attended City; Territory, Authority, Rights: the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, From Medieval To Global Assemblages graduated with a Master’s Degree in and A Sociology Of Globalization. She History and worked as an assistant at wrote a lead essay in the 2006 Venice the University of Leuven. His Latin Biennale of Architecture catalogue. expressions are a trademark. For example, “nil volentibus arduum”: (“Nothing is impossible for the willing”) also subtly refers to his party’s name.

148 149 31 33 29 Prof Marilyn Jordan Taylor 31 Dr Geoffrey West 33 Mohinder Singh Professor of Architecture Distinguished Professor Head, Transport Planning, and Urban Design and former and Past President, MSI Global Pte Ltd Dean, School of Design, Santa Fe Institute, USA Advisor & Former Dean, University of Pennsylvania, USA Associate Fellow, Green-Templeton LTA Academy, Singapore Prof Taylor is recognised worldwide as College, Oxford University, Singh was Director of Planning at the an architect and leader in urban United Kingdom Land Transport Authority (LTA) from design, transportation and resilience Visiting Professor, Nanyang 1996 to 2007 and Dean of the LTA building, as well as a pioneering Technical University, Singapore Academy from 2007 to 2014. Prior to architect who was partner and chairman Dr West is a theoretical physicist this, he was with the Public Works of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and whose primary interests have related Department and Ministry of National Global Chairman of the Urban Land to fundamental questions in physics, Development in various portfolios. 29 Institute. She has worked for nearly especially concerning elementary He has been involved in Singapore’s four decades on projects in Singapore, particles, their interactions and land transport development since 1977, including the first MRT subway line, cosmological implications. He served and oversaw the planning of transport Changi Airport Terminal 3, the Marina as Santa Fe Institute President from infrastructure and many road and Bay Master Plan 2003, and the National 2005 to 2009. Before joining SFI in Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) projects. University of Singapore’s Master Plan 2003, he was the leader and founder for College Town. Her practice and of the high-energy physics group at 34 Philip Yeo research focus on the dynamic Los Alamos National Laboratory. His Chairman, Economic Development relationship between transportation recent awards include Time magazine’s Innovations Singapore infrastructure and urban development. 2006 List of 100 and the APS Szilard Former Chairman, SPRING Singapore Award (2013). Former Chairman, Economic Development Board, Singapore 34 30 Alexandros Washburn Former Chairman, Agency for CEO of DRAW Brooklyn LLC 32 Joseph Yee Science, Technology and Former Chief Urban Designer, Former Director of Planning Research, Singapore New York City, New York, USA and Transportation, Land Formerly Chairman of SPRING Singapore, Washburn is an urban designer who Transport Authority, Singapore Yeo guided the government enterprise believes in developing local character Yee was involved in transportation development agency with the mission and resilience. He is the author of planning, traffic engineering work of enabling and growing local The Nature Of Urban Design: A New York and projects in various government enterprises, focusing on small and Perspective On Resilience and was positions in Singapore for more than medium enterprises. He served on the Industry Professor of Design at the 35 years. He served as Director of United Nations Committee of Experts Stevens Institute of Technology, where Planning and Transportation with the in Public Administration, established he founded the programme in Coastal Land Transport Authority (LTA) from by the Economic and Social Council 30 Resilience and Urban Excellence. His 1999 to 2003. He was involved in for the promotion and development of career combines in equal parts developing Singapore’s Concept Plan, public administration and governance politics, finance and design, the Area Licensing Scheme, Intelligent among member states, in connection three forces that must be aligned to Transport System, and Electronic Road with the United Nations Development change a city for the better. His Pricing, among other projects. He Agenda. He received the 1st previous roles include Public Works retired in 2003, and has been Advisor BioSpectrum Asia-Pacific Lifetime Advisor to US Senator Daniel Patrick and Consultant to the LTA since 2010. Achievement Award in 2009 for his Moyhnihan, founding President of the He is a Principal Consultant with CPG efforts in making Singapore one of Pennsylvania Station Redevelopment Consultants, Singapore, and has the most exciting bioscience hubs Corporation, and editor of the handled transportation planning and through policy and fiscal measures and Casebook in Real Estate Finance and traffic engineering projects in the setting up world-class infrastructure. Development. He is an architecture United Arab Emirates, China, India, In 2011, he was conferred the honorary 32 graduate of the Harvard Graduate Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. degree of Doctor of Letters by the School of Design and the winner of National University of Singapore for the New York Public Architect award. his extraordinary dedication and immeasurable life’s work bettering the lives of others.

150 151 19-10-2011 13-09-2012 29-04-2013 10 YEARS Unconventional Ways to From Care to Lifestyle: The Walkable City Launch Industrial Townships Ageing in Inclusive Cities Sanjeev Sanyal, Philip Yeo Dr Emi Kiyota Andrew David Fassam, 100 LECTURES page 42 page 23 Steven Goh, Ong-Koh Wee Nah 29-11-2011 10-10-2012 The Century of the City Growth and Governance: 03-05-2013 Prof Paul Romer The Indian Urban Scene Technology and Governance page 50 Prof K C Sivaramakrishnan in an Innovative City Prof Edward Glaeser, 31-01-2012 16-10-2012 Peter Ho Hak Ean, Liveable Cities: Is the Professional Team Sports and Narayana Murthy, Quality of Life Measurable? the Urbanisation of Desire: Prof Wang Shu Lily Kong Cities, Nations, and Public 04-03-2009 07-10-2010 06-04-2011 Private Participation 15-07-2013 Urbanisation and its Impact: The Broken Ladder: The Transport planning: 28-02-2012 Prof John D Kelly, From “Garden City” to Possible Uses of Underground Threat to Upward Mobility Keeping Singapore moving Demystifying Smart Cities Dr Bervyn Lee “City in a Garden” Spaces to Improve Quality in the Global City Joseph Yee, Khoong Hock Yun, Dr Chua Sian Eng, of Life Joel Kotkin Mohinder Singh, Ko Kheng Hwa, 16-11-2012 Dr Shawn Lum, Prof Raymond Sterling Assoc Prof Gopinath Menon Shrinivas Kowligi Shell Scenarios: Navigating Poon Hong Yuen 25-10-2010 page 32 Complex Dynamics in an Era page 40 05-06-2009 Cradle to Cradle: 22-03-2012 of Volatility What will melt the ice Eco-Efficiency & Eco- 03-06-2011 The Rotterdam Approach: Jeremy Bentham 27-08-2013 in human hearts? Effectiveness (Celebrating The City in 2050: Connecting Water and Tourism’s Sizable Indirect Dr Jane Goodall the Human Footprint) Building on Innovation Opportunities for a 03-12-2012 Contribution to Singapore’s page 8 Dr Michael Braungart Jeremy Newsum, Liveable City Radical Revisioning Development Simon Treacy, Ahmed Aboutaleb of Engineering Pamelia Lee, 21-08-2009 23-11-2010 Dr Cheong-Chua Koon Hean Prof Brian Collins, Lim Neo Chian, Global Cities in Hiroshima City: From 17-05-2012 Prof Nick Tyler Loh Lik Peng, Times of Crisis Burning Ash to Metropolis 29-07-2011 Conserving Heritage in Dr Tan Chin Nam Prof Saskia Sassen Tadatoshi Akiba Sustainable Waterscapes for HongKong: A Paradigm Shift 22-02-2013 page 78 page 14 Liveable Cities in the Future Carrie Lam Can We Make the 25-01-2011 Herbert Dreseitl page 58 Cities We Want? 18-10-2013 08-03-2010 Landscape Intelligence Prof Susan Fainstein The Growth of New Taipei City The Festival and the City Dr Alfonso Vegara 19-09-2011 29-05-2012 Dr Eric Liluan Chu Jonathan Mills 2000 Watt Society - In Conversation with 21-03-2013 29-02-2011 Metropolis of the Future Environment Pioneers: Singapore’s Public 09-08-2010 Environmental Health Prof Alexander Zehnder, Trading Up or Trading Off? Housing Story The Singapore Way goes hand-in-hand with Steffen Endler Daniel Wang, Dr Liu Thai Ker to Plan a City Economic Progress Loh Ah Tuan, page 68 Dr Liu Thai Ker Tan Gee Paw Joseph Hui page 22 page 24 25-10-2013 01-03-2014 03-11-2014 13-03-2015 04-09-2015 12-11-2015 Innovation and the City The New Chinese City: Creating Healthy Cities Planning Big City Centres Auckland on the World Stage Lessons from 2008-2015: Series - Session 1: Urban China in Transition through Active Mobility: and Waterfronts Len Brown How Should Governments and Drones,Electromobility, Prof John Logan, Sharing Experiences Joe Berridge page 96 Private Developers Manage Robotics Building Lu Hou from Cities Real Estate Cycles? Prof George Barbastathis, Camilia van Deurs, 26-03-2015 14-09-2015 Prof Joseph Gyourko Michael Budig, 20-03-2014 Scott Dunn, Times Square Transformation: The City: Past, Present Dr Daniel Gleyzes India’s Cities Cry Out Cliff Lee, 20 Years, 20 Principles and Future 02-12-2015 for Infrastructure Kenneth Wong Tim Tompkins Prof Luis Bettencourt Cities Have No Choice But 18-11-2013 Dr Isher Judge Ahluwalia To Adapt To Climate Change Eindhoven - The Nexus page 41 20-11-2014 01-04-2015 16-09-2015 Prof Eric Klinenberg of Innovation Singapore’s Evolution How Three Cities of Cities and Economies Must page 106 Mayor Rob van Gijzel 28-03-2014 into a Smart Nation Colombia Were Transformed Reinvent Themselves A True Sign of a Liveable Khoong Hock Yun, Santiago Castro-Gomez Prof Jan Peter Balkenende 11-12-2015 14-01-2014 City: Children and Elderly David Lim, page 67 page 98 Participatory Planning Shell/CLC Joint Publication using Public Spaces Dr Tan Chin Nam in Public Land Use Launch and Talk: New Lenses Prof Jan Gehl 26-04-2015 21-09-2015 Review Process on Cities page 88 04-02-2015 The ‘Urban Age’ in Question China’s Urbanisation Winston R. Von Engel Jeremy Bentham Culture and Leisure in Prof Neil Brenner Needs Urgent Reform 08-04-2014 Copenhagen: Strategies Li Jiange 26-01-2016 21-01-2014 Creating World Class for a Changing City 06-05-2015 page 97 Unlocking the Social Value Urban Transformation Tourist Attractions Carsten Haurum Water Cultures: Fiji, of the Sharing Economy of Singapore Out of Humble Products New York and Singapore 14-10-2015 April Rinne Dr Cheong-Chua Koon Hean, Bernard Harrison 26-02-2015 Prof Martha Kaplan Biophilia and the Future Alan Choe, Integrated Coastal Policy of Sustainable Cities 18-02-2016 Koh-Lim Wen Gin, 15-10-2014 via Building with Nature 06-18-2015 Prof Stephen Kellert, Water - Holland’s ‘Frenemy’ Philip Ng Of Standards and Cities Dr Ronald Waterman Shipping, Cities and Prof Timothy Beatley, Tracy Metz Terry Hill, their Interdependencies Prof Peter Newman, 19-02-2014 Rob Steele 27-02-2015 Olaf Merk Khew Sin Khoon, 01-03-2016 Global Trends in Shipping Mainstreaming the Prof Tay Kheng Soon The Port and City and Impact on Port Cities 30-10-2014 ABC Waters Programme 28-07-2015 of Rotterdam - Dr Martin Stepford Grand Plans for Tan Nguan Sen, Trust and Transparency 19-10-2015 ‘Era of Transition’ a Growing London Hwang Yu-Ning, in Service Provision Seoul’s New Low-Growth Adriaan Visser, 27-02-2014 Sir Edward Lister Jason Wright, Prof Michael Norton Development Model Allard Castelein Singapore’s Dilemma as page 66 Jason Foo, Dr Kim Soo-Hyun a City-State: Just City Tobias Baur, 27-08-2015 page 122 14-03-2016 or Global City? Tay Bee Choo, Urban Intensities: Why We Need a New Susan Fainstein, Herbert Dreseitl, Contemporary Housing 22-10-2015 Science of Cities Norman Fainstein Ronald Waterman Types and Territories Urban Systems Dr Geoffrey West Prof Peter G Rowe Engineers Needed! page 114 Prof Lui Pao Chuen 16-03-2016 31-10-2016 06-03-2017 28-06-2017 17-08-2017 Singapore and The Scotland’s Transition to London’s Housing Market: Making Singapore More Constructing Singapore Netherlands: Innovators a Low-Carbon Economy the Problems of a Globalised Pedestrian-Friendly Public Space driven by Scarcity Chris Stark Property Market Bruno Wildermuth, Dr Limin Hee, Henk Ovink Prof Chris Hamnett Assoc Prof Gopinath Menon Michael Koh, 21-11-2016 Peter Rowe 28-03-2016 Salt Lake City: Liveability 24-04-2017 18-07-2017 Smart City - A Stepping in the 21st Century Urban Innovations A Short History of Global 07-09-2017 Stone to a Smart Society Dr Ralph Becker in the City II Cities: archetypes of Landscapes of the Future Mayor Rob van Gijzel David Tan successful cities and Daan Roosegaarde 28-11-2016 upcoming trends 07-04-2016 Creating LiveableCities 26-04-2017 Prof Greg Clark 12-09-2017 Bridging the Public-Private through “Car-Lite” Environment Sustainability Reimagining Orchard Road Divide to Create Great Cities Urban Mobility - The Singapore Journey 21-07-2017 Phil Kim Gabe Klein Kenneth Wong, Loh Ah Tuan, Singapore Sharing City: Mizah Rahman, Liak Teng Lit, Unlocking New Opportunities 19-09-2017 07-05-2016 Scott Dunn, Isabella Loh and Building Stronger Financing Sustainable Cities Developments in Heritage Chou Mei, Communities John Macomber, and Urbanism in France, Markham Shaw 30-05-2017 Harman van Sprang Prof Deng Yongheng, Singapore and the Region Circular Cities, improving Goh Toh Sim, Didier Repellin 20-01-2017 liveability & economic 26-07-2017 Ho Tong Yen Urban Renewal as an Economic climate in Amsterdam: How Cities Can Lead 25-05-2016 and Social Catalyst: The an example to the world In Urban Development CLC Urban Pioneer Lecture Conversion and Development Kees Slingerland, Prof Marilyn Jordan Taylor Series: Sustaining Efforts of Former Military Bob Geldermans, page 123 Singapore’s Farming Heritage Bases in the Philippines Dr Lee Hui Mien Dr Ngiam Tong Tau Arnel Casanova 28-07-2017 02-06-2017 Changing the Way We Build 12-07-2016 16-02-2017 A New Model for Municipal Dr John Keung THE FUTURE OF PORT CITIES: Urban Innovations in the City Services Delivery MORE THAN JUST SHIPS Richard Hassell, Mark Harris, 15-08-2017 Bart de Wever, Prof Thomas Schroepfer Amit Pathare A Tale of Two Cities: Toshihide Hirahara, Towards a common destiny Andrew Tan, 01-03-2017 13-06-2017 of sustainability and page 124 New York City’s Lessons for Building Social and resilience through people Making Great Public Spaces Environmental Resilience centric green architecture 29-09-2016 Alexandros Washburn in Cities Through Planning Prof Lam Khee Poh Participatory Planning page 134 Prof Barbara Norman, for Diversity: Treasure Prof Peter Edwards, Hill Urban Conservation Prof Amita Bhides in Taipei and its Public Policy Implications Prof John K C Liu image credits

What Will Melt the The Century of the City Cities and economies must Ice in Human Hearts? 1 ville Miettinen/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 reinvent themselves 1 world Bank/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2 Farzad Mohsenvand/Unsplash, 52-53 1 andy Kelly/Unsplash, 99 2.0, 9 3 jordan Merrick/Unsplash, 53 2 tom Jutte/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, 2 daniel Epstein/Flickr/CC BY-NC 4 adam Morse/Unsplash, 54-55 100-101 2.0, 10-11 5 alex Hockett/Unsplash, 57 3 Colin Hughes/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 3 Courtesy of the Jane Goodall 2.0/102-103 Institute (Singapore), 12 Conserving Heritage in Hong Kong: 4 Liana/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 4 darren Puttock/Flickr/CC BY-NC A Paradigm Shift -ND 2.0, 13 1 Farzaan Kassam/Unsplash, 59 Cities have No Choice but 2 andrew JK Tan, 60-61 to Adapt to Climate Change Global Cities in 3 bernard Oh/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 1 beth A. Keiser/AP Photo, 107 Times of Crisis 2.0, 62-63 2 dannel Malloy/Flickr/CC BY 2.0, 1 joshua Rodriguez/Unsplash, 15 4 candiceecidnac/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 108-109 2 scott Beale/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, 63 3 tuca Vieira/Flickr/All rights 2.0, 16 5 wing1990hk/Wikimedia Commons/ reserved, 110-111 3 chuttersnap/Unsplash, 18-19 CC-BY 3.0, 64-65 4 kevin Tiqui/Flickr/CC BY 2.0, 113 4 Pedro Szekely/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0, 20-21 Singapore’s public Why we need a new housing story science of cities Environmental Health 1 kelvin Eng, 69 1 Pawel Nolbert/Unsplash, 115 goes hand-in-hand with 2 Courtesy of National Archives 2 edy Segura/Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0, Economic Progress of Singapore, 70 116-117 1 goh Hak Liang/Flickr/All rights 3 shawn Ang/Unsplash, 71 3 Hajime Seki/Flickr/All rights reserved, 25 4 Philippe Bertramo, 72-73 reserved, 118-119 2 the Straits Times © Singapore 5 tan Chye Guan/Flickr/All rights 4 nasa/Unsplash, 120 Press Holdings Limited. Reprinted reserved, 74-75 with permission, 26 6 grace Kang Yixuan, 76 The future of port cities: 3 Courtesy of National Archives 7 erwin Soo/Flickr/CC BY 2.0, 76-77 More Than Just Ships of Singapore, 27 1 stijn Hosdez/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 4 maduarte/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND Tourism’s Sizable 2.0, 125 2.0, 29 Indirect Contribution to 2 Paul van Baarle, 126-127 5 damian Kells, 30-31 Singapore’s Development 3 Hideo/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, 1 douglas Sanchez/Unsplash, 79 128-129 Transport planning: 2 roderick Eime/Flickr/CC BY 2.0, 4 chuttersnap/Unsplash, 130-131 Keeping Singapore moving 80-81 5 ant Le Breton/Flickr/CC BY-NC 1 tib1218R/Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0, 33 3 Christian H./Flickr/All rights 2.0, 132-133 2 chuttersnap/Unsplash, 34 reserved, 83 3 Courtesy of National Archives 4 ksag Photography, 84-85 New York City’s Lessons for of Singapore, 35 5 bernard Oh/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND Making Great Public Spaces 4 Lucian/Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0, 36 2.0, 87 1 diane Cook & Amp Len Jenshel/ 5 dickson Phua/CC BY-ND 2.0, 39 Getty Images for National A True Sign of a Liveable Geographic, 135 Unconventional Ways to Launch City: Children and Elderly 2 geoff Stearns/Wikimedia Commons/ Industrial Townships using Public Spaces CC BY 2.0, 136 1 bernard Oh/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 1 Martti Tulenheimo/Flickr/CC BY-NC 3 Claire Takacs/Getty Images for 2.0, 43 2.0, 89 Photolibrary, 137 2 ascendas Singbridge, 44-45 2 Forgemind ArchiMedia/Wikimedia 4 andrew Dallos/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 3 ria Tan/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, Commons/CC-BY 3.0, 90-91 2.0, 138-139 46-47 3 naotake Murayama/Flickr/CC BY 5 raymond Chan/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 4 ng Yong Chin, 48-49 2.0, 92-93 2.0, 140-141 4 Mikael Colville-Anderson/Flickr/ CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, 94 BIOGRAPHIES 7 world Bank/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

158 This book is about cities. It is also about homes. Today, more than half the world’s population has made cities or urban areas their home—a figure that is expected to rise to nearly 70% by 2050. As a rapidly growing population migrates to cities in search of a better life, almost seven billion people will be jostling for space, food, jobs and services. The planning and governing of cities are among the greatest challenges of our time.

Making Cities Liveable features 15 lectures by leading international and Singaporean figures, including: Liu Thai Ker, Jan Peter Balkenende, Carrie Lam, Jane Goodall, Jan Gehl, Alexandros Washburn, Tan Gee Paw, Saskia Sassen, Philip Yeo, Geoffrey West, Eric Klinenberg, Paul Romer and more, who have devoted their lives and work to making cities and urban societies better places to live in. The visions and experiences of these urban planners, policymakers, politicians and thinkers are published together for the first time to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Centre for Liveable Cities in Singapore.

The wide range of perspectives offers rich insights on cities, which are growing in importance as more people make them home. Making Cities Liveable is both a guide and a call to action for cities to transform into liveable homes for all.