Developing Living Cities - From Analysis to Action
I’ve been trying to read as widely as possible. One of my areas of interest is city planning. I came across this book and it is indeed a good resource for city planners. This book provokes thinking and provides a framework on how to develop sustainable and dynamic cites – not just a place to work but also to live and play. In view of the accelerated pace of urbanisation in the next 10 to 15 years, the size of cities will continue to grow significantly. Therefore it is critical how city planners manage the process of city growth to ensure that cities do not deteriorate into centres of poverty, pollution and proliferation of epidemics.
On the contrary, with good governance, cities should be great centres of employment, industry, liveability and culture. The book seeks to compare Singapore’s development as a “living city” with other cities around the world. It offers first hand insights on the development choices that cities can make. It advances the concept and framework of a “living city” and poses 6 key inter-generational challenges to cities.
Leadership and good governance are the forces that drive cities and nations to succeed. Cities need leaders who are visionary, think out of the box, and dare to implement unpopular polices. Good governance is exemplified by transparency, accountability, autonomy and rule of law.
The 6 components of “living cities” that are proposed by the authors are inter-linked and one reinforcing another through loops. These components are:
1) Competitiveness - it is crucial for cities to be engines of growth for the nation. Commitment by the local political administration is critical for cities to maintain competitiveness.
2) Infrastructure – city infrastructure must be efficient and affordable to achieve competitiveness. It should be improved and expanded expeditiously; and operated on commercial principles that ensure sustainability.
3) Transport and communications – successful city residents spend nearly one-third of their time travelling and on the phone. Mobility should be efficient, safe and reliable for cities to function effectively and compete economically.
4) Information – this is a key factor for good governance. Transparent and low transaction costs through e-government are key requirements.
5) Environment – when the living environment is good, cities will be liveable and sustainable. Cities are not spaces for making a living; they must have life.
6) Shelter – the adequacy, availability and affordability of housing space through appropriate planning, land use and housing policy is a salient feature of a city with a vision.
Below are some examples of these features found in Singapore, one of the most liveable cities in Asia.
Singapore ranks third in the world and first in Asia Pacific according to a global city competitiveness report by the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU).
Singapore’s unique characteristics and highly accessible infrastructure make it one of the best places to live, study and work in Asia.
I’ve been trying to read as widely as possible. One of my areas of interest is city planning. I came across this book and it is indeed a good resource for city planners. This book provokes thinking and provides a framework on how to develop sustainable and dynamic cites – not just a place to work but also to live and play. In view of the accelerated pace of urbanisation in the next 10 to 15 years, the size of cities will continue to grow significantly. Therefore it is critical how city planners manage the process of city growth to ensure that cities do not deteriorate into centres of poverty, pollution and proliferation of epidemics.
On the contrary, with good governance, cities should be great centres of employment, industry, liveability and culture. The book seeks to compare Singapore’s development as a “living city” with other cities around the world. It offers first hand insights on the development choices that cities can make. It advances the concept and framework of a “living city” and poses 6 key inter-generational challenges to cities.
Leadership and good governance are the forces that drive cities and nations to succeed. Cities need leaders who are visionary, think out of the box, and dare to implement unpopular polices. Good governance is exemplified by transparency, accountability, autonomy and rule of law.
The 6 components of “living cities” that are proposed by the authors are inter-linked and one reinforcing another through loops. These components are:
1) Competitiveness - it is crucial for cities to be engines of growth for the nation. Commitment by the local political administration is critical for cities to maintain competitiveness.
2) Infrastructure – city infrastructure must be efficient and affordable to achieve competitiveness. It should be improved and expanded expeditiously; and operated on commercial principles that ensure sustainability.
3) Transport and communications – successful city residents spend nearly one-third of their time travelling and on the phone. Mobility should be efficient, safe and reliable for cities to function effectively and compete economically.
4) Information – this is a key factor for good governance. Transparent and low transaction costs through e-government are key requirements.
5) Environment – when the living environment is good, cities will be liveable and sustainable. Cities are not spaces for making a living; they must have life.
6) Shelter – the adequacy, availability and affordability of housing space through appropriate planning, land use and housing policy is a salient feature of a city with a vision.
Below are some examples of these features found in Singapore, one of the most liveable cities in Asia.
Singapore ranks third in the world and first in Asia Pacific according to a global city competitiveness report by the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU).
Singapore’s unique characteristics and highly accessible infrastructure make it one of the best places to live, study and work in Asia.
