Cities in Mind

Hello everyone!Our podcast series is back this week with an exciting episode about the power of regenerative design and what it means for cities across Asia.Wait, what is regenerative design?For more than three decades, architects, planners, designers and others shaping the built environment have been following and promoting sustainable design. In 1987, the United Nations’ Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”Sustainability was introduced with good intentions and there has been important progress in terms of energy-efficient buildings, use of materials and resources, change management and general awareness. But overall, the sustainable design movement has fallen short of the progress needed to prevent substantial environmental damage and climate change. The concept has been so widely misused that it has lost its original meaning.As architect and circular economy advocate William McDonough observed, if we get to complete sustainability, we simply get to the point of being “100% less bad”.Our current trajectory in construction, energy use and resource consumption guarantees we will exceed 1.5°C global warming. Across the world, natural habitats continue to be destroyed at an alarming rate. There is a need for a paradigm shift and the language and terms we use strongly influence the way we tackle our problems. So enters regenerative design.The quest for sustainability has moved society forward in important ways, but we believe it is now time to embrace a new regenerative approach to design and development. As a globalized society, we urgently need to reach the turning point in human civilization where everything we do has a net positive impact on the environment. We contend that this is a transformation that is within our reach. It is time to shift from merely mitigating negatives to optimizing positives. We need to embrace approaches that restore ecosystems, reunite divided communities, and reciprocally enhance the interdependent health of people, place and planet – schemes that, in myriad ways, restore what we have lost and deliver compounding net benefits – actualizing regenerative potentials that are beyond the limits of what ‘sustainability’ can imagine.Sarah Ichioka, Michael Pawlyn, Flourish: Design Paradigms for Our Planetary EmergencyI hope I got you interested in this approach because that’s precisely what we will discuss in today’s episode with Sarah Ichioka.Sarah is a strategist, urbanist, curator and writer. She is the Founding Director of Desire Lines, a Singapore-based consultancy for environmental, cultural, and social-impact organizations and initiatives. In previous roles, she has explored the intersections of cities, society and ecology within leading international institutions of culture, policy and research, including Singapore’s National Parks Board, La Biennale di Venezia, LSE Cities, NYC’s Department of Housing Preservation & Development, as Director of The Architecture Foundation (UK) and Co-Director of the London Festival of Architecture. Her new book Flourish: Design Paradigms for Our Planetary Emergency (2021) is co-authored with London-based architect Michael Pawlyn. It’s a wonderful (and engaging) read which unpacks the possibilities offered by regenerative design.🎙 In our podcast episode, we discuss, among other things:* What it means to transition from “100% less bad” to regenerative design* The story of the Flourish book and its five principal messages* How we could bring regenerative design principles to cities, especially in the context of urban Asia * The various tipping points to change Asia’s complex urban systems and how Doughnut Economics can help us approach Asia’s various development levels* The role of nature-based solutions and indigenous knowledge in today’s work on cities across Southeast Asia* Why there has never been a more exciting time to become a built environment professional: architect, planner, engineer, designer. (possibilism)It’s a very rich and engaging conversation that I hope will inspire your understanding of what’s coming next for the built environment. Feel free to share this issue & podcast episode around you or drop it into one of your company’s Slack channels 😉Last but not least, I’d like to thank the Working Capitol team in Singapore for letting us record this episode within their premises. If you’d like to learn more about the story behind this adaptive reuse project, check out the web links below.Thanks for reading Cities in Mind! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.🤓 If you want to learn moreThe Flourish book and its sister podcast Flourish: Systems Change What will it take to restore balance to our world for future generations’ survival? That’s the question Sarah and Michael explore through their research.Our coverage of Flourish’s Chapter 3 “ A longer now” and why time is probably one of the most overlooked factors when thinking, designing and planning for the built environment.A Green Urbanist podcast episode with architect Michael Pawlyn, co-author of the Flourish book. Host Ross O'Ceallaigh asks Michael about regenerative design, biomimicry, indigenous wisdom, systems change and shifting paradigms.A Planet B: Everything Must Change podcast episode, highly recommended by Sarah (as well as the entire series!). Activist and journalist Julian Brave NoiseCat explains the importance of land rights and sovereignty in the fight against climate breakdown in an extended interview. Speaking to Harpreet Kaur Paul, he explores the long history of Indigenous resistance to land colonialism and argues that the Indigenous experience of genocide as an apocalyptic event has produced forms of knowledge that could help us adapt to climate breakdown.The Gotong Royong spirit that we mention during the episode.Originated from Indonesia, the phrase is translated into English as “cooperation in a community” or “communal helping of one another”, but the closest interpretation is perhaps “mutual aid”. “Gotong royong” involves the spirit of volunteerism, and working together for the benefits of the residents living in the same community. Our podcast episode on the Working Capitol project and the power of adaptive reuse to create vibrant districts and neighbourhoodsThat’s it for today. As usual, a small 💚 at the bottom of this page goes a long way.Thanks for your support and see you next Wednesday for a new issue. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

🛴 🚲 Hi everyone! If you’re regularly reading this newsletter, you know that I am quite excited about all things micromobility-related. Over the past few years, micromobility vehicles have expanded transportation options in cities across the world and stretched the radius that people can travel without a car. Micromobility covers a large range of vehicles, typically weighing less than 500kg, some of them existing for centuries, which have been propelled into the 21st century by the electric revolution: personal or shared bicycles and e-bikes, cargo bikes, trailer bikes, tricycles, e-scooters..It’s a revolution that is still unfolding as we speak and which could tremendously transform the way we move around cities. Asia Pacific is an important market for micromobility startups and a leading pioneer in the micromobility world. China was the first country to implement a dockless bike-sharing system in 2015. Many cities in Southeast Asia followed suit, keen on experimenting with new urban mobility options. Further South, Australia and New Zealand are established markets for micromobility, with good cycling infrastructure and strong regulations.A couple of days ago, I had the chance to discuss with Zachary Wang, Co-Founder and CEO of Neuron Mobility. Founded in Singapore in 2016, Neuron is a safety-leading rental e-scooter company and micromobility technology developer operating in cities across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, South Korea and Canada.🎙 I am thrilled to share with you my conversation with Zach. We discussed, among other things:* How Neuron Mobility approaches the diversity and the complexities of the APAC market* Why a micromobility business is fundamentally different from a ride-hailing business (asset management business vs platform business)* How micromobility startups could better work with city authorities and adapt their technologies to local contexts* What micromobility can do to help cities in the region solve their problems, in terms of congestion, liveability, CO2 emissions* How micromobility operators could partner with real estate developers and property owners to create value for the built environmentI hope you’ll enjoy the episode and learn a thing or two. Feel free to share this issue & podcast episode around you or drop it in one of your company’s Slack channels 😉 Thanks for reading Cities in Mind! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.🧐 If you want to learn moreE-scooter startup Neuron Mobility adds $12 million to its Series A for expansion in Australia and New Zealand | TechCrunch Neuron going 🚀 in Australia & New Zealand​​"Micromobility is urban mobility" - Issue #13 One of our recent issues summarising why the mobility revolution in cities is here to stayThe future of micromobility: Ridership and revenue after a crisis | McKinsey McKinsey’s take on what lies ahead for the micromobility industryCycle-logistics: everything you need to know The next step: moving goods using micromobility vehiclesSmall Vehicles, Big Impact | ULI Knowledge Platform A reference report compiling potential opportunities between the real estate and the micromobility industriesHow Can Micromobility Operators Reduce Charging Costs? | by INVERS — Make Mobility Shareable | Medium New charging trends to improve micromobility operationsMicro Mobility Revolution: Startups, Companies & Market Solutions l CB Insights What micromobility looks like around the world, leaders across the space, and obstacles that these solutions are facingThat’s it for today. As usual, a small 💚 at the bottom of this page goes a long way.Thanks for your support and see you next Wednesday for a new issue. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

Hi everyone,In this week’s podcast episode, we’ll explore the intersection between energy production and air quality in Southeast Asia, a complex, yet fascinating, topic which encapsulates multiple challenges ranging from climate action, transition to clean energy and social justice.Air pollution is a silent killer whose health impacts concern almost every one of us. In 2019, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that more than 90% of the global population lived in areas where concentrations exceeded the 2005 WHO air quality guideline for long term exposure to PM₂.₅. The health risks associated with particulate matter equal or smaller than 10 and 2.5 microns (µm) in diameter (PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅, respectively) are of particular public health relevance. Both PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀ are capable of penetrating deep into the lungs but PM₂.₅ can even enter the bloodstream, primarily resulting in cardiovascular and respiratory impacts, and also affecting other organs.In order to unpack the complexity of air pollution, I met with Isabella Suarez, Southeast Asia Analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).CREA is an independent research organisation that focuses on revealing the trends, causes, and health impacts, as well as the solutions to air pollution. Using scientific data and evidence, Isabella’s research focuses on how modern, clean energy technologies are key to improving air quality, the energy transition and the protection of public health in the Southeast Asia region.The WHO considers that Southeast Asia has an annual burden of 2.4 million premature deaths from air pollution. In Southeast Asia, as in other parts of the world, Particulate Matter (PM) is primarily generated by fuel combustion in different sectors, including transport, energy, households, industry, and from agriculture.With Isabella, we go back to the roots of air pollution in Southeast Asia and investigate the intersection between energy and clean air.How’s the current energy mix in Southeast Asia, heavy on fossil fuels, impacting air pollution in cities?We also take stock of the latest clean energy policies in the region and discuss their potential impacts on air quality and social justice. As the technologies required to plan for the future of energy will be diverse, it is crucial to ensure that clean energy policies don't have inequitable impacts on the most marginalised communities.I hope you’ll enjoy the episode and learn a thing or two. Feel free to share this issue & podcast episode around you or drop it in one of your company’s Slack channels. And subscribe now so you don’t miss the next issue!🧐 If you want to learn moreHow Asia is crucial in the battle against climate change Whether the climate can ever be stabilised depends largely on Asia.New research links Asia's air pollution with heavy economic impacts, thousands of premature deaths The economic and health effects of prolonged ar pollution in major Asian cities is an area of growing concern, and researchers appear to have made headway in quantifying the economic cost and premature deaths linked to bad air. Air pollution: Asia's deadliest public health crisis isn't COVID As governments fail to curb the world's worst air, millions are dying avoidable deaths.New WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines aim to save millions of lives from air pollution Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental threats to human health, alongside climate change.Why the shift to renewable energy in Southeast Asia is patchy Most of Southeast Asia’s growth in renewable energy has been concentrated in Vietnam and Thailand.That’s it for today. As usual, a small 💚 at the bottom of this page goes a long way.Thanks for your support and, for those celebrating, I wish you a merry Christmas🎄Cities in Mind will be back early Jan 2022, fully charged and with an exciting line-up of topics and speakers. Stay tuned. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

Hi everyone,In this week’s podcast, we dig a little deeper into the circular economy and its potentials for the built environment, taking the case of Southeast Asian countries and cities.I had the pleasure to discuss with Devni Acharya, Senior Consultant, Advisory, Planning and Design at ARUP Singapore.Devni has consulted on projects across the UK, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and now Asia Pacific, advising cities, investors and developers on circular economy projects as they work towards their net zero carbon targets. She has also worked with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation on the adoption of circular principles in the real estate industry and on the definition of new business models to generate value and improve financial performance.How’s the concept of circular economy being received in the region, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic?How can circular principles be adopted at-scale to drive the development of new economic sectors in the region?Can real estate value chains in Southeast Asia adapt to circular thinking?With Devni, we explore some examples of circular economy policies in the region, including Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green Economic Model (BCG), Singapore’s Zero Waste Masterplan or Indonesia’s circular economy opportunity assessment.2021 saw a surge in the number of circular economy plans across Southeast Asia, a region that is both a vital driver of global manufacturing, deeply integrated in global supply chains, and one of the epicentres of the current climate crisis.How can cities in Southeast Asia adopt circular economy principles to become more resource efficient, competitive, and innovative? That’s our topic for this week.Enjoy the episode and feel free to share it around or drop it in one of your company’s Slack channels!-- I’m sorry for the two little mic bumps at 7’45’’ and 16’42’’ 🙏🏻 -- 🧐 Some resourcesRealising the value from circular economy in real estate, a must-read publication from ARUP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation looking at new circular business models to improve financial performance and generate valueCircular economy in cities, a suite of resources developed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation for adopting circular economy in cities, including different case studiesThailand’s Bio-Circular-Green Economic Model (BCG), one of Southeast Asia’s most advanced national strategy which foregrounds circularity as a driver for economic development Singapore’s Zero Waste Masterplan, a reference document, demonstrating the commitment of the city-state to implement circularity at-scale. The Masterplan sets a new waste reduction target for Singapore, reducing the waste sent to the Semakau landfill (the only landfill in the country) by 30% by 2030.The role of adaptive reuse in circular economy, throwback to one of our early podcast episodes when we met with Ben Gattie, founder of The Working Capitol, a co-working space that sits in an old biscuit factory, in the very city centre of SingaporeThe economic, social and environmental benefits of a circular economy in Indonesia A country with plenty of natural resources, Indonesia has the potential to be a leader in circular economy - a report led by Indonesia’s Minister of National Planning and Development (Bappenas), UNDP and the Embassy of Denmark to IndonesiaHow can Asia build a circular economy in its post-Covid recovery? The COVID-19 pandemic has created a momentum to rethink the ways our economies work. Is Asia ready to implement the concept of circularity across economic sectors?That’s it for today. As usual, a small 💚 at the bottom of the page goes a long way.Thanks for your support and see you next week for a new post. Stay tuned. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

Hello everyone!China has long been a blindspot for me and I decided to educate myself more about its growing and undeniable importance. China is at a critical moment in its history and current events might have long term consequences on the country’s future.From the Evergrande real estate crisis, Xi Jinping’s current crackdown on capitalism to an acceleration of climate change-related events (dramatic summer floods), China’s urban development model is under the spotlight. The conflict between marketization and state control has never been so strong in the country.How do these tensions translate in the urban environment? Where is urban China going? Will China manage to escape the “middle-income trap”? How could iconic initiatives such as the BRI accelerate the diffusion of China’s urban model? I reached out to Andrew Stokols, an urban planner and researcher, currently PhD researcher at MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning. His research explores the intersection of urban planning and infrastructure, state power and geopolitics and mostly focuses on East and Southeast Asia. Previously, Andrew has been involved in various research projects, in China, Singapore and the US, investigating the different facets of global urbanization, particularly in China and Asia. Together, we discuss the different phases behind China’s urbanization and how President Xi Jinping is currently making the state more central in all aspects of life in China. We take the example of a new planned city, called Xiong’An New Area, about 100 km south of Beijing in the Hebei Province. The development of Xiong’an has several goals, chief among them to relieve pressure on Beijing by relocating “non-capital functions” and to stimulate new innovative industries. It has been labeled as a “1000-year project of national importance” and it is supposed to be China’s version of “city of the future”, promoted as an engine for innovation growth. 🇨🇳 China’s urban future and why it matters for the world. That’s our topic for this week. Enjoy the episode! -- This episode is a bit longer than usual (50 mins) but trust me it’s worth listening till the end -- 🧐 Some resources I have used for this episodeChina and Evergrande Ascended Together. Now One Is About to Fall‘What can we do?’ Chinese discuss role of climate crisis in deadly floods Debunking China’s debt-trap diplomacy myth China’s Belt and Road Initiative Is a Mess, Not a Master PlanMapping the Belt and Road Initiative by the Leiden Asia Centre, one of the best and most updated visualization of China’s infrastructure corridors and trade routesXiong'an: Designing a "modern socialist city" - by Andrew Stokols - The Space BetweenThat’s it for today. As usual, a small 🧡 at the bottom of the page goes a long way.Thanks for your support and see you next week for a new post. Stay tuned. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

After a 2-month trip back to Europe (followed by a 2-week quarantine 😬 ), I am back on track and happy to relaunch the Cities in Mind newsletter with a new podcast episode. Today, we'll cover a very exciting topic: 🚇 Underground UrbanismForget about skyscrapers or land reclamation, underground is the next frontier of cities! We used to go higher, wider and now it's time to go deeper.Why should we care about the underground ? Why has it become a necessity for land-scarce and high-density cities such as Singapore? How can technology help better map what's under our feet ? How are Singapore and European cities standing in terms of underground urbanism?I met with Rob van Son, Project Leader of Digital Underground at the Singapore-ETH Centre. Digital Underground is a research-​to-application project that aims to establish a reliable 3D map of all existing and future utility networks in Singapore. The project is a collaboration between the Singapore-ETH Centre and the Singapore Land Authority.With Rob, we explore the (often-overlooked) potential of underground urbanism and discuss why we are still lacking good underground mapping information. Reliable data of the underground is essential for the planning, administration and development of underground space and new technologies (from digital twins to ground penetrating radars) can help create a unified model of the city. Enjoy the episode!📝 Some resources I have used to prepare for this episode* Uncovering the Underground, a lecture by Er Professor Yong Kwet-Yew, Professor of Civil Engineering and Senior Vice President, National University of Singapore * AR Will Spark the Next Big Tech Platform—Call It Mirrorworld A long read by Wired magazine founding executive editor, describing the emergence of digital twins. According to him, whoever dominates this new technology platform will have considerable power. * A booklet summarising Digital Underground’s journey during Phase 1 of the project * Singapore goes Underground with The Digital Underground Project * Deep Cities Diving: a talk organized by Singapore Art Museum to discuss the future possibilities of building and living in a subterranean cityThat’s it for today. As usual, a small 🧡 at the bottom of the page goes a long way.Thanks for your support and see you next week for a new post. Stay tuned. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

In this episode, we’ll discuss the potential of tactical urbanism in creating more space for people to meet, walk, socialise and play safely.As we move towards a new COVID-19 normal, it is crucial to rethink how our streets and open spaces operate and how they could be more flexible in their usages and functions. Tactical urbanism could help achieve that in a systematic and cost-effective way. Some examples include turning parking spaces into temporary parks, pop-up cultural and retail events, the creation of outdoor seating to improve public spaces, or the introduction of temporary cycling lanes.How can we lock-in some of these temporary urban experiments to get longer-term gains? How is Singapore exploring the use of tactical urbanism?To know more, I met with Lorenzo Petrillo, founder of LopeLab, an urban design studio that focuses on the transformation of public spaces for the purpose of bringing people together, including street closures, pocket public spaces and large-scale pop-up events.With Lorenzo, we discuss the different facets of tactical urbanism in Singapore, from Park(ing) day to new green parklets and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and we explore the new frontiers of place-making in the city state.And because “a picture is worth a thousand words”, check out below some snippets of LopeLab’s street activation strategies in Singapore’s city centre (the famous Keong Saik Road that we explored in Episode 03 - Adaptive Reuse for Vibrant Precincts). Of course, the Urban Ventures street closure event is pre-COVID 😅Enjoy the episode! 📝 Some resources I have used to prepare for this episodeMake Way for the ‘One-Minute City’ While the “15-minute city” model promotes neighbourhood-level urban planning, Sweden is pursuing a hyper-local twist: a scheme to redesign every street in the nation.  The City at Eye Level Asia An impressive open-source project and book, to support Asian urban practitioners on creating great cities at eye level, suitable to their local context.Planning for Placemaking and Tactical Urbanism in the Post-COVID CitySingapore’s Business Improvement Districts: a way forward for precinct-wide faceliftLorenzo’s TEDx Talk - Reclaiming Public Spaces (2016)That’s it for today. As usual, a small 🧡 or a comment 📝 at the bottom of the page go a long way.Thanks for your support and see you next week for a new post. Stay tuned. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

In this episode, we’ll discuss the potential of nature-based solutions in cities to adapt to climate change, reduce disaster risk, benefit the environment and improve community living. 🌊 In many Asian coastal cities, mangroves, coral reefs, wetlands, forests can play an important role in helping urban areas withstand the impacts of climate change, sea-level rise, floods or typhoons. Yet, they are facing a high risk of degradation, as a result of rapid urbanisation.🌱 Nature-based solutions are defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as “actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits”. In order to learn more about nature-based solutions in cities, I sat down with Dr Perrine Hamel, Assistant Professor at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore and Head of the Resilient and Inclusive Cities Lab.Perrine has a wealth of experience researching the potential of water sensitive cities and looking at green and blue infrastructures to respond to environmental and social challenges, such as flooding, urban heat island, or mental and physical health issues.In the episode, we explore the importance of natural infrastructure in Asian urban areas and discuss how nature-based solutions can help cities be more resilient in a time of growing climate extremes.We also mention the necessary combination of green and grey infrastructure, alignments with inclusive planning and policies, and the last obstacles in mainstreaming natural infrastructure information for integrated urban planning.📝 Some resources I have used to prepare for this episode:* To know more about Perrine’s research work: Resilient and Inclusive Cities Lab at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore* The Place of Nature in Cities: Taking Inspiration from Singapore* 2 inspiring research-action projects: Natural Capital Project at Stanford and Natural Capital Singapore* Mapping the benefits of nature in cities with the InVEST software, an open-source tool to support the greening of cities* How Asia’s megacities can benefit from mangroves and other natural climate solutions* An illustration of the hard choices cities will need to make when it comes to nature-based and hard infrastructure solutions A 6m sea wall? Miami faces hard choices of climate changeThat’s it for today. As usual, a small 🧡 at the bottom of the article goes a long way !Thanks for your support and see you next week for a new post. Stay tuned. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

In this short episode, I’ll bring you to Penang, a mid-sized city of 1.7 million, located in the northwest coast of Malaysia. Penang is very unique in many aspects. It is known as the Silicon Valley of the East for its semiconductor industries. It is a growing start-up hub and it is one of Malaysia's most vital economic powerhouses. It boasts a very diverse cultural heritage, with its urban core George Town and being an island, it has many natural green and blue assets.Penang is in the midst of an important transition and its huge potential has not gone unnoticed. Local stakeholders have recently been busy launching an International Ideas Competition to future-proof Penang Bay, as well as reaching out to international organisations such as UN-Habitat to reframe the city’s priorities and better align it with the Sustainable Development Goals.I discuss the future of Penang with Ahila Ganesan, Special Projects Lead at Think City, an urban think tank exploring the future of Malaysian Cities. Think City combines placemaking, resilience, urban analytics, conservation and adaptive reuse. I invite you to check their work and also listen to their podcast The City Maker which brings you stories from around the world helping you to understand what shapes the cities we live in.Why is Penang a city to watch in Southeast Asia and why it could be an inspiration for other mid-sized cities in the region? Let’s hear it from Ahila.Some resources I have used to prepare for this episode:* Think City’s initiative to rethink Penang’s urban core in an age of disruption Penang Bay International Ideas Competition* The City Maker Podcast Episode about Penang Bay’s Ideas Competition Penang Bay Ideas: A Resilient New Economic Zone* My recent post about Adaptive Reuse in Asia, taking the example of Penang’s George Town Past as Future - How Adaptive Reuse is Anchoring Innovation and Circular Strategies in Asian Cities* UN Habitat’s Flagship Programme “SDG Cities” - Sustainable Development Goals Cities* Penang’s controversial southern islands reclamation project, dubbed BiodiverCity Boon or bane? Malaysian island reclamation plan divides residents (not discussed in the podcast episode) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

🏙 Cities in Mind is your go-to destination to learn about cities, technology, innovation and the people behind them. All that through an Asian perspective.About me: 👋🏻 I am Fabien, an urban planner based in Singapore since 2015. I write this regular newsletter and host a podcast series, that you can find on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.If you’re seeing this newsletter for the first time, feel free to sign up so you don’t miss the next issues and podcast episodes. You can also share Cities in Mind around you.🌡 Globally, cities are warming up. In Southeast Asia, some cities, such as Singapore, are heating up twice as fast as the rest of the world.  In the city-state, maximum daily temperatures could reach 35 to 37 degrees Celsius by year 2100. Other countries already experience hotter temperatures than this but the reason this spells trouble for Singapore is that humidity is high all year round and this could lead to potentially deadly situations.☀️ Singapore’s climate change challenges are indeed compounded by the Urban Heat Island effect. Because of hard, heat-absorbing surfaces, the temperature of a built-up urban area in Singapore can be several degrees higher than the land around it. In this episode, I meet with Lea Rüfenacht, Coordinator of the Cooling Singapore project at the Singapore-ETH Centre. Cooling Singapore is a research programme that explores climate-responsive design and planning strategies to mitigate the UHI effect. 🌇 Together we discuss how Singapore is responding to this defining challenge, investigating ways to stay cool by design while foregrounding new technological approaches, such as the Digital Urban Climate Twin. 📝 Some resources that I have used to prepare for this episode:* What would a heat-proof city look like? * Why Singapore could be a model for cooler cities in a world heating up* Air-con addicted Singapore seeks new ways to escape urban heat trapEnjoy the episode and see you next week! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

🏙 Cities in Mind is your go-to destination to learn about cities, technology, innovation and the people behind them. All that through an Asian perspective.About me: 👋🏻 I am Fabien, an urban planner based in Singapore since 2015. I write this regular newsletter and host a podcast series, that you can find on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.If you’re seeing this newsletter for the first time, feel free to sign up so you don’t miss the next issues and podcast episodes. You can also share Cities in Mind around you.In this episode, we’ll discuss about innovations in public housing design in Southeast Asia, looking at the examples of Singapore and Vietnam. “Many future generations of Singaporeans will continue to grow up in HDB (Housing Development Board) townships, and their collective experiences will continue to be a major part of our national identity”Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien LoongI meet with Manuel der Hagopian, a Swiss architect, partner at G8A Architects, a design and architecture firm operating in Geneva, Singapore, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. From the pergola of G8A Architects’s agency set in the trendy neighbourhood of Tiong Bahru, we explore the interlinkages between public housing production, architectural breakthroughs and collective identity building and discuss the iconic Punggol Waterway Terraces, a public housing complex in Singapore that Manuel and his team delivered in 2015. Enjoy!Some resources that I have used to prepare for this episode:* Building across East and West Swiss architecture firm makes its mark on Singapore landscape.* “But what about Singapore?” Lessons from the best public housing program in the world* Why Singapore Has One of the Highest Home Ownership Rates * A century of public housing: lessons from Singapore, where housing is a social, not financial, asset* “Building Dreams, Housing Hopes”, Singapore’s Housing Development Board Roadmap to Better Living This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

🏙 Cities in Mind is your go-to destination to learn about cities, technology, innovation and the people behind them. All that through an Asian perspective.About myself: 👋🏻 I am Fabien, an urban planner based in Singapore since 2015. I write this regular newsletter and host a podcast series, that you can find on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.If you’re seeing this newsletter for the first time, feel free to sign up so you don’t miss the next issues and podcast episodes. You can also share Cities in Mind around you.🔮 “You can’t predict the future” but still you can learn to think about it with more creativity and optimism. In this episode, we will explore the use of Futures thinking, an exciting practice which seeks to unpack the question “what could happen?”, rather than attempting to answer the question “what will happen?”I met with Cheryl Chung, one of Singapore’s leading Futures thinkers and practitioners, based at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. Together, we discuss what it means to leverage Futures Thinking in public policy and how Asian cities, such as Singapore, are pioneering its use to navigate through an uncertain and complex world (including the establishment of a Futures think tank within Singapore’s public service, the Centre for Strategic Futures).📝 As usual, I am sharing some resources I have used to prepare this episode:* Futures Thinking: A mindset, not a method* Feeling the Future: Futures Thinking: Democratising Tools For Hope by Cheryl Chung* So how do governments build futures thinking?* Futures Thinking in Asia and the Pacific: Why Foresight Matters for Policy Makers by the Asian Development BankEnjoy the episode and please reach out to me with any comments or suggestions!If you like Cities in Mind, you know what do you. Spread the word and feel free to write a review on Apple Podcasts and add 5 ⭐️Thank you and see you next week ✨ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

🏙 Cities in Mind is your go-to destination to learn about cities, technology, innovation and the people behind them. All that through an Asian perspective.About myself: 🙋🏻‍♂️ I am Fabien, a passionate urbanist based in Singapore since 2015. I write this regular newsletter and host a podcast series, that you can find on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.If you’re seeing this newsletter for the first time, feel free to sign up so you don’t miss the next issues and podcast episodes.🛍 Q-commerce, Cloud Kitchens, Continuous Delivery, O2O, Super Apps… If these words don’t ring a bell, then listen to Episode 04 where we’ll dive into the world of food delivery and how this growing industry impacts city planning. I sit down with Luc Andreani, the Managing Director of Food Panda Singapore. Food Panda is one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic food delivery platforms. In the region’s megacities, COVID-19 has given a huge boost to online food spending, leading to an intense competition between global, regional and local platforms. 💡 With Luc, we discuss about new strategies for food delivery players and what these innovations mean for cities, from last-mile distribution, new delivery modes, digitalization of local businesses to carbon footprint management.Here are some resources I have used to prepare this episode:* Quick commerce: pioneering the next generation of delivery* Everything You Need to Know About Cloud Kitchens (aka. Ghost Kitchens) in 2020* Signed, Sealed, Delivered: the impact of e-commerce on cities – CityLogistics* 🤓 My recent review of Anthony Townsend’s last book Ghost Road* Food delivery in South East Asia almost tripled in 2020, accelerated by COVID-19Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

Hello everyone!In this third episode, I bring you to one of Singapore’s most iconic streets : Keong Saik Road, near Chinatown. 👋🏻 If you like the episode, don’t forget to add 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and write a review on Apple Podcasts to help me pursue this adventure!In the 60s, Keong Saik used to be a red light district but steady conservation and renovation of its various shophouses (a prevalent building type in Singapore's architectural and built heritage) have paved the way for a very different neighbourhood.  🏙 Keong Saik is a perfect summary of Singapore’s cultural diversity and a great showcase of the potential of adaptive reuse in heritage districts. I meet with Ben Gattie, the founder of the Working Capitol, a co-working space that sits on 1 Keong Saik Road in a former old biscuit factory. We discuss how Keong Saik has changed over time and what it takes to build vibrant and distinctive neighbourhoods.Ben has a wealth of experience in urban revitalisation and has championed the role of “neighbourhood builder” for many years in the precinct, forging harmonious synergies with the local community.Come and join us as we unpack the success and the lessons behind the Working Capitol and the transformation Keong Saik Road!And because an exploration is not complete with some pictures, check out the little selection below. There is also a very cool video walking tour of the precinct, for a full-blown immersion 🤩 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

🌾 Worldwide, urban Farming is on the rise. It has become an important strategy for cities to respond to a wide array of challenges, ranging from climate change adaptation to food security. But beyond food production, have you ever wondered what could be the other social benefits of urban agriculture?In this second episode, I discuss with Bjorn Low, a passionate urban farmer who leads the grow-your-own-food movement here in Singapore. Bjorn has created and is currently running Edible Garden City, one of Singapore’s largest urban farming social enterprises.Join me on my tour of their largest urban farm in the neighbourhood of Queenstown, and as we debate about the role of “urban care farms”, how to strike a balance between tech-driven and nature-based urban agriculture and Singapore’s food security strategy.Some resources that have inspired this episode:* Singapore’s food story and its “30 by 30” strategy (30% of nutritional needs produced locally by 2030)* The growing world of gardening therapy and how it could help us address mental health, well-being and social integration challenges* A recent article we wrote about urban food security after COVID-19, for the French think tank “La Fabrique de la Cité” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

Hello everybody! In this short episode, I am sharing with you 5️⃣ reasons to subscribe to the Cities in Mind Newsletter and Podcast series!I am currently working on two new episodes, featuring two Singaporean super stars who are shaking up the local urban scene. Stay tuned!* 🏙 1st reason: You work in the space of urban design, planning or development and you want to understand the new trends that will shape our cities.* 🌏 2nd reason:  The Asian angle. I have been living in Singapore for the last 6 years and from Southeast Asia I am an acute observe of new city planning trends.* 📝 3rd reason: You like to alternate between written and audio formats and you are looking for fresh and original perspectives. * 🤓 4th reason: I will report on new urban planning trends with my own words and through my own eyes. You can always reach out to me and I will listen to your suggestions. * 🎤 5th reason - My guests and the urban innovations we will discuss. I guarantee you will want to google their names and know more about their work!As usual, if you like Cities in Mind, please share it around! See you very soon 👋🏻 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com

The creative city concept has been a popular global planning paradigm since the late 1980s. Many cities over the world have embraced the idea of urban regeneration and have placed creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans. 📱 Today, the rapid success of social media platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok and now ClubHouse is shaking up this widespread planning approach and giving a boost to local urban art and cultural scenes. 🎨 Cultural industries have also been one of the hardest hit sectors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the world, a lot of cultural venues had to close down to help curb the spread of the virus.  But people living in cities are more than ever craving for culture, as a way to escape our current context and to reconnect as a society. What are the tectonic shifts in the production and consumption of culture in cities? Which kind of design and planning responses could we think of? How is COVID-19 accelerating existing trends?In this episode, I sit down with Ludovica Tomarchio, who recently finalised her PhD at the Singapore University of Technology and Design on the topic of smart and creative cities, taking the case of Singapore. Together we explore the next frontiers of creative cities and discuss new cultural planning models in a post-pandemic world. 💡 One novel concept: Hybrid art spacesHybrid Art Spaces are art venues existing both in physical space and on social media, resulting in various forms of hybrid consumption, production, and discussion of art taking place in merged physical and non-physical social spaces. If you want to learn more about Ludovica’s research on smart creative cities:* https://hybridartspaces.com/* https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ludovica_TomarchioLudovica shares her inspirations:* Stefano Mirti, designer and founder of IdLab_Studio http://www.idlabstudio.it/it* In Berlin, AEDES Gallery https://www.ancb.de/sixcms/list.php?page=ancb_events This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit citiesinmind.substack.com