The future is about designing cities for people

 

Traditionally, a move to the city meant a new job, perhaps even a promotion. The possibilities were endless.

On the other hand, a relocation to an urban centre today could just be a matter of survival. Over the last few decades, droves of people have abandoned unproductive farmland and depleted fishing grounds and gone in search of a better future in the concrete jungle.

We now see the result of such mass migration to the cities. Slums, homelessness, poor sanitation. The resources of city authorities are stretched to the limits.

Figures from the World Bank show that 55% of the global population, or 4.2 billion people, now live in cities. Peace and quiet is certainly impossible in this crowd.

However, there is hope yet for those who still plan to seek their fortunes in the city. Hope for a more conducive living environment.

A recent forum on sustainable cities of the future offers some interesting insights on how cities can grow without jeopardising the quality of life.

Kone, a Finnish engineering and service company in the lift and escalator industry, had brought together several experts to share their views on how to set new standards for the built environment.

According to Dr Cheong Koon Hean, who is chair of both the Centre for Liveable Cities and the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities Singapore, cities are subject to drivers of change, namely people movement, environment, technology and concern for rising inequalities.

She pointed out that rapid urbanisation is already under way and that has put a lot of pressure on cities.

“City authorities will have to deal with the surge of people (coming into) the cities, leading to a need to provide amenities and affordable housing … all necessities for a decent quality of life,” she pointed out.

She also noted that the Covid-19 pandemic had put the spotlight on health and wellness in cities. Other challenges include the climate emergency, sustainability and the need for greater resilience.

“Cities will also have to deal with market gaps, skills gaps, the digital divide that has been exacerbated by the pandemic,” she added.

London-based designer Thomas Heatherwick stressed the importance of ensuring the quality of life in urban areas.

“The catastrophe that has been unfolding around us over the last century is that places are not designed for human emotions,” he pointed out.

He sounded a warning against transforming cities based on irrelevant assumptions such as shopping. “Shopping can’t really be the driver of the hearts of places,” he said.

Heatherwick also stressed the need for human emotion in the design of cities. “Everywhere you go now … in Asia or Europe … buildings all look the same. We need visual complexity to make something human, to engage our interest,” he added.

The good news is that attitudes and perceptions are already changing for the better. As Matt Gough of London-based global consultancy and construction firm Mace Group Ltd noted, developers, investors and funders now recognise the cost of ignoring the climate impact.

“Historically, if I was a climate evangelist, I would be laughed out of the room,” he said.

He said the assumption would be that while it was a “wonderful idea”, it would cost more money so it would be best to “get rid of it”.

Nonetheless, he pointed out, it is now cheaper to leverage debt or get credit if one has good green credentials.

“People are drawn towards better-performing buildings and infrastructure in relation to climate. So not only is it sort of cheaper to fund, but you are also going to drive up a premium from the price perspective,” he added. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.