The future is speculated to rise from these bold developments

Forest City

Forest City is a joint venture between Country Garden and the Johor monarch.

The south of Peninsular Malaysia is grabbing attention from all over Asia with its new and ambitious project, Forest City. Envisioned as a car-free city within a pristine setting, vehicles will not be seen traversing the surface of this development.

To achieve this bold concept, Forest City is designed with two layers, one on the surface and another below it. Green facades, sky gardens and rooftop gardens decorate the surface of the city, providing ample green space for residents to enjoy a walk.

The hanging gardens of Babylon make its way to Johor

The underground layer is composed of intricate networks of roads and railway transit systems, providing ample connectivity to over 100,000 residents. Forest City’s proximity to Singapore also gives residents better access to working opportunities in Singapore while experiencing a cheaper lifestyle in Malaysia.

Besides its futuristic and ambitious design concept, Forest City claims that the price of houses offered will only be a quarter of the house price in Singapore.

Comprising four reclaimed islands with 3,425 acres near Tanjung Kupang, Forest City has received over RM170 bil worth of commitment investment, with an initial gross development of RM450 bil. It is expected to generate an additional 220,000 jobs opportunities upon completion in 2035.

NEOM

NEOM’s location allows over 70% of the world’s population to reach it under a time frame of eight hours.

Quoted as the world’s most ambitious project, NEOM will be the world’s first independent special zone, spanning three countries (Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan) and an area of over 26,500 km.

Located in the North-Western region of Saudi Arabia, this project attempts to create a mega city that runs on robots and renewable energy. According to press statements, repetitive and arduous tasks such as services and processes will be 100% automated. All transactions, procedures, and claims shall also be done through paperless and electronic means.

The population of NEOM is envisioned to grow organically in line with its automation and robotics developments. This is part of NEOM’s effort to reduce labour-intensive and manual tasks while maximising skilled labour force for creative and strategic positions.

Even more ambitious is the idea of running this mega city entirely on green energy such as the efficient use of solar panels and wind turbines. Overlooking the waterfront of the Red Sea to the South and the West, and the Gulf of Aqaba, NEOM enjoys an uninterrupted coastline stretching over 468 km, with a mountain backdrop rising to 2,500 m to the East.

The designers of NEOM envision vast fields of solar panels, coupled with wind turbines.

A constant breeze leads to mild temperatures and the presence of the wind and sun allows NEOM to be powered solely by regenerative energy. The world’s largest garden will also be built in the heart of the metropolis, accompanied by natural parklands. This is complemented by 100% green transport systems spanning scenic routes.

As an independent special zone, NEOM shall be independent of the Kingdom’s existing governmental framework, excluding sovereign laws, in regards to taxation, customs, labour laws, and other legal parameters pertaining to business. It is claimed that this independent system will allow NEOM the ability to manufacture and provide goods and services at globally competitive prices.

In an attempt to reduce the Arabian Kingdom’s reliance on oil, NEOM shall also spearhead the development of key areas such as biotechnology and food. Emphasis will be made towards the innovative technologies like seawater farming and solar-powered greenhouses, bringing the concept of vertical urban farming to the next level.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund will be providing over $500 bil to fund NEOM. Its first phase is due to be completed by 2025.

Konza Technopolis

The phase 1A development of Konza includes 168,000 sq m of vertical development focused on commercial and supportive uses.

Dubbed the African Silicon Savannah, Konza attempts to fight off international stereotypes about Africa as a third-world country. Located 60 km to the south of Nairobi, this project will encompass 5,000 acres of land with the ability to hold an estimated population of over 200,000 people.

Revolving around the concept of a smart city, Konza gathers information from devices and sensors embedded in the urban environment, such as roadways, buildings, and other assets. Roadway sensors are capable of monitoring pedestrian and road traffic, adjusting traffic light timing accordingly to optimise traffic flow. Konza’s population can have direct access to collected data, which may include traffic maps, emergency warnings, and detailed information regarding energy and water consumption.

Envisioned to become a world-class technology hub, Konza is developed to realise Kenya Vision 2030, helping Kenya achieve middle-income status by the year 2030. As part of this vision, Konza will be a major economic driver, with the intention to capture global Business Process Outsourcing and Information Technology Enabled Services (BPO/ITES) sectors in Kenya.

The A109 highway shall connect Konza to Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and Mombasa, the primary port of entry to East Africa and Kenya’s second largest city. Konza Technopolis’ strategic location will also allow the city to be directly connected to all four underwater fibre optic cables in Kenya. These high capacity lines will ensure high connection speeds, allowing companies and residents to enjoy video, data, and voice internet capabilities.

HavvAda

HavvAda’s orientation is rooted in the sacred geometry of the number seven, where six objects surround a seventh.

HavvAda, also known as “Air Island” in Turkish, follows an otherworldly design that makes it a first of its kind. Placed on a man-made island with three km in diameter, this development is composed of six hills that circle the downtown of the island. The centre valley will house the parks and recreational centres. Each hill also forms different neighbourhoods and community life centres with units offered at a height of five to 20 metres.

The hills come with a height ranging from 230 to 400 metres, with a mega geodesic sphere placed within it to form the core. Estimated to house around 300,000 residents in total, residential units are built horizontally, wrapping around each dome in concentric circles. This innovative concept is divorced from the old building designs where each building is built vertically and independently on a two-dimensional grid.

The geodesic domes and the structural mesh upon them combine tension and compression for structural efficiency.

Each hill is a micro-environment in itself, presenting its own ecosystem with a fully integrated energy renewal operation. This is part of HavvAda’s vision to create a community that produces more energy than it consumes. The buildings also have green roofs, with residential units at the top and commercial units at the bottom. To preserve privacy, residential units are designed facing outward while the commercial buildings are facing inwards to gain public exposure.