Singapore: from planned chaos to a distinctive city

SINGAPORE is a living laboratory by which its development and urban planning experience and expertise can be studied and harnessed by other cities in the urbanisation and human development journey. What was a survival imperative in the fledgling nation-state has now become an important attribute of Singapore's story of human development and putative soft power.

Last week, Singapore played host to the annual Singapore International Water Week, World Cities Summit, and the CleanEnviro Summit. These powwows brought together government officials, city planners, scientists, academics, and activists from the world over to engage in a series of dialogues on liveability, sustainability, urban planning, and technology in built environments.

These high-level meetings testify to Singapore's successful urban redevelopment experience and our intention to be a thought leader in this field. They also signify the government's intent for the fledgling urban solutions and sustainability sector and urban development and infrastructure to be a key contributor to Singapore's future economy.