Singapore: Designing a Megacity in Harmony with Nature 🌳

Watch the full first episode of Human Footprint here: • Video
Who says a densely populated city can't be a green paradise? Not in Singapore! Shane Campbell-Staton visits visionary architect Pearl Chee and legendary urban planner Professor Cheong Koon Hean to find out how creators like them have woven nature into the fabric of the city. Green spaces aren't just an afterthought here - they're mandatory!
Human Footprint is a show that delves into the impact of humans on the planet. Join Shane as he travels from farms to restaurants, from high-tech labs to street markets, and from forests to cities to uncover the consequences of our unique history. Are you ready to explore our past, present, and future as a species?
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[@ragsoh]

I was born in the 1960s. I can tell you that Singapore was a slum and life was tough. To see my country progress to where it is today is quite amazing. Practically in a single generation, we moved from third to first world. I miss my Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He, together with a group of like-minded men, worked tirelessly to build the country to what it is today.

[@ST-nw5qb]

I'm amazed too at how all these are achieved. Love the greenery.

[@TheHadMatters]

There isn't really a non-rude way to ask this, but do you think the rapid civilizational development intellectually overwhelms the existing society of the area? (Both close to Singapore as well as further out towards Malaysia/Indonesia - and perhaps especially the Philippines?) And do you think more could be done to make that shift more appealing to the society affected by it? Specifically, spreading more appreciation for a structured lifestyle and mindset? I know I sound a bit like a racist nutjob, but I actually hate those guys congregated in the bad side of KZbin, so perhaps you can give me the benefit of the doubt to read what I mean: There seems to be a ton of infantile behaviour and thought that is apparent whenever I see people from the greater Indonesia or the entire Malay Archipelago area interact online (not just in English - also in their own discussions), and I have yet to find someone to disagree with me when I address this point. Starting at a worryingly early age, they seem to be acting without guidance from their parents when it comes to things like sexuality and career. Without that guidance, they seem unusually incentivised to ignore responsibility and intellectual complexity, in favour of whatever their 14-20-year-old minds come up with on a whim. And to me it seems like this mostly happens because they don't get the education/upbringing needed to handle the modern world in their homes or schools. In my opinion, this is an effect that fundamentally applies to the rest of the world, too. All the richest and most technologically advanced countries still consist of families who used to be mostly farmers and tradespeople in small villages until only the last few generations. And we're not doing enough to pass on the skills and mindsets required to navigate a modern world from those people who have successfully made that transition, to those whose parents and parents' parents were stuck in the impoverished proletariat. I'll admit that I myself think that I struggle to navigate the world more than others because I wasn't raised with the necessary skills to tackle life with the needed sense of agency; I more just lived to make it through school, and chased the praise from my teachers; I never really learned to believe that developing my habits, skills, and hobbies was something I could actively control, until I was already way behind people who were raised in households of where office jobs, financial responsibility, and personal habit management were the norm. But at least in our Western cases, most of these generations of people have been surrounded by intellectually challenging culture for a long time - high art (I know that term is beyond contested in culture sciences, and for good reason, but you get my point) and complex thought is everywhere I look; it rewards people for complex thinking and encourages them to pursue grand achievements and technological progress. And while there's obviously also a lot of wisdom and joy in the culture of non-first-world cultures, I just don't think it offers the same preparation for modern life as the progression of Western culture provided. So if it's already been an issue for me, I'd expect it to be a much deeper-rooted issue outside of the West, and especially in rapidly developing areas like the Malay archipelago. (Again, not trying to sound demeaning, but I think that's frankly impossible to avoid with a topic like the one I'm trying to address. I'm fully prepared to have you disagree with my premise, I'm just trying to explain what I'm seeing. If I get called out for my comment being out of place, I get it, but I honestly think this rapid cultural transition is something we could learn from - especially the problematic parts of it.)

[@TheMasterofComment]

​@@TheHadMattersthis. You managed to eloquently put to words what I've tried to for the past few years. I myself have no answer, i don't think we are doing anything to prepare our children for that. Maybe let them co-opt western culture online, dilute our current values. We are not very proactive after all.

[@RaveYoda]

@@TheHadMatters "All the richest and most technologically advanced countries still consist of families who used to be mostly farmers and tradespeople in small villages until only the last few generations. And we're not doing enough to pass on the skills and mindsets required to navigate a modern world from those people who have successfully made that transition, to those whose parents and parents' parents were stuck in the impoverished proletariat." From my view I don't think we in the West are doing all that well to tackle modernity. Our individualistic side is in many ways wonderful but it leads us to be so self interested that the general attitude is an "I have mine" attitude such that we don't care about our peers. I hear constantly a "this country (US for me) owes you nothing" attitude and in my mind I then ask what do I owe my country if it owes me nothing? Anyway, what I wanted to get to is is that a lot of Asian countries tend to be more communal and familial focused. Because of that there's better cohesion and I think psychological safety. Now, to be frank, I think it can go too far and that a lot of Asian countries do. as an example, China or Japan come to mind for countries that can push it too far.

[@sonodiventataunalbero5576]

I only saw women planners in this documentary, though. But you only mention men being behind this achievement 😊

[@FacepalmProduction7]

I really wish more cities chose to coexist better with nature, if for no other reason than the psychological benefits for the population.

[@hunterhq295]

Agreed

[@mohdfahmi8841]

..em..

[@Hood.Housekeeping]

In America they specifically destroy nature so the billboards stick out better and so people have more psychological stress which causes more pharmaceutical use, fighting between people so they don’t notice the gov is killing everyone, and psychological stress causes more impulse buying to stimulate a stupid economy that destroys everyone.

[@AifDaimon]

As a Singaporean, I'm happy you've covered this

[@mysteriousfox88]

thank the dorm workers; without them, the streets would be covered in garbage and vomit from locals and drunks

[@AifDaimon]

@@mysteriousfox88 don't be such a Debbie Downer, faceless killjoy

[@johnchan3765]

Really??? 🤣😂 U seem to have conveniently forgotten that quite a few of them also contribute to the rubbish n litter that their cleaner pals are paid to clean up. So spare us ur bleeding hearted BS .... especially when many other cities in the region ... from India to India ... look n smell like urban cesspools ..even with so much cheap labour to tap on

[@AdamSeiler]

What's your favorite thing about living in Singapore?

[@johnandrews6927]

@@mysteriousfox88Whoa! The non-drunk locals vomit in the streets!? Yuk 😂

[@johndoh5182]

Singapore is just an amazing place and it really needs a full 50 minute BBC Earth documentary to cover it sometime because it keeps moving in this direction of being a forested city, and I can certainly see why people would want to live there.

[@geoWONG]

Not the most ideal place to live. Doing what is needed "to forge a better life".

[@sgxpress95]

Just search 'Wild City Singapore' and there is a series of documentaries with narration by Sir David Attenborough himself!

[@impopquiz]

It did had about 15-20 mins. National Geographic had a full feature.

[@kim2hawaii1]

ideal places only exists in Hollywood productions, try name ONE COUNTRY on this planet @@geoWONG

[@KlaxontheImpailr]

My dream is to start my own island nation with urban forests but without all the extreme laws. 🍀🤞

[@stevethomas9320]

Singapore just raised the bar on urban development and life. America is falling behind big time. Would love to see more of this all over the world.

[@VictorMartinez-zf6dt]

America is behind because our politicians are too involved and don't let the citizens choose how to they want to live.

[@mohdfahmi8841]

..em..

[@waitaminute2015]

"centralized" planning is the key. The US has too many cooks in the kitchen ruining the pot.

[@___beyondhorizon4664]

Politicians speak on behalf of their donors, they don't work for the greater good

[@kilimanjaro1893]

​@@VictorMartinez-zf6dtthe government actually is the one who planned the development of Singapore, are u even watching?

[@melsunday1991]

I’m singaporean. the area I live in has very old trees that have been there before I was born. and there is always some kind of construction to improve the roads and such, but they always go out of their way to plan around the trees. It’s actually nice to see even if it’s by law that they can’t touch the trees.

[@prapanthebachelorette6803]

Lovely ❤

[@MrKevinliow88]

Yes it is, fyi, Mr Lee Kuan Yew took priority in making Singapore a garden city since day one.

[@Ashleyyy414]

This type of development needs to be spread worldwide with alterations as needed. Can you imagine turning American public housing to this!? Detroit, Minneapolis, etc. I really feel things like this could result in better humans, more meaning in life, less crime, better health. The possibilities are endless. One can only hope..

[@restlessly12]

I think it’s hard to bring this to America. In Singapore, the government has tight control over much of the land space and the public generally accepts this. The benefit is that we get a lot of things that exist for public good. Urban planning becomes a central focus. I feel like most Americans would resist that much government interference in their lives. Most Singaporeans live in public housing. So public housing is not an afterthought, it’s a priority. Again, the government has a lot of control over the land space and therefore can prioritize these needs.

[@MiracleWinchester]

LEGISLATION.

[@melize7035]

Americans will say all this public housing and greenery is against their freedom 😂😂

[@lowify1]

It is okay for public housing to exist. As long as it is not in my backyard.

[@Thekidisalright]

@@lowify1that’s the issue of many countries, they see public housing as low quality home for the poor and low income group, but in Singapore public housing HDB is seen as the prime choice for most people because how well built they are with all the amenities they need nearby, that’s why their public housing housed more than half of the population.

[@merlapittman5034]

I am NOT a fan of cities, but Singapore looks much more like a place I could enjoy. Wonderful to see all the plants and animals in this urban space!

[@udishomer5852]

Singapore is an amazing place. The only downside is the climate, so hot and humid that its uncomfortable to be outside most of the time. The trees help with shade and their cooling effect.

[@kitoken368]

@@udishomer5852 isn't still cooler than most SEA countries, If you looked at google today's forecast: Singapore - 29/27, Hanoi - 33/26, Bangkok - 35/27, but i do agree 27 degrees at night is sweltering without a/c

[@jinngeechia9715]

@@kitoken368 It is the humidity at 98% that makes the "heat". Sweat does not cool you effectively. You can see the beads of sweat on his forehead. 😅

[@V.II.]

@@kitoken368 29-32 is way better than 33-35 lol. And sg is nearer to the equator. So trees do make an impact

[@udishomer5852]

@@kitoken368 Singapore is not cooler, I lived in Thailand and the Philippines, both seem to have a slightly better climate in most places. The big cities (Manila/Bangkok) are hotter because of the Heat Island effect and the lack of trees/greenery.

[@jakenguyen7463]

The US is blessed with so much space that it has been a gift and a curse. Singaporeans are forced to address their problems, proving them to be far from insurmountable. No reason why any city can't develop with greenery in mind. Just demand it. Americans simply give up and run off to the suburbs and are rewarded with a life of sitting in traffic to do anything.

[@COl-rn5th]

Mur'ca can't replicate it because Mur'ca only cares about increasing shareholder value, to the detriment of everything else. A country of serfs to money (and "weirdly", money that doesn't go to the pockets of the majority of the serfs). So, yeah... entirely different priorities.

[@restlessly12]

You need a lot of collective will to make it happen. In Singapore, the government has a lot of control and thus this can happen. Many Americans would resist that. Just NIMBY-ism on a micro level, and then multiplied, would make this impossible. NIMBY-ism exists in Singapore too. But the government has control over land management so it can manage that more effectively.

[@eatdriveplay]

Not many people know… despite all the urban development to house 5.6m people, nearly half the land mass is set aside as nature reserves and military training areas. So we are a tiny island city state, with the full needs of a country - including for security and to house 5 airports.

[@mspiepie0214]

As a Malaysian, I'm happy for Singapore and hoping Malaysia will improve.

[@user-bn5eb9um4x]

If you like even better, hope Asia will improve too to become the Greenest Asia.

[@jaywu7078]

I am Singaporean, I love Malaysia 😊

[@ivanttosuckyourblood]

As a Singaporean, I have always wished well for our close neighbour Malaysia.

[@truthseeker000000]

I’m Singaporean and wish Malaysia and Malaysians progress, full development and much wealth. 👍🙏❤️

[@MikeyJJJ]

@surinamesurname Just Johor will do.

[@adelitavalle1852]

I been to Singapore. Beautiful and clean city. The way Singaporeans know how to utilize small spaces is amazing. Visit the Changi Airport shopping area and the Singapore Botanic Garden. I love Singapore. I am going back, y'all.

[@MrKevinliow88]

Please come back to Singapore soon.

[@felicialiew7519]

I am a Malaysian but have been visiting family members living in Singapore since the early 1970's. I have seen the transformation of Singapore to what it is today. Saddened that our political leaders did not have the same vision for Malaysia with all our rich natural resources. I consider myself having the best of both worlds. Kudos to LKY, all the past & present leaders for making & progressing Singapore!!! They have done an amazing job & LKY has left a legacy unmatched in any country in this ugly world!!

[@prapanthebachelorette6803]

He’s legendary for sure

[@66toonie]

We, from Singapore are forever grateful for his foresight, strength and hard work.

[@azhariarif]

Singapore is a dystopian place to live. You know you can actually live there if you want?

[@JazmenCarolina]

YES YES YES!!! This type of architecture City infrastructure has been in recent years dubbed as Solarpunk and this can single-handedly save our planet and slow environmental destruction!! Ever since I watched Studio Ghibli's films growing up as a child I've always wanted human kind's structures to be more naturally integrated into nature. There have been so many fantasy sci-fi genres in the past that have inspired a lot of people it seems with this style of building and with fans of similar structures categorizing it as Solarpunk, we have a true concept that can slow climate change, improve mental health while proving public services that generates millions of jobs. Singapore's doing a wonderful job for filling this. Solarpunk infrastructure for developing nations can propel the entire planet forward into much more substantial spaces. Especially for developing places such as the many countries of Africa and large parts of Asia. Being able to use large rooftops for local hydroponic Farms that not only can feed the city's citizens for cheap as exportation cost are cut but the vegetation can also help cool the city's down so less electricity is wasted on cooling in the summer. If cities can feed themselves using local means that means less farming lands being over farmed which will also reduce deforestation. As land is over farmed the need for expanding farmlands has become a problem which accelerates deforestation. By incorporating nature into our infrastructure and using utilizing vertical space aquaponic farms can solve these problems. There are so many untapped possibilities!! Here's hoping that Singapore starts a big trend that maybe able to save us all 😤💖

[@mysteriousfox88]

green initiatives and electrification on the island has been wildly criticized and infrastructure is about 15-20 years behind its peers. its the biggest and densest polluter in the region

[@Isaac-gh5ku]

Now I'm wondering if this Solarpunk infrastructure would work in desert regions, tundras, third-world countries, and countries like Africa, India (including Sri Lanka), South Korea and Japan.

[@jondabon6522]

@@mysteriousfox88infrastructure is behind how? It’s also only more polluting because it’s richer. compared to countries with similar gdp per capita it is greener

[@harrasika]

I'd like to see what the transit is like there. Since trains are the purest form of solarpunk

[@jondabon6522]

@@harrasika it’s too small for trains (it’s a city state) but there is expansive metro and bus

[@annanirathsi1111]

He's an amazing interviewer and journalist, he really made this story come to life. And the last lady was so interesting to listen to and hear about how they developed this interplay between concrete and jungle.

[@mohdfahmi8841]

Ai.....

[@COl-rn5th]

Singapore is the greatest country in the world. I've been there and it completely shifted the way I see everywhere else, in every regard. If I would summarize, I'd say Singapore is the current pinnacle of civilization and everywhere else is lacking.

[@andrewzcolvin]

Oh yeah, an exploitive, capitalist, authoritarian regime that oppresses marginalized people is the “pinnacle of civilization”. Wake up from your fantasy.

[@jeems2066]

That's very high praise, we're not perfect and there are issues, but as a local I am very grateful for your comment!

[@kckoh7495]

Yes. The majority of Singaporeans are great. They vote for great people to be in the government during elections (every 4 years)... What you see is the result after many years of good governance and hard work.

[@AlfariziZakaria]

​@@jeems2066but your country its perfect for me, No Natural resources but can build amazing city like this. Its magic for me

[@f.michaelbremer-cruz2708]

Wow, it's amazing how Singapore managed to go from a small town to this gorgeous garden city in just over a century. Thanks for sharing this overview and comments from the architects. I enjoyed seeing how nature and a city co-exists. Hopefully the ideas used here can be inspirations for other cities to consider how they can incorporate nature into urban landscapes more naturally.

[@NewmaticKe]

Singapore is 58 years old

[@icxc88]

As an American it's good to know a country can survive the aftermath of colonialism by taking sometimes (as the lady said) a complete atmosphere of mayhem disarray unemployment slums and homelessness, basic squalor, then 60-70 years later build a city (country) which is under the watchful eyes of other such places and the envy of many so called "progressive" other cities. To see the nature return and live side by side in harmony with man is very exciting. It reminds me of the endangered Paragon falcons of Manhattan being reintroduced to their indigenous home as a city full of skyscraper canyons and pigeons a perfect relationship and a beginning for the concept of reintroduction of wildlife to the urban landscape; Flora and Fawna. The rest of the world will greatly benefit from this example. Thank you for the sightseeing tour. Very nice.

[@pringlessourcream9527]

But first off, you must elect intelligent, practical government who walk the talk for the people. The States, I see has many in congress who should be in a home and look suspiciously corrupt.

[@icxc88]

@@pringlessourcream9527 the American government is heavily corrupt and it is so blatant they do it right in front of everyones' eyes tima and again, and they get away with it. What Trump is being made a punching bag over has little to nothing to do with him being corrupt, he's being made an example of by the deep state democratic machine. I wouldn't vote for him anyway, at this point he's only running forward, arms outstretched into their game of skull and bones ☠️ where he'll disintegrate just like our country is about to do: disintegrate, fast/or slowly and it will affect the entire world. This is a time where I am ashamed to have white skin, look how all the wars going on are financially based (soon to become religious based again) because they're a collection of money grubbing snobs. Like I said above, it is good to see a country pickup all the abandoned pieces from colonialism, and prosper. Singapore is a real source of hope for many. 🕊️🙏

[@icxc88]

@@pringlessourcream9527 hmm, I wonder where my reply went?

[@werren894]

wtf is colonialism? they had never been colonialized. stop talking buzzword.

[@Zenocius]

​@@werren894What are you on about? They used to be called the Colony of Singapore

[@Timmycoo]

Man, been almost a decade since I've been there but I loved it. Had my honeymoon there. Really beautiful location with great infrastructure and amazing food. Love the showcase of greenspaces in a bustling city.

[@mohdfahmi8841]

Ai....

[@mohdfahmi8841]

..em..

[@Timmycoo]

@@mohdfahmi8841 que?

[@MCNeko6554]

I didn't realize how green Singapore was, and now I really want to visit. It's my dream city.

[@NewmaticKe]

Welcome

[@sktoh4469]

Where do you live?

[@razjackson5825]

I often ask friends overseas to do a random google street view, place it anywhere on the map, any random point, and I bet it'd be very green.

[@Beryllahawk]

What an absolutely incredible place. I remember when those towers were FIRST built, and a lot of (non-Singaporean) folks were like "nahhhhhh it'll never really work!" And look at the towers now! They're even more gorgeous than predicted! And yeah, we maybe can't directly copy everything Singapore has done, for all sorts of reasons from geology to pre-existing historical structures to ecological concerns that require really special handling. Not to mention ideological and political troubles. But damn it, all of humanity is, as you said, "in this together." We are ALL on this one planet, this single pale blue dot. We HAVE to do better, and move towards something more like what these beautiful, wonderful people have done. They're proof of concept: and the concept bloody well WORKS. Here's to hoping that one day all the world looks a lot more like Singapore in its glory of green and respect of nature and humanity both.

[@yxtheweird1710]

Hear hear! As a Singaporean, it was such a surprise to see pbs terra cover our urban planning - but u echo my sentiments exactly. We can make cities everywhere greener and more harmonious with nature, and I'd love to live through a lifetime where this happens globally!

[@mysteriousfox88]

its maintained by a sea of indentured migrant labour. everything was dying off during the covid lockdowns because theyre not naturally sustainable

[@mohdfahmi8841]

Ai ...

[@kakkay898]

Watch out for Tengah Housing Estate or Tengah District. Another one such as the Kampong Admiralty or I heard it's more beautifully planned.

[@90taetaeya]

Singapore is just an amazing example of human engineering with nature

[@ChinchillaBONK]

Teaches me to never ever take my country for granted whenever i travel out of Singapore. Trees are suddenly so rare in other cities.

[@colintilbrook]

i love this concept and i love the results. They underplay how important 2 things are to this success. The most important thing, Singapore is a rain forest - you walk away for 2 years and every surface is going to be covered in green. The second being 90% of land being publicly owned, when you have the impetus to prioritize quality of life for the majority (and its not insanely corrupted) things tend to work out well.

[@reddotdiva]

This makes me so proud to be a Singaporean. I do love our green spaces. Even in the older, humble HDB estates like mine, there is a community garden downstairs, and a small green space with large trees overhanging with ferns, and it just helps to balance our urban stresses by improving my own mental health. Thanks for doing this episode!

[@prapanthebachelorette6803]

The psychological effect is legit. I’m curious though about how people feel about wealth security and complexity of what you can or cannot own. Are most people chill about it most of the time? 😂

[@foxylovelace2679]

I am blown away at the 100% replacement of plants!

[@kevinduran9337]

So cool! They've set a precedent and a working model that the rest of the world would be wise to follow. All those architects will be aging out over time so their knowledge and experience building that place should be gleaned from them so it can be perpetuated. As for you the bioligist and video producer i have to say great job man! Thank you!

[@misfits9294]

Everywhere else, take notes! I live in the U.S and however I can, I wanna make this happen here, too, this is perfect balance of growth for our own purposes, and not destroying the livelihood of everything else around us.

[@kim2hawaii1]

just elect the right people NOT the to BE but to DO

[@KJSvitko]

Kindness matters. Be kind to people and animals. We are just one small part of nature. Respect nature and protect nature.

[@anujchandkapoor]

A huge shout-out to the Designers the Planners the Construction workers and the People who all made this possible.

[@KJSvitko]

Great video showing what can be done. Should be sent to all urban planners. Our planners and cities can do better than they currently are.

[@RBzee112]

It's not just city planners. She says right at the beginning, green space mandated by law.

[@KJSvitko]

Transportation planners are a separate animal.@@RBzee112

[@perasha]

Quickly becoming a favorite series of mine! Keep up the good work!

[@mohdfahmi8841]

Ai....

[@mxgirl918]

I remember going overseas and people giving me a look when I say that I live in public housing....until they see a picture of our HDB flats. Many family friends who visited us from the US couldn't believe that public housing looks like this.

[@sachamm]

lol @ announcer sweating his ass off with the Singaporean lady sitting next to him comfortable as in an air conditioned apartment! Loved this one, I'd like to see more.

[@vita123abc]

I'm just so amused seeing Shane holding a towel to wipe the sweat off his head while interviewing 😄 welcome to SEA, Shane 😉

[@Tennyson999]

can't believe i never found this channel sooner despite being subscribed to other PBS channels. been watching a lot of these the past few days and the host is great

[@PeymanSayyadi]

incredible, I wish more cities were built like this.

[@beatwasherdotnl]

Amazing and well produced video showcasing what is possible with the right mindset. Proud and blessed to live in Singapore.

[@Ancusohm]

Singapore does some incredible stuff. I certainly wouldn't complaint if we did more things like them.

[@phobosmoon4643]

12:10 Singapore challenged a lot of what I knew about cities. No, kidding! Ty Mr. SCS & PBS & interviewed

[@GreasyFox]

Gotta give them credit for maintaining the balance of local natures and urban development

[@mysteriousfox88]

anything is possible with millions of indentured low wage workers

[@johnchan3765]

Millions??? Care to elaborate??? Stuff it mate. Inclding the rubbish coming out of u

[@GlaciesYin]

I didn't even realise how good the urban planning of my country was. That said, would love to see the older areas be improved to be as good as these newer areas. There are still a few places without greenery at all, and you can feel the stifling heat without shadey trees and lush plants. To be fair, I suppose the constant reconstruction and renovation cuts down (pun intended) on flora in the area

[@DrNee]

Super intriguing and relevant to current conversations I'm having in my engineering profession. Nice vid! 👍🏾

[@gabekruse8403]

excellent episode, thank you!

[@draculacat5616]

love this mans expressions esp his eyes like he'd just be like whaaaa it was hilarious but also showed he was genuinely invested, good stuff

[@ArvinrajApplasamy]

poor shane, he's sweating profusely in our hot & humid weather. At least he enjoyed the nature and the wildlife :)

[@sktoh4469]

He overdressed in order to be respectful. Normally, a wifebeater and short pants would do.

[@ArvinrajApplasamy]

@@sktoh4469 I think he wore the jacket to hide the sweat under his white tee, for the purpose of the camera of course. xD

[@KayDeePea416]

This is amazing!😌🌳🌊 We NEED more of this around the world!♥️🌏🌍🌎♥️

[@mohdfahmi8841]

//em//!!))¡//¡//..

[@primaryan0]

A model city, A green city, A future city, A inspirational city, A planned city, A beautiful city, A rich city, A city/country we look upto.

[@Candesce]

I don't understand why I've never heard of this before. Especially living in Australia, they're practically neighbours, but the city of Melbourne that i live in is one of the least green places I've ever been

[@mr.x2567]

Australia would honestly be PERFECT for redeveloping with the solarpunk treatment. Imagine Brisbane being like this, it would be amazing!

[@realdreamerschangetheworld7470]

Informative, with amazing speakers! Thank you very much!

[@aetherial87]

Beautiful work they're doing

[@wwbren]

Glad you didn't miss out on Oasis Terrace 02:25, that place is like something on the Amazon river perhaps. Especially from afar. *Yes, 11:49 really show it well!

[@kylemurphy2399]

This place seems like paradise! 😊

[@leewn2319]

The Sg urban planning can be achieved in other cities if these fundamentals are present: (1) A holistic approach to urban planning where there is due consideration and corporation among the various government agencies such urban redevelopment authority, Singapore Land Authority, transport ministry, National parks board, public utilities board, housing & development board, national environment agencies, building & construction authority & fire safety bureau. (2) A forward thinking government that cares for the country and its people (3) unity and trust between govt and its people to joint hands for the betterment of the country & its future generations.

[@dugfriendly]

Very cool philosophy of place and environment ❤

[@chippysteve4524]

Bravo Singapore! What a beautiful place. It must be great to live in a country where you can be proud of your government :-))

[@twilightgardenspresentatio6384]

Wow, I’m glad it’s finally being done.

[@suzannewinland6989]

Urban paradise... Absolutely inspiring to see.

[@StarrySunnie]

Thank you for this video. Thank you to Founding Father and Residences for making them happen 🙏🏽🙇🏻‍♀️

[@yvonnejackson1696]

Reimagining cities, suburbs, housing, agriculture-Consider the possibilities!

[@blessedvillain]

I’m from Malaysia and Singapore is our neighbour. I’m happy for Singapore for what they have achieved. Unfortunately Malaysia still has in fighting over racism, religion and facing corruption. Malaysia as a nation consists of Chinese , Indians and indigenous Malays should have become Asia model country.

[@AnimilesYT]

Taking "concrete jungle" to a whole new definition

[@user-ls7rl9cd4e]

Thank you for covering our tiny island ❤ ❤ ❤

[@melvyngoh5692]

Great video, good job on showing the often conflicting element in urban planning, concrete vs nature.

[@genosypheus]

top marks for the videography, love from Singapore

[@allythearts5439]

I bet it feels amazing to breathe over there. Wow it's so green almost too green in fact 💚😊 i like it na i love it 💚

[@bbastronaut4025]

What a beautiful country

[@FiredAndIced]

When I watched this video, I was reminded of my recent reading about red junglefowl in Singapore, being an endangered animal species in Southeast Asia. I did a Google Search about red junglefowl in Singapore, and the first link I received from it was a Straits Times article, headlined "Clucking nuisance: Complaints grow as wild chickens become more common." In my mind, I wonder, "are Singaporeans complaining just for the sake of complaining, seems like the Karen in America just moved here and called herself 'Auntie Karen.'"

[@traviswadezinn]

Great, thoughtful presentation - important topic

[@bryanbrudevold3248]

Awesome, wish more cities looked like that

[@aimanmohammad7749]

Shane dripping with sweats 😂 that’s humidity. Imagine if Sg don’t have the nature approach to urban planning. People would be walk with personal aircond 😂

[@sitcom1971]

That’s the downside to Singapore it’s extremely HOT most of the year! Seasons are hot very hot extremely hot and scorching HOT! 🔥

[@DarkPesco]

Beautiful!! Would that the US be Singapore! Many Americans visit but obviously none are learning anything from their excursion!

[@jaywu7078]

Maybe because US is the Best first world country, there is nothing to learn

[@COl-rn5th]

Mur'ca can't replicate it because Mur'ca only cares about increasing shareholder value, to the detriment of everything else. A country of serfs to money (and "weirdly", money that doesn't go to the pockets of the majority of the serfs). So, yeah... entirely different priorities.

[@shadowscribe]

Not every place can do this, but more places should put this on the short list of what we should strive to do.

[@c_cma1971]

I just returned from Singapore. Best greetings from Bucharest (Romania)!!

[@jennifergargiulo4526]

Very interesting and insightful!

[@vangelissotiropoulos7365]

Bro, sweating insanely to do this. Respect

[@paul_bell]

Proud to be born and living in this Garden City. Welcome all to visit SG 😊

[@littlecurrybread]

wow, looks so amazing

[@bebelives]

Love it!!

[@NawDawgTheRazor]

Amazing and inspirational.

[@geisaune793]

Also because Singapore instituted the Land Value Tax very heavily early in its history. Less so today but the effects are still clearly felt even today.

[@felipericketts]

Is there anyone that would not want to have access nearby to something like Singapore? I would Love to live in a place like that, surrounded by nature and biodiversity! 🙂

[@RoseEyed]

I really hope some kid or teen sees this video and they go on to change American urban architecture for the better.

[@abebrosiczki637]

Speechless right now man 🥹🍃🌳, remember that we're living in their lands (non-human metazoans), and not vice versa.

[@jasayehan]

The Housing Development Board (HDB) actually came from the SIngapore Improvement Trust (SIT) which was created by the British Colonial government, which was an initiative to introduce affordable housing. You can still see these buildings in Tiong Bahru and other parts of Singapore.

[@joyfulristro]

Appreciate the sharing and the presenter taking on the heat of the city like a champ! The jacket tucking in every ounce of the humidity, emancipating in the form of visible beads of perspiration all over 💪

[@charlescoe226]

Much respect for those attempting to integrate the city and nature! Imagine how beautiful it will be as the trees grow as tall as the buildings.

[@mohdfahmi8841]

Ai.

[@chrisaguilera1564]

We can co-exist with nature and still have a thriving city. This could reduce emissions lowering CO2 and with so many trees this would keep the city cooler during heat waves. Of course, keep in mind that one has to be cautious about dangerous animals that inhabit jungles like venous snakes and canivores. Large animals that require a lot space too.

[@V.II.]

We have gotten used to the animals. Sometimes while you're out grocery shopping you do run into monkeys, boars, chickens or snakes.. But we avoid. For snakes we call the animal control to move them away from residential areas. Ppl have been attacked by boars though. It's a balance to live among wild animals

[@GaasubaMeskhenet]

Now do this everywhere

[@redredredtail]

bro is perspiring in our weather

[@tamwolf20]

❤ love this.❤

[@saranbhatia8809]

Way forward!

[@thomasvnl]

Every city on earth should have this green incorporated into it. Singapore is a great example of how useful legislation keeps humans better in touch with nature instead of creating dumb cavemen that never know anything but their cave

[@okaydoubleu]

Singapore has the (dis)advantage of sun, rain and narrow temperature range all year round. Many cities further away from the equator or too inland are going to find it challenging to have greens all year long.

[@FiredAndIced]

@@okaydoubleu It doesn't need to have greens, you just intentionally make the green come with your urban design. We also need to be mindful that we can't build cities in the middle of nowhere, this is where decentralisation of powers are at a disadvantage. It doesn't mean that federalism and intentional urban design can't work: it means that we need to install good people into local homeowners associations, city and district councils, state legislature, and representatives in the Federal Government, and that citizenry must play its part in promoting good urban design everywhere.

[@okaydoubleu]

@@FiredAndIced Thank you for your insightful words :)

[@jserr3739]

My man, you are taking one for the team. Thank you for sacrificing your comfort to create this video, its been great! I'd be sweating like a dog as well!

[@RosscoAW]

Everywhere absolutely *should* be like Singapore in this respect, and especially in the respect of being 90%+ publicly-owned housing, rather than private housing. The same (to a different extent) is true of Vienna, and that city is *also* an excellent model for urban design. Public ownership *is very much a major if not the central factor underpinning the excellent urban design in both of these cases,* as well as other cases of cities with high publicly-owned and tightly centrally planned property and/or infrastructure. I don't know how your takeaway from Singapore is "this is all great because of the ownership and control model, and let's just all decide that that can't be replicated anywhere else, and treat this all as a lofty, unrealistic, idealistic shining example for others to compare to instead of actually just replicating the same ownership and control model(s)." For all it's faults, it is specifically the nature of most real estate property being publicly owned and managed that allows Singapore's built real estate to be excellent, and not shit. The mass privatization and commodification of real estate in America (and other Western and non-Western examples) is *also why urban design sucks so much in these places.* The takeaway is that public ownership of housing, real estate, and infrastructure from local through national levels *is the superior model period end discussion.*

[@hunterhq295]

Came back from Singapore today

[@jonzelstein1682]

Thats beautiful.

[@daniadejonghe4980]

wonderful!

[@MichelleCarithersAuthor]

great stuff!

[@JeanGunnhildr88]

Really, living in Singapore is like living in a big park, surrounded by greenery everywhere😊