From Saudi Arabia to China, there are several projects aiming to build ‘cities of the future’. Incorporating digital infrastructure and renewable energy, reducing congestion and maximizing space – these projects provide an insight into what urban living will look like in the coming decades. What do they demonstrate about design, collaboration, and the role of innovation for urban spaces?

For most of the world’s population, the future is urban. Today over half of people live in urban areas and the UN projects that number to hit 68 by 2050. These growing cities will represent an increasing share of global GDP, energy requirements and consumption – but they will also begin to push existing infrastructure to its limits. For the construction and engineering sector, there is not just an opportunity to lead an update of our urban spaces but an imperative too. The way cities all over the world react to climate change, population growth, and digitalization will have a direct impact on the quality of life of billions of people.

The industry is stepping up to the challenge, with numerous projects looking to create more efficient, sustainable, and human-centric urban spaces. At Alfanar Projects, we are right there too, working as a global project developer alongside our partners, and as an engineering construction solutions provider to design, build, and maintain critical infrastructure projects. We always welcome learning and the opportunity to share the knowledge and expertise we have accumulated throughout the years.

Where are the cities of the future?  

In every corner of the globe, innovative projects are redefining the possibilities of urban living and planning. From eco-towns in Singapore that are replacing air conditioning with solar-powered water-cooling systems to a self-sufficient Smart Forest City in Mexico that utilizes desalinated sea water – these projects are looking to build sustainability and efficiency into the designs of settlements.

At the heart of these projects is a new way of thinking about infrastructure. In the Middle East, we are seeing an explosion in innovation across the region. From the use of kinetic energy to power parts of Abu Dhabi airport to projects like Dubai’s Sustainable City and Qatar’s Downtown Doha district, designers are combining sustainable building practices, renewable energy, and smart transport to reshape the region’s cities.

Meanwhile, the 26,500 square kilometer NEOM mega city in Saudi Arabia is building the world’s largest carbon-free system. Due to completion in 2025, the project will not only utilize windmills and solar power but also an innovative technology where electric currents convert water into oxygen, and hydrogen will be used to create a totally sustainable new fuel source. The city will also utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning to continually improve the life of residents.

Although the approach differs from project to project, the challenges being addressed are universal. As cities grow, we need to find better solutions for waste management, air pollution, and congestion as well as access to green space, healthcare, and other factors that contribute to well-being. And with climate change set to cause migration on a massive scale – we need to begin implementing these solutions soon.

Hybrid thinking. Hybrid construction.

Traditionally, cities have been designed around rigid separations between professional, personal, and social spaces. But technological developments are increasingly blurring these boundaries. From a rise in co-living and remote working to the need for multi-functional spaces, buildings need to utilize their available space far more efficiently. With an increasing urban population, space will be at a premium and both people and businesses will need to find creative solutions. By repurposing existing buildings to suit a wider variety of needs, the need for new constructions could also be reduced.

Mixed-use developments can also begin bringing residential properties back into the heart of city centers which have typically been viewed as shopping or socializing destinations to be travelled to. By providing people with places to live and work close to sustainable transport hubs, cities can also continue to reduce congestion and help promote vibrant, healthy spaces that multiple generations can enjoy.

For building owners, the benefits are clear: additional investment opportunities from occupants, visitors, and workers. Local governments and communities also see a positive impact from new job creation, more efficient use of land, and an ongoing transformation of cities from purely commercial hubs to social ones too.

Is it time to think differently about mobility?

One thing that unites all the various ‘cities of the future’ is a desire to think differently about mobility. Anyone who has lived in one of the world’s major cities will know first-hand how inefficient car-based transport networks can be when you begin scaling the user base. A range of projects are utilizing a host of emerging technologies to address the challenge of how people can travel around urban locations quickly and sustainably.  

NEOM, a city being built in Tabuk Province in northwestern Saudi Arabia, has adopted a 20-minute city concept where residents will be able to walk, cycle, or make use of personal mobility devices and high-speed public transport to get to where they want. China is also looking to reduce the number of cars on its city streets. Among the projects in this area, two take slightly different approaches. While the Net City design in Shenzhen also prioritizes walking and cycling, it is creating a dedicated ‘green corridor’ for autonomous vehicles. The project will also connect to the rest of Shenzhen via various public transport links. The Chengdu Future City project puts renewable energy generation at the heart of a public smart mobility network featuring autonomous vehicles. The Toyota Woven City in Japan takes another approach and segregates different modes of transport to different streets. Pedestrians, mobility device users, and autonomous vehicles all get their own designated space while goods transportation happens on underground roads out of sight.

Can cities promote sustainability?  

Making our cities more sustainable is about more than the way new green buildings are designed. Existing buildings are currently responsible for 30%-40% of total city CO2 emissions. To make net zero a reality, these emissions need to be reduced by 80%-90%. According to the Coalition for Urban Transitions, better utilizing existing technology and insights from data can help cut emissions by 36% from residential buildings and 21% from commercial buildings.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a crucial component of smart cities – not just for creating better experiences but for driving real sustainable outcomes too. Advances in telecommunications infrastructure such as 5G and high-efficiency Wi-Fi have the potential to transform the provision and management of power, waste, and water. Governments have a key role to play in this process. In Saudi Arabia, for example, the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has now begun issuing green bonds to raise funds for environmentally friendly projects. This will help channel billions of dollars’ worth of investment into sustainable construction over the coming decade.

The importance of partnerships

From incorporating the latest innovations in mobility to enhancing data capabilities and incentivizing green construction, the cities of the future require not only smart solutions but smarter collaborations too. The future of urban spaces requires an expansion of that idea towards evaluating whether projects create value for local communities and ecosystems both today and tomorrow. New models for appraising projects like the Intergenerational Redistributive Effects Model (IREM) are being used on an increasing number of projects. These new models provide an exciting example of the new ways industries are beginning to view both commercial and social value.  

The importance of technology to the future of cities is also opening the doors to much wider collaboration between public and private bodies. Examples include the Future Living Berlin project – where global companies such as Panasonic are collaborating to create an urban quarter with an intelligent housing environment. Volkswagen has also partnered with the Greek government to implement a renewably powered mobility system on the island of Astypalea. These partnerships look set to increase as cities look to increase their connectivity, efficiency, and sustainability.

Creating sustainable solutions to complex problems

At Alfanar Projects, we know the power of public-private partnerships in creating solutions that empower local communities and support governments in creating infrastructure that provides value for generations to come. And while we specialize in working on infrastructure projects relating to transportation and education, we are always monitoring the latest developments and innovations across the global engineering construction sector. The creativity, collaboration, and scale of projects all over the world show that not only do we have the solutions to create more sustainable and efficient cities but that communities are already starting to benefit.