Thriving in a Climate-changed Future: Regenerative Design for High-Density Cities
Regenerative design has recently emerged as a promising urban development approach for high-density cities to thrive in a climate-changed and resource-constrained future.
Last updated 23 May 2025
Lecture details
Thriving in a Climate-changed Future: Regenerative Design for High-Density Cities
13 March 2025
3:00pm – 5:00pm.
URA Function Hall, Level 5,
URA Centre, Singapore 069118
2 SILA Pts, 3 BOA-SIA Pts, 2 SIP Pts.
This lecture has ended.
Source: (left to right) Bidadari Park (Singapore)/Ng Sze Xuan; Quay Quarter Tower (Sydney)/3XN.
Lecture Video
Synopsis
Regenerative design has recently emerged as a promising urban development approach for high-density cities to thrive in a climate-changed and resource-constrained future. Going beyond minimising a city’s environmental impact, regenerative design aims to improve liveability, enhance natural ecosystems and optimise urban resources.
In this lecture, experienced practitioners will share and discuss (i) the application of regenerative design for high-density cities through strategies such as nature-based solutions, carbon-sensitive development and resource circularity, (ii) how enablers like planning and design, policy, financing and technology play a role in regenerative developments, and (iii) exemplary case studies from Singapore and other high-density cities.
Resources
Lecture Report
Thriving in a Climate-Changed Future: Regenerative Design for Cities – Professor Cheong Koon Hean, Chair of the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design
Professor Cheong opened the lecture by introducing regenerative design as an approach that goes beyond reducing environmental impact to actively restoring ecosystems and enhancing urban resilience. She emphasized that this approach focuses on the symbiotic relationships between the urban built and natural environments. Regenerative design requires long-term, systems-based planning and thinking grounded in respect for planetary boundaries.
She explained that the aim is to design cities to create value for both people and nature. Drawing on the concept of urban metabolism, cities can be understood as living systems characterised by the interdependencies of its urban systems (e.g. biodiversity, energy, water, and waste). Professor Cheong used notable case studies to demonstrate regenerative strategies at various spatial scales; this included, (i) at building scale, the algae-powered façade BIQ House in Germany, (ii) at district scale, Larnaca Waterfront Masterplan in Cyprus, and (iii) at regional scale, the Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor in Australia.
Singapore’s current integrated urban planning system well positions the city-state to shift from a scarcity-driven perspective of trade-offs to an abundance mindset of maximizing co-benefits. Professor Cheong shared on leveraging upcoming planning and development opportunities by local agencies like ‘Long Island’, where it would be opportune to apply new typologies of liveability guided by regenerative principles to achieve land optimisation, climate resilience and enhanced biodiversity. In ending, Prof Cheong underscored a key research gap in the need to develop consensus across experts on the definition of regenerative development, calling for greater collaboration among the public, private, people, and academia sectors.
Designing for Adaptability and Disassembly: Social, Urban, and Environmental Transformation of Quay Quarter Tower, Sydney – Fred Holt, Partner at 3XN
Fred’s lecture explored the evolving role of architecture in catalysing social, urban, and environmental transformation towards regenerative cities, drawing upon Sydney’s Quay Quarter Tower (QQT) as an example. QQT is an adaptive reuse project of an existing underused 50-year-old high rise building, the 1976 AMP Centre. Completed in 2022, QQT retains over 65% of the original structure and 95% of the original core, resulting in a savings of approximately 12,000 metric tonnes of embodied carbon.
On social transformation, Fred shared that architecture could support the wellbeing of its users, through design choices that prioritise connectivity and flexibility, creating environments that are accessible and welcoming. Likewise, design can achieve urban transformation through rejuvenation of the wider precinct. Buildings should evolve alongside the communities that inhabit and surround them. The built environment should be designed in relation to the larger urban fabric. This can catalyse economic change and ensure adaptability to the environmental and societal needs.
On environmental transformation, Fred shared about the importance of working with low-carbon materials, such as timber and rammed earth. Designing with care refers to choosing materials that support ecological cycles and reduce carbon emissions. Introducing the concept of ‘Design for Disassembly’ – which refer to designing buildings to facilitate future repurposing and ease of dismantling, allowing materials to be reused and repurposed, extending their life cycle and reducing the carbon costs of construction – Fred urged architects and planners to adopt long-term thinking, envisioning a future in which buildings are designed for adaptation and change. This vision respects the past, meets the needs of the present, and remains open to transformation in the future.
Catalysing Regenerative Urbanism through Design: WOHA's Approach to Sustainable and Liveable Cities – Wong Mun Summ, Co-Founder, WOHA and Professor in Practice, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore
Mun Summ shared on WOHA’s design philosophy, and how it is rooted in systems thinking, delving into the interconnectedness of social, ecological, and environmental systems. He emphasised the concept of ‘Layering Cities’, which refer to multiplying ground levels beyond the ground floor, maintaining a high quality of life as amenities remain accessible to all even with increased urban densification. Another key concept is ‘Breathing Cities’. This refers to the adoption of climate-responsive design strategies that are unique to the tropics, like integrating more breezeways for natural ventilation. Beyond serving the needs of humans, ‘breathing cities’ also call for the built environment to enhance ecological performance by facilitating greater inhabitation of biodiversity.
To ensure efficacy of regenerative design, WOHA has a rating system which measures five key ratios: Green Plot Ratio, Community Plot Ratio, Civic Generosity Index, Ecosystem Contribution Index and the Self-Sufficiency Index. These metrices have been selected over conventional measurements used by developers to push the boundaries of sustainable urbanism, prioritising integrated design for the built environment.
Mun Summ illustrated the concept of regenerative urbanism through several of WOHA’s projects. In Singapore, Kampung Admiralty (KA), a mixed-use vertical village, integrates healthcare, housing and community spaces. Mixed-use developments, like KA, showcase how regenerative design can support broader community needs such as aging-in-place. In Dhaka, BRAC University’s campus is designed with breezeways, porous facades and garden terraces, and its form is sculpted to direct wind to sheltered gathering spaces. Such design makes possible learning spaces that are naturally ventilated, eradicating the need for air-conditioning, even in the tropics. These projects underscore the potential of enhancing urban life in ways that are environmentally restorative and socially inclusive through regenerative design.
Panel Discussion moderated by Chintan Raveshia, Director, Cities Business leader, Southeast Asia, Arup
The moderated panel discussion highlighted the critical role of the government in catalysing regenerative development. Fred explained the importance of policy, regulation, and incentives, citing London’s planning regulation which enforces adaptive reuse and Sydney’s used of land incentives to encourage design excellence. Mun Summ shared on the need for the public sector to create favourable operating environments, to lead the industry toward achieving carbon-positive targets.
The panel explored how regenerative design should focus on creating environments that are inclusive to both human and nature. Fred shared that the undergirding principle to is to design for resilience. He gave an example of the Sydney Fish Market as a highly sustainable building integrated with resource circularity strategies for water and energy. Mun Summ opined that a perspectival shift is critical; humans should first see ourselves as a part of nature and therein choose to design for nature. He mentioned key strategies like creating habitats in the sky where biodiversity can thrive, and designing buildings to achieve complete green replacement. Alluding to earlier discussion, both speakers agree that in the move towards planning for socio-environmental benefits, architecture can shape behaviour, and must be supported by good governance in the form of regulations and guidelines.
Overall, the panel emphasized the need for regenerative urbanism to go beyond sustainability, underscoring the impetus for a mindset shift, stronger policies, and cross-sector collaboration. To this end, both speakers shared that there is value in learning from what other cities have done well in like Copenhagen’s well-established economy of reuse and close coordination between national and city government, and Mexico City’s commitment to partnerships, engagement and inclusion of marginalised communities. With good governance and informed ambition, Singapore is well-positioned to catalyse change in creating urban environments that restore and enrich both people and nature.
Conclusion
Overall, the lecture and panel discussion brought to fore the need to design and plan cities in line with regenerative principles to ensure a liveable and resilient future through effective stewardship of resources. In scaling regenerative application, speakers discussed a broad range of strategies, including adopting a co-benefit lens, low-carbon development, and climate-responsive design, emphasising the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders – public, private, people, and academia – in creating a collaborative ecosystem.
About the Speakers
OPENING REMARKS
Hugh Lim
Executive Director ,
Centre for Liveable Cities
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Professor Cheong Koon Hean
Chair, Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities,
Singapore University of Technology and Design
Prof Cheong Koon Hean is a Practice Professor and the Chairman of the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities (SUTD), as well as the Chairman of the Centre for Liveable Cities Advisory Panel under the Ministry of National Development. Prof Cheong is also currently Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador to Finland and on the boards of NUS, Capitaland Group and Surbana Jurong. As a former Deputy Secretary of MND and CEO of HDB and URA, she oversaw the development and management of over one million public housing flats and played a key role in the development of major areas such as Marina Bay.
MODERATOR
Chintan Raveshia
Director,
Cities Business Leader, Southeast Asia, Arup
Chintan Raveshia is a Director and the Southeast Asia lead for the Cities business in Arup, a global planning, design and engineering consultancy. An architect and urban designer, he has worked with governments to shape and implement national, regional and precinct-level urban planning and design strategies, and deepened his local understanding and knowledge across many geographies. He sits on Design Singapore Council’s Advisory Board, ULI Singapore’s Executive Committee, is a visiting lecturer at the National University of Singapore, and leads Arup Singapore’s Markets & Clients strategy.
In over 20 years, he collaborated on and led some of the most iconic projects around the world including Indonesia’s new capital city, Smart Urban Habitat Masterplan in Singapore, Singapore’s food masterplans, London’s Stratford City, and Dongtan – world’s first eco city, in China. Passionate about climate action, Chintan is undertaking research and work that galvanises the built environment against climate risks while exploring opportunities in food resilience, regenerative design, and active mobility. He heads Arup’s Centre for Climate Action in Cities and is also a World Cities Summit Young Leader alumni.
PANEL SPEAKER
Fred Holt
3XN Partner
Fred Holt, joined 3XN in Copenhagen in 2010 and became a Partner in 2015. He has experience in a wide range of phases from design and programming through documentation. However, Fred’s primary focus is on the front-end of projects focusing on the concept design creation and then carrying the design through detail development. Based on his experience through a variety of building typologies, Fred brings a level of expertise to projects that have a proper balance between design and “know-how. While at 3XN, Fred has led or been a key design team member on some of 3XN’s most notable projects.
Most recently, Fred was the design lead and partner-in-charge of competition commencement through to completion of the adaptive reuse, Quay Quarter Tower, Sydney, Australia, which won the International Highrise Award 2022/23 and CTBUH’s and WAF’s Building of the Year in 2022.
Since 2017, Fred Holt has been 3XN Australia’s Creative Director and oversees a wide range of projects in Australia and the wider APAC region. This currently includes the new Sydney Fish Market, a commercial office tower at Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, the new Riverside Theatre Redevelopment in Parramatta, Sydney, Chungnam Arts Center in South Korea, a central Tokyo Residential development and a 60,000 sqm office development in Fukuoka, Japan, now under construction.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Wong Mun Summ
Founding Director, WOHA and Professor (Practice),
National University of Singapore
Mun Summ Wong co-founded the Singapore-based architectural practice WOHA in 1994. He is a Professor in Practice at the National University of Singapore’s Department of Architecture and co-directs the Integrated Sustainable Design Masters Studio. He was also appointed to the Seidler Chair in the Practice of Architecture at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. He sits on the Nominating Committee of the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize, the Design Advisory Board of DesignSingapore Council as well as a Member of the CTBUH Masters of Tall Building and Vertical Urbanism Advisory Panel, in collaboration with the Illinois Institute of Technology.