NUS Cities

Modernism treated cities as controllable objects. Floods were to be prevented, terrain leveled, and nature managed. But can cities truly be controlled?

Climate change, rainfall, and the urban heat island effect are exposing the limits of cities built on the exclusion of nature. At the same time, Japan has entered a super-aging society. The population is declining, and cities are quietly beginning to shrink. Urban structures once designed on the premise of endless expansion are now losing that assumption. Vacant lots. Empty houses. Underused public facilities. Vegetation sprouting through cracks in the pavement. Unplanned “gaps” are beginning to appear throughout the urban fabric.

Are these merely signs of decline? Or do they signal a deeper transformation of the structure of the city itself? If we reconsider the city not as a closed artificial system, but as something continuous with the ground, waterways, and time, what, then, are we to design? In shrinking cities, are these gaps deficiencies? Spaces of possibility? Or catalysts for a transition toward another order?

What kind of urban future will we choose?

Join us for our 31st Public Lecture led by Mr Tomoyuki Ushigome (Director of Western Japan Design Division, Director of AXS Future Strategy Office).

Curious about our NUS Cities undergraduate programme?

Visit us next Saturday to find out about how our Minor in Cities can deepen your knowledge on these urban environments and hone your skills towards shaping liveable worlds. See you there! 😊

Thinking about shaping the future of urban environments? Join our upcoming webinar for the Master of Cities programme at NUS. We’ll dive deep into:
• 📚 Curriculum & Programme Highlights
• 💼 Career Prospects
• 📝 Detailed Admissions Guide

Scan the QR code in the image to register and secure your spot today!

Introducing CDE2506: Healthy Cities, a new elective offered under the Minor in Cities this AY25/26 Semester 2.

Explore how urban environments influence health outcomes and learn strategies for designing cities that are more equitable, people-centred, and resilient.

If you’re curious about the intersection of urban planning, public health, and governance — find out more on our website now! 🌿🏙️

Course registration for AY25/26 Semester 2 starts on 2 Jan 2026!

Introducing CDE3507: Regenerative Cities, a new elective under the Minor in Cities for AY25/26 Semester 2.

This course explores how cities can move beyond sustainability to become systems that actively support ecosystem health, climate resilience, and social equity.

Learn how regenerative principles can shape the cities of the future — find out more about the course on our website now! 🌿🏙️

Course registration for AY25/26 Semester 2 starts on 2 Jan 2026! 🌍✨

The era of Bladerunner is upon us as we experience a fundamental shift in where, when and how we interact in our urban context. How far have we already come, and do we really want to go further? Our urban technology saves lives, reduces costs, and improves the environment. Yet in an era of AI, LLMs, immersive AR, robotics and autonomy, can we retain privacy even as we seek security? How much autonomy can our systems tolerate? How will we rectify algorithmic bias and who is at the end accountable? Join us for a discussion of the good, the bad and the ugly in emerging urban technology.

Learn More by Joining Us at the Upcoming NUS Cities Public Lecture by Dr. Lola Woetzel, Founder and Partner of Global6; Senior Partner Emerita at McKinsey & Company; former Director of the McKinsey Global Institute; Visiting Professor of Global China Studies and Business at NYU Shanghai!

Join us to discuss how urban science may better our cities

The NUS Cities Symposium is back this year with its 3rd edition, happening on 3 September at the NUS University Town UTown Auditorium 2.

With the theme “How Urban Science helps Cities become more Liveable, Sustainable, and Resilient”, this flagship event of the Urban Science Week 2025 and NUS Sustainability Connect will gather a community of local and international urban professionals and experts across various disciplines and sectors to examine how urban science may better our cities and improve our lives.

There will be a power-packed lineup of speakers over a variety of plenaries and panel discussions that will surely provide much insights and lessons. Network and connect with fellow urban professionals and researchers, and contribute to help make our cities better for everyone.

CPD/PDU points will be awarded as follows:
Singapore Institute of Planners (SIP) – 6 CPD points
Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects (SILA) – 4 CPD points
Board of Architects/Singapore Institute of Architects (BOA-SIA) – 4 CPD points
Professional Engineers Board (PEB) – 6 PDU points
Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC-GMP) – 3 CPD points

Register now via the link in our bio and we hope to see you there!

The Master of Cities prepares you to be at the forefront of shaping and transforming cities. Gain first-hand perspectives of urban projects and policies from our expert faculty. Get the chance to delve into cross-cultural dialogues with other urban professionals.  Be equipped with interdisciplinary practical and theoretical concepts, to analyse complex urban issues and deliver impactful change.

Admissions for the Master of Cities (January 2026 start) are now open, apply now and prepare to be a change maker in your own city.

Information about the programme and application requirements, and access to the admissions portal can be found in the programme website - link in bio. Admissions will close on 30 September, 2025.

Prof Fong Chun Wah is the Deputy Director of NUS Cities, overseeing the work that NUS Cities does in the each of its three pillars of Education, Research and Advisory Services.

Formerly the Deputy CEO (Building) of the Housing & Development Board (HDB), he effectively guided the Building Groups to deliver well on the building and upgrading programmes and achieve greater excellence in the planning, design, quality and construction productivity of HDB flats and estates. In recognition of Mr Fong’s significant contribution to the Singapore Public Service, he was conferred the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2008, and the Public Administration Medal (Silver) (Bar) in 2017.

Students of the Master of Cities will get the opportunity to learn from Prof Fong and from his years of experience as he leads the CIT5002 Inclusive Cities course. The course will explore how cities can create a sense of social and spatial equity for its communities, and provide fair opportunities to access and representation within the city.

Applications for the Master of Cities will be opened this coming Monday, 28 July. Stay tuned for more updates on the Master of Cities and sign up with our mailing list – link in the bio.

Assoc. Prof. H. Koon Wee is Visiting Associate Professor at the Department of Architecture and NUS Cities. He directs the NUS Cities undergraduate education programme, where he co-developed the Minor in Cities, Cities Summer Programme and the Core Curriculum “Liveable Cities” module. Formerly at HKU, he was founding director of the Cities in Asia Programme, and academic director of the HKU Shanghai Study Centre, where he led core courses in the history & theory of cities, globalisation, design and others. Assoc. Prof Koon also co-founded the experimental practice SKEW Collaborative in 2006. SKEW was honoured as “Fifty Under Fifty: Innovators of the 21st Century” by an international jury.

Assoc. Prof. Koon will be leading the Master of Cities course, CIT5001 A Systems Approach to Liveable Cities, which provide an overview of the complexities and challenges that cities face to achieve liveability, from envisioning what it means for cities, getting the evidence and stakeholders’ support for informed decision-making, to institutional building and management methods for effective governance, policy formulation and integrated planning.

Interested? Stay connected with us by joining our mailing list – link in the bio.