Southeast Asia Building – May-June 2018

Weifang Cultural Centre

GFA: 294,000 square metres

Completion: 2013

ARCHITECT’S CORNER Interview with Dr Liu Thai Ker

106 SEAB MAY-JUNE 2018

put our airports at Changi. So, you must
plan long term. Actually being a kiasu
Singaporean, even though I planned for
2091, I made sure that I still had ample
land available. It is still there. There are
also a few pieces of sea area in the main
island still waiting to be reclaimed. On top
of that, our government in recent years
has enlarged the reclamation areas of
Pulau Tekong. So, when you add them
all up, the available unbuilt land is quite
ample. But to plan for 10 million now, I did
some rough calculation, you cannot plan
the new development areas to the same
density that we know now. We have to plan
them at a somewhat higher density. But if
we don’t plan now and carry on as usual, by
the time you have to face your 10 million,
the density in the new development areas
would have to be significantly higher.
People worry that my 10 million would
destroy the Singapore environment. I am
proposing 10 million precisely because I
wish to protect the good environment of

Singapore. If we do it now, even though

I am proposing 10 million, I am saying

that all the conservation areas, all the

landed areas, all the ecological areas,

all the rivers and hills will be kept. If we

do it now, we can do so. If we do it later,

we may have no choice but to convert

them to development areas. That is not

what I want to see for my own country.

So, in the name of good environment, in

the name of keeping all the good things

we are enjoying now, I feel we must

start planning long term and plan for

10 million. One further point, I hope our

economy will continue to do well. With

good economy, despite technological

advances, we can still create new jobs. We

need more people to fill up the vacancy.

For Singapore, to remain as a sovereign

nation, I hope we will continue to exist for

thousands of years. There is no guarantee

that our population growth will stop at

10 million, the earlier we plan, the more

we can preserve our good environment,

the more we can cater for long term

nationhood. It is my love of our nation

and our good environment that drives

me to make this proposal.

Q

What is your vision for Asian cities

in 10 to 20 years? What are the

possible architectural / urban planning

solutions for a growing population in

the face of climate change?

A: Just some rough calculation, if India,

China and Indonesia were to be urbanized

to the same level as American cities

today with the same quality of life, then

in the next half century, India will have to

build around 5 USAs, which means that

for every office tower, bungalow, sewage

plant in USA, India has to build 5 of them.

That means India needs to build 5 USAs

in the next 50 years. China has to build

3 USAs. Indonesia has to build 2 USAs. 10

USAs in total. That’s the key reason why I

want to start Morrow at this ripe old age.

Because there is so much work to do. And