Sasaki’s "Forest City" Master Plan in Iskandar Malaysia Stretches Across 4 Islands

Written by Eric Oh

Located on four man-made islands in Iskandar Malaysia, “Forest City” is set to be South-East Asia’s largest, mixed use green development. Designed by Sasaki Associates, the master plan has an estimated investment of S$58.3 billion (US$40.9 billion) and is expected to bring around 220,000 jobs to the area. Located near the economic centers of Southeast Asia, the new Forest City is ideally placed to become a hub of commerce and culture. Designed to encourage live/work culture, it is composed of “financial institutions, high-tech research and development facilities, headquarter offices, and a variety of creative industries that establish an innovative and sustainable employment base for the region,” write the architects. Read more after the break.

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The development strategy involves both a mixed-used, walkable approach, along with a “symbiotic relationship” between the built and natural environments. The development will be connected to the larger region via a light rail and ferry, linking to planned extensions of Singapore and Malaysia’s transit infrastructure.

A key portion of the aforementioned “symbiotic relationship” is the development’s preservation strategy. Addressing concerns of affecting the area's delicate ecosystem and the fishing industry that relies on it, the design will mimic the natural coastal ecologies of the region at the island edges, re-establishing over nine kilometers of mangroves, 10 kilometers of shallow coves and mudflats and protecting 250 hectares of shallow-water seagrass. In addition to maintaining the region’s ecological sustainability, this restoration also provides resiliency against sea-level rises.

The public realm throughout the development is linked, with a “rooftop network of interconnected parks and gardens,” creating the world’s largest green roof system. Beyond just the rooftop, the design will also provide natural habitats, filter stormwater and provide recreational activities, free from the presence of automobiles. The development will also include a diverse offering of transit systems and prioritized pedestrian connections with transit centres located around dense, civic areas.

Forest City’s overall vision is aimed at attracting a talented, international population that wants to live in a sustainable urban environment. With this in mind, the development not only encompasses an iconic skyline of architecture, but also focuses on enriching the daily life of its residents with a diversity of housing types and cultural fabric.

Learn more about the project here.