WCS 2012- Interview with Sir Peter Hall

Summary

In this interview, Peter, a jury member for the Lean New World City Prize, shares his experience reviewing global cities for the award. He discusses the challenge of selecting the winners from a wealth of excellent submissions, including cities from both developed and developing countries. Peter highlights the importance of events like the World City Summit for exchanging ideas on urban planning and regeneration. He also reflects on Singapore’s ongoing growth challenges due to limited land, recommending polycentric development and expanded transit corridors as solutions for the future.

Takeaways

• 😀 The jury for the World City Prize faced challenges in narrowing down applications due to the high quality of submissions from cities worldwide.
• 😀 The decision was made to give more attention to cities in the developing world, which led to the inclusion of applications from India and South Africa.
• 😀 Comparing diverse urban environments like informal settlements in Cape Town to highly developed cities like Brisbane and Vancouver was a difficult but essential task for the jury.
• 😀 As the World City Prize gains popularity, the number of applications is expected to grow exponentially, making the jury's job more challenging.
• 😀 The importance of broadening the selection to include cities from different regions, particularly those in the developing world, is crucial while still acknowledging the excellent applications from developed cities.
• 😀 The World City Summit provided a valuable platform for cities to share their successful urban planning and regeneration strategies with other global cities, fostering learning and innovation.
• 😀 City leaders and urban planners benefited from the exchange of ideas and experiences, with presentations showcasing concrete examples of successful urban development.
• 😀 The thematic sessions at the Summit, particularly the breakout discussions, focused on the practical outcomes of urban planning and were appreciated for combining big-picture concepts with concrete case studies.
• 😀 Events like the World City Summit are critical for sharing knowledge and success stories, helping cities learn from each other and improve their urban environments.
• 😀 There is a growing need for more international exchanges, conferences, and academic contributions to share best practices in urban development and regeneration, with more focus on learning from real-world examples.
• 😀 Singapore faces the challenge of managing further growth due to its limited land and space, necessitating innovative solutions like developing transit corridors and creating a more polycentric urban structure.

Q & A

What was Peter's role in the World City Summit, and what was the main challenge he faced during the nomination process?

Peter served on the nominating committee for the World City Summit Prize. The main challenge he faced was narrowing down the numerous excellent applications. There were many impressive submissions, making it difficult to select a single winner. The committee ultimately chose to highlight multiple cities for their remarkable qualities.

How did the nominating committee approach the selection process differently in this edition of the World City Summit Prize?

The committee took a deliberate step to focus on cities in the developing world, aiming to diversify the prize winners. For example, they chose applications from India and an informal settlement in South Africa, in contrast to previous editions where European cities were often favored.

What was the key factor that made comparing cities like Ketu in South Africa to cities like Brisbane and Vancouver difficult?

The difficulty stemmed from comparing very different contexts. Ketu's primary objective was to reduce the murder rate in a marginalized settlement, whereas cities like Brisbane and Vancouver were recognized for their superb urban environments, making the comparisons between the cities' development goals complex.

What does Peter predict for the future of the World City Summit and its selection process?

Peter predicts that the number of excellent applications will grow exponentially as more cities embrace urban development innovation. He also suggests that the committee may need to consider more honorable mentions in the future and broaden the geographical diversity of applicants.

How does Peter describe the value of the World City Summit for cities, leaders, and other stakeholders?

Peter emphasizes the value of sharing information, experiences, and success stories between cities. He believes that the exchange of ideas, particularly through international events, plays a crucial role in advancing urban development, encouraging cities to learn from one another.

What did Peter find most valuable about the thematic sessions at the World City Summit?

Peter found that the thematic sessions, especially the breakout discussions, provided valuable insights. Some of the sessions balanced big-picture concepts with practical, concrete examples, which he felt were essential for effective urban planning.

What does Peter see as an essential component of effective city planning?

Peter believes that the exchange of experience and information across cities, especially through international forums and academic writing, is a key component of effective city planning. He stresses the importance of both learning from other cities' successes and documenting best practices.

Why does Peter advocate for more travel to see successful urban planning examples firsthand?

Peter argues that while digital content like YouTube clips can be helpful, there is no substitute for seeing successful urban planning in person. He believes that firsthand experience provides a deeper understanding of how cities have achieved success and how those lessons can be applied elsewhere.

What challenge does Peter identify for Singapore in terms of urban growth?

Peter identifies the challenge of handling further growth in Singapore, given its limited land area. As development space becomes scarce, he points out that Singapore must explore strategies like higher-density buildings and new transit corridors to accommodate growth.

What specific urban development strategy does Peter suggest Singapore should focus on moving forward?

Peter suggests that Singapore should prioritize developing new transit corridors, particularly orbital routes that connect different parts of the island. This would create a more polycentric urban structure, reducing congestion in central areas and ensuring more balanced growth across the island.