Sasaki Associates recently unveiled some preliminary details regarding an ambitious mixed-use development in Malaysia, that's expected to run to a budget of tens of billions of dollars. Dubbed Forest City, the multi-phase project is billed as a potential new cultural and economic hub for the region.
Spanning over 1,386 hectares (3,424 acres) and expected to take over 20 years to complete, the Forest City project is slated for four man-made islands in Iskandar that are well-placed to serve as a link between Singapore and Malaysia. Its budget is rated variously at US$41 billion and $58 billion in the press materials – either way it's a lot of money.
The information released so far is slim and appears focused toward attracting investors, rather than detailing the finer practicalities of the project, but we do know that the first phase for the project would build a transportation hub, marina, international conference center, retail center, and premium hospitals.
Four high-rise condos are planned with two, three, and four-bedroom luxury apartments available, in addition to luxury villas. Each of the residences would be based within gated communities and feature car-free avenues.
Further plans include landscaping large ground-level parks and waterfront systems, in addition to an interesting-sounding rooftop network of interconnected parks and gardens, in addition to mangrove swamps and a green corridor. The development would also boast high-speed transportation links to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
The firm also name-drops several sustainable technologies, including the "world's largest" green roof, rainwater collection, stormwater filtration and solar power, but it's not clear how exactly these would be integrated into the project at this early stage.
Sasaki is working with developers Country Garden Holdings and Esplanade Danga 88 to bring the project from concept to reality. It appears that Forest City is still in the planning and investment phase, but we've reached out to those involved in an effort to confirm this and will update once we hear back.
Sources: Sasaki Associates, Forest City via Arch Daily