2020
The Greater Tokyo Area is the world's most populous metropolitan region, and it is continuing to grow at a fast pace. The cost of housing is astronomical. This forces hundreds of thousands of people to commute long distances to work; their daily travel time can be several hours. Urban-planning solutions are urgently needed to prevent Tokyo from choking on its own growth. Strategies include raising density, promoting shared housing and micro-homes, and investing in 'urban villages', neighborhoods where people can live, work and spend their leisure time. That would reduce the number of commuters and improve the quality of life.
2020
Singapore is arguably the world's most modern metropolis. The small island state with a growing population needs to plan land use and construction carefully. It is committed to sustainable development and to maintaining the city's greenery. The climate is tropical, so ways to keep buildings cool and cool open spaces are a priority. Singapore has become a pioneer in eco-friendly energy-saving urban development. The regulations are stringent: any green space lost when a new building goes up must be replaced somewhere else - for example on the façade or on the roof. The city is creating a new generation of green skyscrapers that harvest rainwater and run on solar power.