The Liveability Framework
Through the study of Singapore’s development journey and taking into account current and emerging urban challenges, the Centre has distilled the desired outcomes and supporting systems undergirding Singapore’s approach to liveable and sustainable
urban development. The Liveability Framework captures these findings in a diagram comprising three intersecting circles that represent the critical liveability outcomes, and an encompassing "ring-like” structure that symbolise the three complementary
systems that create the enabling conditions to achieve and sustain these outcomes.
Desired outcomes for a liveable city:
- Competitive Economy
- Sustainable Environment
- High Quality of Life
Systems to achieve these desired outcomes:
Integrated Master Planning and Development
- Think Long Term
- Build for Resilience
- Seek “Win-Win”
- Execute Effectively
- Innovate Systemically
Dynamic Urban Governance
- Lead with Vision and Pragmatism
- Uphold a Culture of Integrity
- Cultivate Sound Institutions
- Engage and Partner with the Community
- Work with Markets
Collaborative Ecosystem
- Collective Stewardship as a Foundation for Transformative Collaborations
- Forging Strong Partnerships Beyond a City’s Boundaries
The Liveability Framework guides the Centre’s research focus and development of its knowledge products. It also provides city leaders and policy makers with a forward-looking and systems-focused lens through which they can generate more
resilient strategies for high liveability and sustainability.
For more information on the Liveability Framework, please refer to Building Liveable and Sustainable Cities: A Framework for the Future.
The CLC Liveability Matrix
The CLC Liveability Matrix plots cities’ population densities against liveability scores derived from The Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU’s) Global Liveability Index. Singapore is one of a few high-density cities that scored well
in EIU’s Global Liveability Index.
Singapore is a densely populated island city-state with around 5.9 million inhabitants on just 730km2 of land. Despite this, it has been consistently recognised for its high standard of living in global liveability indices. Unlike most other liveable
cities that typically feature a large hinterland, lower rise developments and a more dispersed population, Singapore’s post-independence urban transformation into a modern and thriving global hub represents a sustainable development model that
combines a compact city structure with a high quality of life.
The key thrusts of the Centre's Research are:
Documentation
The CLC’s Urban Systems Studies series
How did Singapore transform itself into a highly liveable and sustainable city within the last five decades? The Centre’s series of Urban Systems Studies (USSes) answers this by unpacking Singapore’s urban systems – systemic components that make up the city – and making sense of the various systems holistically. The USSes capture insights and tacit knowledge about Singapore’s development processes, distilled from in-depth oral history interviews with Singapore’s urban pioneers and rigorous engagement with experts and stakeholders. As a body of knowledge, the USS series not only illustrates the visible outcomes of Singapore’s development, but also reveals the underlying challenges and dilemmas of Singapore’s urban development story.
Forward-looking research
The Centre publishes forward-looking research publications and collaborates with its research partners through platforms such as multi-agency workshops and roundtables.
Based on the lessons gleaned from Singapore’s urban development, how can cities create urban solutions that address the challenges faced today? The Centre adopts an integrated systems approach to build on insightful analyses of the diverse experiences of Singapore and other cities, in order to identify topics for further research. We collaborate with government agencies, academic institutions, international partners and experts across various platforms to develop innovative yet practical urban solutions for Singapore and other cities.
Planning & Development
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In the face of competing outcomes for the environment, economy and citizens’ quality of life, how do cities optimise planning and development? The Centre studies how suitable planning strategies support the development of liveable and sustainable cities in the long run.
Urban Governance
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What are the enabling frameworks, rules and processes that transform a city’s vision into a reality? Drawing upon experiences from Singapore and other cities, the Centre delves into the operating principles and mechanisms that generate the ideal conditions for sustainable and liveable city outcomes.
Environment & Resources
In the face of rising urbanisation and other environmental challenges like climate change, how should cities build resilience and manage the delicate balance between built and natural environments? The Centre draws lessons from cities worldwide, including Singapore, to inform strategies for sustainable development.
Society
As societies change and become more diverse, how should urban planning and governance approaches adapt accordingly? The Centre examines key issues faced by Singapore and other cities, in planning for ageing populations, diversity in populations and creating inclusive, resilient cities.
Land & Economy
How can cities optimise their land and financial resources to keep its economy competitive? The Centre gleans lessons from Singapore’s and other cities’ on managing scarce land resources while remaining economically vibrant and competitive.