How do you develop a city so that it doesn’t end up disorganized and directionless?
Large numbers of people immigrating to bigger cities in search of new opportunities is something that happens all over the world. It’s been happening for a long time, too. This process often begins with people moving to a simple town. However, as the population expands, the town becomes congested. Roads, water, electricity, sewage, and even housing are no longer enough to meet the demand. The same process happens in cities. Clearly, proper urban development is key in comfortably accommodating more people.
Urban, or more specifically, city development takes 3 main factors into account: infrastructure, livability, and economy. These factors will help the city develop efficiently by responding to the needs of the people. By adhering to these factors, city planners can help solve various issues even before they arise – helping their city move forward in a livable and friendly way, and allowing it to grow sustainably into the future.
Infrastructure
What is infrastructure, exactly? Let’s break it down. Infrastructure is like the backbone of the city. It’s the things that make it work: the electricity system, clean water facilities, the pipes, the bridges, the public transportation systems and the roads. Even educational institutions and medical facilities are considered infrastructure as they allow for the operation of society and support the lives of everyone in the city.
What happens when infrastructure isn’t adequate? Sometimes infrastructure isn’t easy to see but a lack of it will certainly be felt. Power outages, lack of water, not enough doctors or hospital beds, and traffic jams are all examples of lacking infrastructure. If we want to avoid these kinds of things, we need to build a more comprehensive support system. We need to build new roads and rail lines to alleviate the transportation network, add additional power supply, and find new sources of water to keep up with the demands of the growing population. It’s also important that when this infrastructure is put into place, growth be taken into account so that it can continue to support the people well into the future. Nowadays, we’re seeing new types of infrastructure as well. Digital infrastructure and telecommunications have now become vital. As cities continue to grow it's also important to not lose sight of green infrastructure. Setting aside land for the development of parks and agricultural areas.
Changing a city into a livable city
Every year, the World Economic Forum ranks cities’ livability based on 6 criteria: affordability, amenities, connectivity, culture, safety, and sustainability.
These criteria will indicate whether a city can ensure that you do not have to get up early in the morning to go to the hospital to wait in line for a doctor, whether there is likely to be a quality school near your home, and even whether there is a nearby park where you can go to exercise. Other factors like the comfort of the weather, the PM 2.5 levels, equality in society, how friendly people are, and the safety of the citizen and their property are also considered.
Essentially, if your city is highly ranked on this list, you are a lucky resident of a very pleasant city. Congratulations!
Good city, good economy
If we’re able to develop into becoming a more livable city, there will most likely be an influx of talented people wanting to move in. When that happens, investors and multinational companies are rarely far behind bringing new opportunities for startups and businesses. The city’s economy will improve.
Now, the livable city will become even more livable. As the population becomes more diverse, new perspectives and ideas from world-class people will help develop the education sector, society at large, innovation, economy, and city development across every dimension.
Sustainable growth will become abundant through supporting renewable energy, better waste management, and energy-efficient green buildings which not only reduce our impact on the environment but also reduce costs for operators and create new opportunities for the expansion of green industries.
When a city has all of three of these elements: infrastructure, livability, and economy; it can be considered a success – a place we can be happy to call home and a shining beacon for the world to visit. This shared vision is attainable. Through unity, Thailand can push forward and build a better tomorrow for our next generation of citizens – jointly creating a sustainable city that is both a joy to live in, and ready to deal with any challenges that might face us in the future.
References
https://blogs.worldbank.org/endpovertyinsouthasia/livability-economic-imperative-cities
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/livable-cities-cornerstone-sustainable-economic-development-dean
https://toposmagazine.com/smart-growth-cities/
https://theonebrief.com/urban-infrastructure-keeping-economies-and-people-healthy/
