MUP AND MAUD STUDENTS AND RECENT GRADUATES WIN FOUR PLANEX STUDENT AWARDS 2026 FROM THE SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF PLANNERS (SIP)
The PlanEX Student Awards 2026 mark a new milestone for student planning recognition in Singapore, being the first time such awards have been presented under the PlanEX platform, rather than the SIP Planning Awards. Congratulations to all the winners and their dedicated studio leaders!
The PlanEX Student Awards celebrate outstanding ideas, creativity, and impact from students passionate about shaping better, more sustainable, and more inclusive cities, across three key categories: Urban Planning, Urban Design, and Urban Research. The awards were presented at PlanEX 2026: Islands of Tomorrow on Sentosa on 19 September 2026.
URBAN PLANNING AWARD 2026
Urban Planning Award celebrates outstanding projects that demonstrate strong planning thinking and the ability to address complex urban issues through strategic and system-based approaches.
Silver Award
Project title: “Johor’s Blue City”, Pasir Gudang, Johor, Malaysia + Singapore
Team Members: Sean Koh, Xinyi He, Samantha Lu, Megan Yeo and Qiuhui Zhu
Studio Leaders: Djoko Prihanto, Jeffrey Ho, Shrena Joshi & Yuliang Zhou
Programme: MUP
Set in Pasir Gudang, Johor, this regional planning cross-border project reimagines the city around a proposed 3rd Malaysia-Singapore Link. It explores relocating the Pasir Gudang Industrial Estate and Johor Port to Tanjung Langsat, freeing the waterfront for redevelopment and diversifying the city through a 3-pillared strategy of Blue Economy, Blue Infrastructure and Blue Lifestyle, to transform Johor’s Industrial Hub into Johor’s Blue City.
Click here to view the students’ work.
Silver Award
Project title: “Soolarpunk Isle”, Suzhou, China
Team Members: Tianyun Wang, Lewen Yu & Zihan He
Studio Leaders: Jason Ang & H. Koon Wee
This project emerged a part of a transversal NUS MAUD x M.Arch studio, and an international studio collaboration University of Pennsylvania, National University of Singapore, Southeast University, Tongji University, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, entitled “SIP 2050: Global Visions for a High-Tech Livable Future” for Suzhou Industrial Park, China. “Soolarpunk Isle” 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝗅𝗈𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝗇𝖾𝗐 𝗌𝗉𝖺𝗍𝗂𝖺𝗅 𝗌𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗀𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗂𝗇𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗂𝖼𝗍𝗌 𝗅𝗈𝗈𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀 beyond 𝟤𝟢𝟧𝟢, with particular focus on agri-tech urbanism and imagining how food, technology, ecology and urban life might come together in the future.
Bronze Award
Project title: “The Living Industry City”, Singapore
Team Members: Justin Eng, Mao Mei, Yang Yunting & Yuan Zhiyi
Studio Leaders: John Achari, Colin Choo, Wilfred loo & Karen Tham
Programme: MUP
This project proposes a 2050 vision for Sungei Kadut as a resilient and inclusive eco-innovation hub, uniting future industries with sustainable community lifestyles. Key guiding goals include fostering inclusive community, promoting circular economy and enhancing climate resilience. Click here to view the students’ work.
Note: No Gold Award was presented.
URBAN RESEARCH AWARD 2026
Urban Research category recognises projects that demonstrate strong research, analytical thinking and evidence-based insights that contribute to urban planning practice.
Bronze Award
Research title: “Optimisation of EV Charging Station Location Using a Genetic Algorithm in San Francisco”
Student: Lei Chuxi
Supervisors: Rudi Stouffs & Pengyuan Liu; special thanks to Assoc Prof Dr Filip Biljecki for coordinating research dissertations across MAUD and MUP programmes
Programme: MAUD
Note: No Gold or Silver Awards were presented.
These are important milestones for our students and teaching teams, and they reflect the coordination, teaching, and leadership of MAUD Programme Director Associate Professor Asma Annie Khawatmi, MUP Programme Director Associate Professor Dr Zdravko Trivic, and MUP Programme Deputy Director Assistant Professor Dr Naomi Hanakata, together with their teaching teams.
Singapore Institute of Planners (SIP)
The Singapore Institute of Planners is a professional organisation established in 1971 which is dedicated to the advancement of sustainable urban and regional planning with a view to create better communities and environments. The Institute collaborates with government planning agencies including the Urban Redevelopment Authority, the Housing and Development Board, the JTC Corporation, the Centre for Liveable Cities and Institutes of Higher Learning. The Institute is an industry association partner of the Design Singapore Council (DSg).