Research

NUS Cities Research aims to be an interdisciplinary and inclusive platform for researchers, academics and practitioners to solve complex urban challenges, and build capacity for the future.

The world is rapidly urbanising with 80% of its population living in cities by 2050. Cities are highly complex adaptive systems and continue to face various existential challenges such as climate change, changing demographics and pandemics. There is a critical need to address them and enhance our understanding of cities. Much of current research done on cities focus on specific aspects of urban problems such as flooding and food security. Leveraging on Singapore’s repertoire of well-documented case studies and urban innovations, NUS Cities seeks to complement current urban research by undertaking urban systems research from foundation to translational, and more importantly, link research to education and the industry.

It will answer the basic question of how cities function as complex adaptive systems and can be made more sustainable, resilient, and liveable through an interdisciplinary holistic approach, aided by a range of methodology grounded by good science and novel methods and tools. It will partner and collaborate with various agencies, IHLs, and the industry to co-create and co-develop ideas for research and implementation. Lastly, it will recommend viable systems solutions that considers social, economic and environmental outcomes through plans and policies. In so doing, it aims to be an inclusive platform for researchers, academics and practitioners to solve complex urban challenges, and build capacity for the future.

Research Strategy

Research Strategy

Research Roadmap

Research Roadmap

Research Projects

*Note that specific research projects and scopes are still under refinement.

Climate Resilient City

Climate Resilient City (Urban Climate)

Principal Investigators:
Associate Professor Yuan Chao, Associate Professor Jason Lee, Associate Professor Qian Wenlan, Dr. Olivia Jensen

Climate change and urbanization are behind higher frequency and more intensive heat risks at urban areas. How then can we evaluate the impact on microclimate accurately enough to support urban planning and design to mitigate heat risks?​

For this study, Lidar measurements of wind profiles and Internet of Things (IoT) microclimate sensing technologies are used to drive high-fidelity CFD simulations. This will guide technical planning and design guidelines for new developments and districts.​

Image source: NUS Urban Climate Design Lab

Car-lite City

Car-lite City (Sustainable Urban Mobility)

Principal Investigators:
Associate Prof. Raymond Ong, Practice Prof. Fong Chun Wah, Adjunct Prof. Looi Teik Soon, Adjunct Prof. Mohinder Singh, Assistant Prof. Feng Ling, Prof. Sing Tien Foo

Building upon the Land Transport Master Plan 2040 to critically examine what it means to have a 20-minute town and 45-minute city. ​

Considering:

  • Definition and measurement of 20-min town​s
  • Town structures and typology and their efficiency and performance​
  • Promotion of active mobility

Image source: Photo by Shawn on Unsplash

Healthy City

Healthy City (Health & Ageing)

Principal Investigators:
Adjunct Prof. Loke Wai Chiong, Dr. Rosita Samsudin, Dr. Michael McGreevy

By 2050, nearly 70% of the world's population will live in cities. Urbanisation trends lead to many assaults on human health with various health challenges such as the rise of non-communicable diseases, mental health concerns. Yet, there are opportunities where the urban environment could serve as leverage point for health promotion.

Identified research priorities:​

  • Optimise usage of spaces​
  • Foster positive community interactions​
  • Enhance access to healthy food options​
  • Provide access to healthy cooked food​
  • Cultivating an identity of physical activity​

Image source: Photo by Nguyen Thu Hoai on Unsplash

Urban Observatory

Urban Observatory for Cities of Tomorrow

Principal Investigators:
Assistant Professor Alvin Chua, Adjunct Professor Paul Cheung

Singapore faces a complex interplay of mounting challenges arising from the rapidly changing operating environment. This calls for a continual innovation of its approach in urban planning and governance which is both integrated and inter-disciplinary. New urban science methods and technologies offer exciting opportunities to produce knowledge and help us understand our city. The Urban Observatory seeks to study urban dynamics and interactions between urban systems and provide views of people, spaces, and the environment at urban and neighbourhood scales.​

Key projects include​:

  • Population geodemographic modelling & household archetyping​
  • Relocation & housing aspirations among Singaporeans in ageing public housing​
  • Insights into the built environment & lifestyle behaviours to inform policies & plans for holistic health and wellbeing

Image source: Photo by Luiz Felipe S. C. on Unsplash

Urban Science Research

Urban Science Research

Principal Investigators:
Professor Lai Choy Heng, Assistant Professor Feng Ling, Professor Chen Kan

To conduct fundamental research on the science of complexity in cities​

List of projects:​

  • The Effects of Activity Centre Design, Ownership and Governance on Neighbourhood Complexity in Singapore (Dr. Michael McGreevy)

Image source: Dr. Michael McGreevy, NUS Cities

Anticipatory Policy Design

Anticipatory Policy Design for Urban Resilience and Governance

Principal Investigators:
Assistant Professor Araz Taeihagh, Dr. Darren Nel

This project aims to develop computational tools using complexity science to design adaptive and anticipatory policies that enhance urban resilience. By leveraging network-centric and spatial-temporal insights, the project will support more effective policy development.

Project Overview: The initiative will create a Network-Centric Anticipatory Policy Design Support System to help policymakers design flexible, forward-looking policy packages. This system will use agent-based models, geospatial intelligence, and AI to guide decision-making. ​

Key project components: ​

  • A theoretical framework combining network-centric policy design with spatial planning
  • A decision support tool powered by ABM-AI to classify, rank, and analyze policy options
  • Development of policy packages specifically designed to improve urban resilience in Singapore

Image Source: Assistant Professor Araz Taeihagh and NUS Cities

**Note that external collaborators and partners are not mentioned for conciseness.

Get in touch with our team for inquiries and support regarding research collaborations.

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