Author | Lightnews

Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 14h

This is really interesting when taking into account all of the "Visit Rwanda" advertisements in professional sports. I wonder how this investment in tourism coincides with their rise in urban development.

Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 15h

While I am often incredulous of master plans which include references to Singapore, this is interesting because of the geographical parallels which exist between Djibouti and Singapore. Positioned at the entrance to the Red Sea, I wonder if this comparison could prove viable?

Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 21h

Agreed. It feels like #newcities just use these as homogenous terms for completely heterogenous urban environments. As a little kid, these kinds of proposals used to excite me but now there seems to be a wild degree of monotony.

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 21h

When I look at this situation and this city, I wonder what the cost breakdown would be to put into place flood protection measures within Jakarta and reduce its pollution. I believe it might be more detrimental to consume more than to repair/retrofit what we already have.

Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 21h

I also wrote about this city! One thing that jumped out to me was how Gelephu branded itself as a global model for other cities/countries. Curiously, Bhutan is one of the only countries which implements 'happiness' in their governmental rhetoric, so I wonder how applicable this is elsewhere.

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 21h

Big fan of this first sentence. I think there is a misconception among urban planners and governments that buzzwords like "smart", "eco", and "AI" are somehow going to make us all excited for a top-down mega-project. There needs to be more local knowledge before anything else.

Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 21h

There are also numerous ethical implications for this project, namely the resettlement process of those indigenous to the land. While the land was technically secured by the government, there have been numerous "difficulties" removing these people from their ancestral land. Not a great start.

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 22h

This is the first time I have seen a plan for an 'airport city' and I am unsure as to whether it will be the last. It makes sense in theory I guess -- like a town based around a factory -- but the 5 year timeline and lack of housing plans for the project don't give an optimistic look.

Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 22h

Abusera Airport City, Ethiopia
Concrete plans about this #newcities project were a bit elusive, but this project is just too bizarre and interesting to pass up. The Ethiopian government is trying to build a city centered around a massive airport outside Addis Ababa.

thereportermagazines.com/2476/

Ethiopian Airlines Secures Land for Ambitious Airport City Project in Bishoftu

The Ethiopian Airlines Group has secured the designated land from the Oromia regional government for its ambitious airport city project

thereportermagazines.com

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 22h

Interestingly, there has already been a new parliamentary building paid for by China. New Harare therefore can be seen as perhaps an extension of China's hegemony throughout the African continent, with its surveillance strategies seemingly intertwined with its capital.

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 22h

Perhaps the most troubling thing about this #newcities project is the level of surveillance that is planned. With surveillance feeds that use AI technology and are directly linked to law enforcement, there is already a level of public pushback for this unbuilt city.

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 22h

New Harare, Zimbabwe
Already planned to become Zimbabwe's new capital city, New Harare is not one that I am crazy about. Likely holding a total price tag of around $60bn, this city represents very misplaced priorities for a country with a 57.5% inflation rate.

www.reuters.com/article/mark...

www.reuters.com

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 23h

..be too fragmented, should it be developed. I have often found that some of the most enjoyable urban landscapes are those which emphasize connection, rather than a rigid structuring of zones for different needs. This is not KZ's first rodeo, as they already have Astana, so we will see!

Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 23h

According to the master plan, Alatau will be comprised of four interconnected districts:
1. Gate District (finance hub)
2. Golden District (education zone)
3. Growing District (industry)
4. Green District (recreational area)

The alliteration seems fun but I am curious as to whether this city will..

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 23h

Alatau City, Kazakhstan
This #newcities project is planned to be situated just outside Almaty and will serve as a testbed for "smart governance" and potential crypto-led ambitions on a national scale. Kazakhstan has framed this city as their own version of Singapore.

timesca.com/kazakhstan-u...

Kazakhstan Unveils Alatau: Investor-Led City with Crypto Ambitions - The Times Of Central Asia

Madiyev also proposed key regulatory and infrastructural reforms to attract foreign investors. English should become the city’s main business language,

timesca.com

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 23h

Another interesting element of this city is its vague yet direct link to the "people in the diaspora". I am unsure as to whether this refers to immigration or emigration, but there seems to be a decently large emphasis on attracting people in this demographic.

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 23h

Though satellite imagery shows no building yet, the planned site south of Georgetown states that the "second phase" is imminent. Recently, the Guyanese government partnered with the University of Miami as a collaborative development. I don't often see universities take this role in new cities.

Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 23h

Silica City, Guyana
I love the vision for this #newcities project, but as always, am very skeptical when I see every new city buzzword being thrown into a single article. This project appears to be politically motivated, driven by current President Ali.

caribbeannewsglobal.com/silica-city-...

Silica City to become Guyana’s first fully sustainable and technologically advanced city - Caribbean News Global

Diaspora urged to tap into diverse investment opportunities in Silica City’s development GEORGETOWN, Guyana, (DPI) – As the second phase of the Silica City project is set to commence shortly, preside...

caribbeannewsglobal.com

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 23h

The developer, Ora (Egypt), is best known for luxury builds. So far, there’s no clarity on housing mix or affordability. Like many of these cities, the promise of mass housing meets the architecture of exclusivity. The question is: who’s actually meant to live here?

Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 23h

The name—Ali Al-Wardi, Iraq’s best-known sociologist—evokes a lot of symbolism. That said, I can’t help wonder: what would Al-Wardi himself say about this city? Al-Wardi's beliefs view the human mind as egocentric and motivated by survival and social justification. Similar themes arise here.

Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 23h

Ali Al-Wardi Residential City, Iraq
An interesting development coming out of Iraq, Ali Al-Wardi Residential City plans to be technically independent -- with 120k different housing units -- but will likely rely on capital and population from Baghdad. #newcities

www.iraqinews.com/iraq/iraq-ap...

Iraq approves designs of largest new residential city - Iraqi News

The Iraqi Minister of Construction approved on Monday the designs of the new Ali Al-Wardi residential city project in Baghdad.

www.iraqinews.com

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 3d

Part of #newcities, by the way!

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 3d

Interestingly, the chosen location seems to be the biggest proponent of success for this project. The closest city of Chennai is described as being a "semicircle city" which grows toward the south. In this way, Global City can benefit from already-built infrastructure and connect to economic hubs.

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 3d

Reading about the project, I see nothing that stands out from any other new city project designed to grow an economy. It seems to use all the same keywords and will similarly rely exclusively on external consultants, leaving little space for local knowledge.

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Avery Wirth @averywirth.bsky.social · 3d

'Global City' in Madurantakam, India
With the location JUST approved, this will be situated 60km south of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India. 'Global City' (unsure if this will be changed) will serve as a "net-zero, 15-minute city with a strong focus on ESG principles", renewable energy integration, etc.

Global city to rise in Madurantakam | Chennai News - The Times of India

Chennai: The race to identify the spot for TN's new global city is over. The 2,000-acre project will come up in Maduranthakam taluk, Chengalpet distri.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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