Cities for People

Existing cities face constraints of land and space. Urban rejuvenation efforts are critical in the face of disruption and change. There are multiple priorities to be considered, such as revitalising ageing buildings and infrastructure, ensuring access to affordable housing and adapting to demographic changes.

This plenary features successful implementation solutions, innovative approaches and purposeful community engagement that can transform cities.

Led by Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore

The Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize Lecture will feature presentations by the 2026 Prize Laureate and Special Mentions, offering an in-depth exploration of their transformative urban initiatives and innovative approaches to city development. This session provides a unique opportunity for attendees to gain firsthand insights into the exemplary strategies that have transformed these cities' landscapes and improved quality of life for their residents.

The Laureate city will deliver a comprehensive presentation showcasing their groundbreaking solutions to complex urban challenges, while Special Mention cities will share their distinctive approaches to sustainable development and community engagement. These presentations will highlight practical methodologies, implementation processes, and measurable outcomes that other cities can adapt and apply to their own contexts.

The interactive forum component encourages dialogue between presenters and the global audience of mayors, city leaders, urban planners, and policymakers. Participants will have opportunities to ask questions, discuss challenges, and explore potential collaborations. This dynamic knowledge-sharing platform fosters excellence in urban governance while inspiring continued innovation and best practice exchange across the global community.

Led by Singapore Institute of Architects

At the heart of every beloved city is an invisible framework of coordination, policy, and governance, an unseen yet meticulous foundation laid by urban officials, city agencies, and planners for the City to be built upon. 

Acting as translators and synthesisers, Architects design buildings and spaces that bridge complex infrastructure, community, and environmental requirements to create meaningful and livable urban spaces. This session examines how various projects are made humane through thoughtful design whilst illuminating policy and innovation through cross-agency coordination, resulting in impactful interventions that ripple across the urban fabric. 

Through the lens of the end user, the featured projects showcase intangible outcomes such as trust, security, and implied safety, qualities we often take for granted but are essential for spaces that are not only well-used but well-loved. These outcomes emerge where careful policy, collaborative governance, and design thinking converge. 

Led by Land Transport Authority, Singapore

This session examines how cities can build people-centred mobility systems that strengthen liveability, sustainability, and community connectivity. The Land Transport Authority (LTA), along with international mayors and global mobility experts, will share how human-centric planning, high-quality transport hubs, and seamless multimodal networks can elevate everyday journeys. 

Beyond infrastructure expansion, the session explores how public transport nodes can evolve into multi-use community hubs with vibrant public spaces; how streets can be redesigned to prioritise safety and accessibility for vulnerable users; and how transit corridors can double as green, active-mobility spines that promote healthier, low-carbon lifestyles, as well as becoming new destinations for cities. Together, the speakers will illustrate how human-centred mobility can shape more connected, inclusive and sustainable urban futures.