Asia Society's Pacific Cities Sustainability Initiative (PCSI) is proud to present Tomorrow’s City Today: The Future of Livable Cities in the Pacific Rim with Thai Ker Liu.

Date: May 29

Schedule:

7:30AM Registration
7:30AM-8:00AM Networking
8:00AM-9:00AM Program

Location: 
Altoon Partners LLP
617 West 7th Street, Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90017

Parking: Click here to view parking options. 

Thai Ker Liu has influenced the modern urban landscape more than any one else in Singapore’s development history. Trained as an architect, he went from working in architectural firms, to leading the Housing Development Board and subsequently the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore. He is known for his contributions to new towns as well as the Constellation plan.

From 1979-1989 he was head of the Housing Development Board (HDB), from 1989-1992 he was CEO and Chief Planner for the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and in 1996 became Chairman of the National Arts Council (NAC). Trained as an architect, Thai Ker’s keen sense of the arts was derived from his father, a local pioneer painter, Liu Kang. Thai Ker left his mark in three key areas:

1. Planning Concept — moving from “large scale estates with localized facilities to self-sufficient new towns;”

2. Architectural Design — transforming functional buildings to aesthetically designed homes with a tropical touch;

3. Engineering Design — where he introduced “new structural systems” such as the long span pre-stressed concrete beams for public housing. With URA, Thai Ker’s main contributions were in revising the “Concept Plan” for the arts, particularly in promoting local arts and in conservation projects. The Concept Plan arose from the British Master Plan for Singapore and was to shape Singapore’s early urban landscape.

Thai Ker serves as a planning advisor to various municipal governments in China (over 20 cities) and was given an honorary Citizen of Fuzhou, awarded by the Fujian district for his contributions.

He is currently Director of RSP Architects and Chairman of the Centre for Livable Cities in Singapore.

Moderator: Richard Drobnick, Director, CIBER USC Marshall School of Business.

This event marks the official launch of a new Asia Society/ULI report, Tomorrow’s City Today: Case Studies for a Sustainable Future, which showcases ideas and concepts presented at the Pacific Cities Sustainability Initiative (PCSI) Annual Forum held in Hong Kong in February 2013. READ THE REPORT HERE.

For more information about PCSI, please visit AsiaSociety.org/PCSI. The Asia Society of Northern California will also be hosting an event with Thai Ker Liu on May 28th, please visit the event page for details.  

Copies of Tomorrow’s City Today included with admission price. 

Event Co-Sponsor