8 years of shaping cities for the future, the Cistri way

2. Create spaces for people

A successful mixed-use space allows for diverse communities to flourish and can be brought to life, if designed flexibly, to allow for planned and unplanned placemaking.

This involves creating open and comfortable spaces that support social interaction and a sense of community. It may involve simple things such as ensuring there is shade, through to strong accessibility measures.

Our focus:

• Adaptability – Meeting increased preference for flexible and adaptive spaces that are multi-purpose across both time and space.

3. Accessibility is key

Empowering all people to get to and from spaces with ease and safely through equitable access to transit options is vital.

Giving a higher priority to public transport and pedestrian oriented development will go a long way towards achieving this. At the same time, the localisation of development helps to shorten travel times while also building community identity and pride through activation of local neighbourhoods.

Our focus:

4. Harness creativity and innovation

Urban economies are seeking to promote research and development activity; innovation; and the creative industries to bolster economic growth, raise economic value-add and create attractive job opportunities.

With innovation often emerging through the intersection of multiple domains, there is a growing need for truly mixed-use places and precincts that bring together a range of different yet complementary sectors, land uses and talents. 

Our focus:

• Shared ideation – Innovation precincts bring together players from adjacent industries and offer platforms for planned and spontaneous exchange of ideas and collaboration.  

5. Prioritise sustainability

There is growing interest amongst place developers and users in how to make places more environmentally and socially sustainable.

After all, sustainability is not just a nice-to-have. Rather, it is a critical part of future-proofing property developments and businesses from stresses due to climate change and rapid socioeconomic change.

Our focus

• Adaptive reuse – Conservation and adaptive reuse of buildings and places of significance, rather than always demolishing and rebuilding, can help to reduce carbon emissions. At the same time, adaptive reuse can preserve place memories and strengthen emotional connection between people and their surroundings while lending a new lease of life to existing buildings and places. 
• The living city – Incorporating biophilic design and prioritising greenery also helps to combat the urban heat island effect; promoting shade and keeping residents cool and protected from harmful UV.

Cistri in action:

The Yard, Bangkok

We developed a placemaking master plan and strategy for the rejuvenation of a former container storage yard into a flexible, dynamic, and exciting destination for workers, residents, and visitors alike.

Al Quoz Creative Zone, Dubai

We provided economic advice to inform the masterplan for the regeneration of Al Quoz into one of the world’s biggest creative precincts when completed. This included identifying creative industry focus areas, leveraging growth opportunities in Dubai’s creative economy, and recommending a land use mix that promotes financial feasibility.  

6. Promote wellbeing and cohesion

People-centric cities are ones that celebrate diversity through inclusive public spaces, mental and physical health, and support events that promote a sense of community and understanding amongst residents.

A city that prioritises this social equity and supports community diversity requires urban design that is flexible to serve people of all abilities. Green spaces and spaces designed for flexible community gathering activities are more resilient and can adapt to evolving community needs.

Our focus:

• Positive health – Promotion of mental well-being, physical health and community interaction is tied to the offering of green spaces, parks and urban corridors in cities.
• Connected neighbourhoods – Enabling of active lifestyles for people of all abilities and considering access for all visitors including people of varying abilities and neurodiverse people. Strive for best practice accessibility requirements as well as considering clear signage, flexible transport options and incorporating calming spaces.

Cistri in action:

Enabling Village, Singapore

Enabling Village is a space that aims to integrate people with different abilities with their surrounding community in an inclusive and mutually respectful way. We contributed to the development of a placemaking plan that focuses on enhancing interactions between Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and the general public and implementing a placemaking prototype.

7. Diverse cities need diverse teams

Diverse teams drive meaningful change and support more innovative thinking. We reflect this at Cistri, with our city-shaping team built of people from around the world who work together to shape better places and communities.

Each of our people brings a unique voice, experience, and skillset, allowing us to see things from different perspectives. This is something that we believe is important for all organisations when planning for current and future communities in our cities.

Our focus:

• Inclusion – Empower all voices, particularly in industries such as real estate that have been historically male-dominated, ensuring everyone is heard.
• Diversity in all its forms – Increasing focus on creating diverse and high-achieving teams that leverage bringing together people of differing ages, gender, culture, and background. 

Cistri in action:

Teamwork and diversity

Though we come from different backgrounds, our team work together to foster a culture of mutual encouragement and teamwork to achieve shared goals and empower others. Recently, we came together to participate in the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge, supporting Rainbow Centre, a not-for-profit organisation that envisions an inclusive world where persons with disabilities are empowered.

International Women’s Day

At Cistri, we encourage our women and all our people to show up as their authentic and unique selves at work. For International Women’s Day 2024, we spoke to some of our female staff about their professional journey and some of the challenges they have faced along the way.

8. People value community

Employees are increasingly looking to roles where they can do impactful work and make a difference in the world. Environmental, Social and Governance priorities of an organisation can be the difference between someone accepting or declining a role at an organisation.

At Cistri, our Give Back framework empowers our people to take time out from business as usual, to engage in pro bono work or do something meaningful for the community through volunteering or fundraising.

Our focus:

• Cost of living pressures and climate change – These are placing new pressures on individuals and families in our cities, and our urban environments should adapt to help alleviate these pressures.
• Corporate social responsibility (CSR) – Through effective CSR platforms that are integrated into employees’ day-to-day work, organisations can empower employees to not just “do work” but also “do good” through their work.

Cistri in Action:

Cistri Give Back Day

Recently, our team spent a day volunteering with the Salvation Army Singapore’s Tanglin Family Hub, supporting their operations that contribute towards raising funds for their beneficiaries.

Consultant, Bob Pan said, “Our experience deepened my understanding of the roles that charities play in fostering resilient and compassionate urban communities.”

MINDS

Our team is working with MINDS, a local social service agency serving persons with intellectual disability, caregivers & their families. Cistri is providing pro-bono economic advice to the organisation in support of their MINDS Shop, a social enterprise managed by MINDS.