Building Up, Not Out

"These [two] cities have nowhere to go but up. Constrained by borders and geography, they don't enjoy the luxury of endless space. That means they are forced to be smart"

"The case of Singapore is especially instructive. Occupying an island of less than 700 square kilometers (270 sq mi), the highly regulated city-state has a population of 4.4 million, 92 per cent of whom live in towers. These towers range from 40 to 70 stories, not quite like Hong Kong, where some residential skyscrapers stand 75 stories tall."

"'Vancouver has [also] embraced the highrise,' says senior city planner Ralph Segal. 'From the late 1980s and early '90s, it was a forgone conclusion that Vancouver would accept highrise living. We have been able to plug in highrise as a key element of city growth.'

But as Segal also notes, developers must abide by rules that are tough but clear."