IURC Concludes Affordable Housing and Social Cohesion Community of Practice with High-Level Study Visit to Singapore

Singapore, 17 June 2026 – The IURC Programme concluded its Community of Practice (CoP) on Affordable Housing and Social Cohesion with a study visit to Singapore, bringing together European and Singaporean policymakers, housing experts, urban planners and construction specialists to exchange experiences on some of the most pressing urban challenges facing cities today.

The delegation included representatives from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) and the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), alongside officials and experts from Berlin (Germany), the Region of Valencia (Spain), the Basque Country (Spain), and Košice (Slovakia). The visit was hosted by Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) in collaboration with the Housing & Development Board (HDB), the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

The study visit formed the culmination of several months of exchanges within the IURC Community of Practice and offered participants a unique opportunity to explore Singapore’s integrated approach to housing, social cohesion, urban regeneration, heritage conservation and construction innovation.

Learning from Singapore’s Housing Success Story

A key highlight of the programme was the visit to HDB’s facilities and the guided tour of Toa Payoh, one of Singapore’s earliest and most iconic new towns. The visit was led by Professor Fong Chun Wah, Deputy Director of NUS Cities and former Deputy Chief Executive Officer of HDB, whose decades of experience in public housing planning, development and renewal provided invaluable insights into the evolution of Singapore’s housing model.

Professor Fong guided participants through the history and transformation of Toa Payoh, illustrating how Singapore’s public housing estates are designed as complete and self-sufficient urban communities rather than simply residential developments. Delegates visited key locations including the LivingSpace Gallery, the town centre, community facilities and newer Build-To-Order developments, gaining first-hand experience of how housing, transport, services, commercial activities and public spaces are integrated within a highly liveable urban environment.

Discussions focused on the long-term foundations of Singapore’s housing success. Since the 1960s, Singapore has undertaken one of the world’s most ambitious public housing and rehousing programmes, moving hundreds of thousands of residents from overcrowded settlements and informal housing into modern, affordable homes supported by quality infrastructure and public services.

Today, approximately 80% of Singapore residents live in HDB flats, while homeownership rates are one of the highest in the world. Delegates explored how a combination of strong political commitment, long-term planning and innovative financial mechanisms has enabled this achievement. Particular attention was given to the role of the Central Provident Fund (CPF), Singapore’s compulsory savings scheme, which allows citizens to use accumulated savings for home purchases. Combined with targeted housing grants and subsidies, CPF has enabled broad access to homeownership across income groups while contributing to household wealth creation and social stability.

Participants also examined the broader societal objectives embedded within Singapore’s housing policies. Beyond affordability, housing has been used as a strategic tool to strengthen social cohesion, encourage community building and foster social integration through carefully designed neighbourhoods, shared public spaces and mixed communities.

Participants were then taken to an HDB complex in Bishan-Toa Payoh Town, where they witnessed firsthand the high quality of housing and community services.

Continuous Renewal and Sustainable Communities

The delegation was particularly interested in Singapore’s approach to the continuous renewal of public housing estates. Through systematic upgrading and reinvestment programmes, older towns such as Toa Payoh continue to evolve and remain attractive places to live despite their age.

This long-term perspective was also evident in discussions on the Green Towns Programme, which seeks to improve the environmental performance of existing housing estates through energy efficiency measures, increased greenery, enhanced waste management systems and climate-resilient design solutions.

Participants noted that Singapore’s housing policies are characterised by a remarkable capacity to anticipate future challenges and adapt accordingly, ensuring that public housing continues to respond to changing demographic, social and environmental needs.

Conservation, Placemaking and Social Cohesion

The study visit also explored Singapore’s urban conservation policies and their contribution to community identity and social cohesion.

During exchanges with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), delegates learned about the evolution of Singapore’s conservation framework, including the Central Area Structure Plan and the Conservation Master Plan, which have enabled the preservation of historic districts while supporting continued urban development.

URA representatives explained how conservation policies have moved beyond protecting individual buildings to safeguarding entire urban districts and their unique cultural character. Delegates discussed how heritage conservation can contribute to economic vitality, tourism, local identity and community cohesion.

Particular attention was given to the transformation of Kampong Gelam, one of Singapore’s most vibrant heritage districts. Through a combination of conservation policies and placemaking initiatives, the area has successfully preserved its cultural significance while creating attractive public spaces, supporting local businesses and strengthening community engagement.

These discussions generated rich exchanges on the importance of defining a clear urban vision, shared values and long-term priorities. Participants compared Singapore’s integrated planning model with European experiences under initiatives such as the New European Bauhaus (NEB) and URBACT, which similarly seek to combine sustainability, inclusion, cultural identity and citizen participation in urban transformation.

Delegates highlighted that while governance structures and local contexts may differ, both European and Singaporean experiences demonstrate the importance of placing people, communities and quality of life at the centre of urban development policies.

The exchanges also opened opportunities for future cooperation between Singapore and participating European cities and regions. Representatives from URA expressed interest in continuing dialogue on urban regeneration, placemaking, heritage-led development, climate resilience and citizen engagement, building on the relationships established through the IURC Community of Practice.

Building the Future: Innovation in Construction and the Built Environment

The programme concluded with a forward-looking session hosted by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), focusing on how innovation and industrialisation are transforming Singapore’s built environment sector.

BCA presented Singapore’s Built Environment Industry Transformation Map (BE ITM), a comprehensive strategy aimed at increasing productivity, accelerating digitalisation, promoting sustainability and developing future-ready skills across the construction sector.

Delegates also learned about the Cities of Tomorrow Research and Development Programme, which supports collaboration between government agencies, research institutions and industry partners to develop innovative solutions for urban challenges and future city development.

Particular interest was generated by Singapore’s leadership in Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) and other industrialised construction methods. Through extensive use of prefabrication, modular construction systems and integrated digital processes, Singapore has succeeded in reducing construction times, improving quality and enhancing productivity.

The discussion proved especially valuable for representatives of BUILD:INN, the Basque Construction Cluster, who shared their own experiences promoting innovation, industrialisation and ecosystem development within the construction sector. Delegates from Berlin, Valencia, Košice and the Basque Country compared approaches to housing delivery, urban regeneration, workforce development and sustainable construction, identifying numerous common challenges and opportunities for collaboration.

Participants discussed how industrialised construction methods can support faster housing delivery while contributing to broader sustainability and climate objectives, reinforcing the growing convergence between European and Singaporean approaches to the future of construction.

Strengthening International Cooperation for Better Cities

The study visit concluded with a closing dinner hosted by the Centre for Liveable Cities, represented by Executive Director Ms. Hwang Yu-Ning, providing an opportunity for participants to reflect on the lessons learned and the partnerships established throughout the Community of Practice (CoP) .As the final activity of the IURC CoP on Affordable Housing and Social Cohesion, the Singapore study visit demonstrated the value of the IURC supporting peer learning in addressing complex urban challenges while developing concrete pilot actions among the cities, regions and industry partners.

Across discussions on housing, social cohesion, conservation, placemaking and construction innovation, a common theme emerged: successful urban development requires long-term vision, strong institutions, continuous innovation and a commitment to improving quality of life for all residents. The exchanges between Singaporean and European experts highlighted not only the diversity of approaches available to cities and regions, but also the shared ambition to create more inclusive, sustainable and resilient urban futures. Looking ahead, participants expressed strong interest in maintaining the dialogue and exploring new opportunities for cooperation between Singapore and European cities on housing, urban regeneration and sustainable urban development.

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