A great example of city planning where expectation and reality couldn't be much further apart. Planned as a “green and smart” city for around 700,000 residents , Forest City was built on reclaimed islands right by the Johor Strait, close enough to Singapore to sell a cross-border lifestyle. Why it seemed like a good idea The idea was to build a brand new “green city” next to Singapore. Towers wrapped in greenery, big parks, a car-light public realm, and the promise of a sustainable lifestyle. For planners, it ticked all the obvious boxes : build density, add nature, reduce cars, attract talen…