Akassia Molina
@akassiam.bsky.social
McGill Economics and Urban studies student
GEOG 325
GEOG 325
#NewCities Referred to as Myanmar's Shenzhen, New Yangon City is a master plan twice the size of Singapore. Notably, the plan retains the existing villages and compensates farmers with land, not money, in an effort to preserve their means of subsistence.
dialogue.earth/en/business/...
dialogue.earth/en/business/...
New Yangon City: A controversial blueprint
Myanmar pins hopes on brand new city to entice foreign investment and jobs, but must respond to concerns about transparency and sea-level rise
dialogue.earth
November 7, 2025 at 8:51 PM
#NewCities Referred to as Myanmar's Shenzhen, New Yangon City is a master plan twice the size of Singapore. Notably, the plan retains the existing villages and compensates farmers with land, not money, in an effort to preserve their means of subsistence.
dialogue.earth/en/business/...
dialogue.earth/en/business/...
#NewCities Bradfield City, in Western Sydney, is a new “ultra-high tech” city meant to create housing and become a manufacturing hub. Its success relies on the successful completion of the nearby airport and metro linking it to Sydney.
au.news.yahoo.com/significant-...
au.news.yahoo.com/significant-...
‘Significant’ challenge facing Australia’s first new city in 100 years - Yahoo News Australia
Bradfield City is being billed as an “ultra high-tech” urban hub that promises jobs, innovation and sustainable design, nestled beside the new Western Sydney International Airport.
au.news.yahoo.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:03 PM
#NewCities Bradfield City, in Western Sydney, is a new “ultra-high tech” city meant to create housing and become a manufacturing hub. Its success relies on the successful completion of the nearby airport and metro linking it to Sydney.
au.news.yahoo.com/significant-...
au.news.yahoo.com/significant-...
#Newcities Dholera city sits on land highly vulnerable to rising sea levels and remains submerged for much of the year, making for a severe engineering challenge. It’s certainly an ambitious project, but its overly optimistic forecasts are hard to take seriously.
www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/...
www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/...
India's smart city craze: big, green and doomed from the start?
Ayona Datta: Twice the size of Mumbai, the "smart city" of Dholera is one of dozens of new cities planned in India – but will it just end in more urban chaos?
www.theguardian.com
November 5, 2025 at 5:31 PM
#Newcities Dholera city sits on land highly vulnerable to rising sea levels and remains submerged for much of the year, making for a severe engineering challenge. It’s certainly an ambitious project, but its overly optimistic forecasts are hard to take seriously.
www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/...
www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/...
#NewCities Seeming like a step forward in terms of transparency for mega-projects, the “myth-busting” of Dholera Smart City both lacks quantitative tracking of progress and is unreliable; it's one of many similar articles posted by the city's developers.
dholerasmartcityinfo.com/dholera-smar...
dholerasmartcityinfo.com/dholera-smar...
Dholera Smart City Reviews vs. Reality: An Investor’s Guide
Dholera Smart City Reviews vs. Reality: Cut through the hype with Shivrajsinh Chudasama, a local expert
dholerasmartcityinfo.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:49 PM
#NewCities Seeming like a step forward in terms of transparency for mega-projects, the “myth-busting” of Dholera Smart City both lacks quantitative tracking of progress and is unreliable; it's one of many similar articles posted by the city's developers.
dholerasmartcityinfo.com/dholera-smar...
dholerasmartcityinfo.com/dholera-smar...
#NewCities Egypt sidesteps the IMF's warnings to reduce spending on infrastructure by securing external funding and raising money from real estate sales to build its ~58B new capital city. Regardless, the project’s land, permits, and infrastructure are public assets.
edition.cnn.com/world/egypt-...
edition.cnn.com/world/egypt-...
A new city is rising in Egypt. But is it what the country needs? | CNN
Thirty miles from Cairo, a new city is being developed, home to Africa’s tallest tower and the Middle East’s biggest cathedral. Critics question whether the money would be better spent elsewhere.
edition.cnn.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:20 AM
#NewCities Egypt sidesteps the IMF's warnings to reduce spending on infrastructure by securing external funding and raising money from real estate sales to build its ~58B new capital city. Regardless, the project’s land, permits, and infrastructure are public assets.
edition.cnn.com/world/egypt-...
edition.cnn.com/world/egypt-...
#newcities If Oceanix Busan were trying to offer a cost-effective, replicable solution for rising sea levels, they’d ditch the tech-utopian fantasy. They aren't trying to adapt to climate change, they are finding a way to keep cashing in, even as the water rises.
www.freethink.com/cities/float...
www.freethink.com/cities/float...
See the world's first floating city: OCEANIX Busan
If the world's first floating city is a success, other coastal metropolises could use it as a blueprint for adapting to rising sea levels.
www.freethink.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:05 AM
#newcities If Oceanix Busan were trying to offer a cost-effective, replicable solution for rising sea levels, they’d ditch the tech-utopian fantasy. They aren't trying to adapt to climate change, they are finding a way to keep cashing in, even as the water rises.
www.freethink.com/cities/float...
www.freethink.com/cities/float...
#NewCities Eko Atlantic’s greatest irony is that it builds a climate refuge for those already safest. The ultra-wealthy, with the means to adapt anywhere, will enjoy protection funded by resources that could have strengthened defenses for millions left behind.
qz.com/africa/92314...
qz.com/africa/92314...
A 5-mile island built to save Lagos’s economy has a worrying design flaw
The key to understanding Lagos, Africa’s most populous city, is in the water.
qz.com
November 3, 2025 at 5:26 PM
#NewCities Eko Atlantic’s greatest irony is that it builds a climate refuge for those already safest. The ultra-wealthy, with the means to adapt anywhere, will enjoy protection funded by resources that could have strengthened defenses for millions left behind.
qz.com/africa/92314...
qz.com/africa/92314...
#NewCities Eko Atlantic is a symbol of climate apartheid. Marketed as a “net-zero” haven that will shield Nigerians from rising seas, the project fortifies privilege—offering safety and luxury to a tiny elite while the majority remain exposed to the same threats.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
New, privatized African city heralds climate apartheid
Nigeria's Eko Atlantic augurs how the super-rich will exploit the crisis of climate change to increase inequality and seal themselves off from its impacts
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2025 at 5:03 PM
#NewCities Eko Atlantic is a symbol of climate apartheid. Marketed as a “net-zero” haven that will shield Nigerians from rising seas, the project fortifies privilege—offering safety and luxury to a tiny elite while the majority remain exposed to the same threats.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
#NewCities Francisco Cugurullo dives into NEOM’s role as a site for experimental urbanism; it aspires to test new AI technologies and a new social contract in a city where privacy is exchanged for personalization and automation.
October 29, 2025 at 3:42 AM
#NewCities Francisco Cugurullo dives into NEOM’s role as a site for experimental urbanism; it aspires to test new AI technologies and a new social contract in a city where privacy is exchanged for personalization and automation.
#NewCities The Maldives is partnering with Dutch architects to develop a new city made of a concrete structure anchored to the sea floor and floating homes attached to it. It aims to be mixed use, affordable for locals and also hosting businesses and resorts.
share.googleOyTvB4VqP5cwtQnBX
share.googleOyTvB4VqP5cwtQnBX
share.google
October 19, 2025 at 10:36 PM
#NewCities The Maldives is partnering with Dutch architects to develop a new city made of a concrete structure anchored to the sea floor and floating homes attached to it. It aims to be mixed use, affordable for locals and also hosting businesses and resorts.
share.googleOyTvB4VqP5cwtQnBX
share.googleOyTvB4VqP5cwtQnBX
#NewCities The UAE's attempt at a carbon-neutral eco-city, Masdar city, stands at only 5% completion. The city's ambitions included "subway pods" and solar powered buildings. The city continues to rely on Abu Dhabi's coal and gas powered energy systems. www.fastcompany.com/90995444/the...
The UAE's 'green city' is a cautionary tale—it's hard to build a climate haven, no matter how much oil money you have
Masdar City was first envisioned as a sustainable city of tomorrow. That has yet to transpire.
www.fastcompany.com
October 19, 2025 at 5:13 AM
#NewCities The UAE's attempt at a carbon-neutral eco-city, Masdar city, stands at only 5% completion. The city's ambitions included "subway pods" and solar powered buildings. The city continues to rely on Abu Dhabi's coal and gas powered energy systems. www.fastcompany.com/90995444/the...
#newcities Xi hopes Xiong’an—His flagship legacy project— will mirror Shenzhen’s success. However, while Shenzhen thrived on market freedom and local autonomy, Xiong’an is meticulously master-planned and centrally controlled, prioritizing state run industries.
youtu.be/B2E66NemE9A?...
youtu.be/B2E66NemE9A?...
Why Chinese President Xi’s $93B Personal Megacity Remains Empty | WSJ
YouTube video by The Wall Street Journal
youtu.be
October 13, 2025 at 6:10 PM
#newcities Xi hopes Xiong’an—His flagship legacy project— will mirror Shenzhen’s success. However, while Shenzhen thrived on market freedom and local autonomy, Xiong’an is meticulously master-planned and centrally controlled, prioritizing state run industries.
youtu.be/B2E66NemE9A?...
youtu.be/B2E66NemE9A?...
#NewCities The article refers to “green” cities such as Forest city as the new “Eco-cloaking device for mass construction,” designed to distract us from the real ecological costs of the project. www.harvarddesignmagazine.org/articles/for...
Forest, Tower, City: Rethinking the Green Machine Aesthetic
In many ways, the forests of Stefano Boeri’s Bosco Verticale towers in Milan (2009–2014) are both lovely and functional. Boeri […]
www.harvarddesignmagazine.org
October 12, 2025 at 1:43 AM
#NewCities The article refers to “green” cities such as Forest city as the new “Eco-cloaking device for mass construction,” designed to distract us from the real ecological costs of the project. www.harvarddesignmagazine.org/articles/for...
California Forever is sold as both a solution to the housing crisis in San Francisco and a Techno Utopia. The tech giants behind the project are currently pouring thousands into advertising campaigns to convince locals to vote in favor of the project.
#NewCities www.vanityfair.com/news/califor...
#NewCities www.vanityfair.com/news/califor...
“California Forever,” the Billionaire-Backed City No One Asked For
Jan Sramek wants to “deliver a big solution” to the state’s housing crisis by building a new town from scratch. He may have considered every detail, but that doesn’t mean he’s been very considerate.
www.vanityfair.com
October 8, 2025 at 8:42 PM
California Forever is sold as both a solution to the housing crisis in San Francisco and a Techno Utopia. The tech giants behind the project are currently pouring thousands into advertising campaigns to convince locals to vote in favor of the project.
#NewCities www.vanityfair.com/news/califor...
#NewCities www.vanityfair.com/news/califor...
#NewCities NEOM’s management pitfalls reflect wider pitfalls of state-led megaprojects. MBS recruited world-class planners with salaries too high to refuse. Doubt or resistance was discouraged, and design was driven by spectacle rather than practicality.
open.spotify.com/episode/1q9G...
open.spotify.com/episode/1q9G...
Neom, Pt 2: The Emperor’s New Clothes
open.spotify.com
September 25, 2025 at 3:16 PM
#NewCities NEOM’s management pitfalls reflect wider pitfalls of state-led megaprojects. MBS recruited world-class planners with salaries too high to refuse. Doubt or resistance was discouraged, and design was driven by spectacle rather than practicality.
open.spotify.com/episode/1q9G...
open.spotify.com/episode/1q9G...
#Newcities NEOM's plans resemble a luxury playground for the ultrarich and a legacy project for MBS to project national power. NEOM is built for Investors, not residents. The project runs the risk of becoming an example of Phantom Urbanization, empty and incomplete.
open.spotify.com/episode/56tc...
open.spotify.com/episode/56tc...
Neom, Pt 1: Skiing in the Desert
open.spotify.com
September 25, 2025 at 3:06 PM
#Newcities NEOM's plans resemble a luxury playground for the ultrarich and a legacy project for MBS to project national power. NEOM is built for Investors, not residents. The project runs the risk of becoming an example of Phantom Urbanization, empty and incomplete.
open.spotify.com/episode/56tc...
open.spotify.com/episode/56tc...
#NewCities Cancun's "Smart Forest City Plan" is a luxury resort dressed up as sustainability. There’s nothing eco-friendly about a city who's construction would destroy acres of natural biodiversity; animal habitats and fragile underground water systems like cenotes.
waterbucket.ca/gi/2020/03/2...
waterbucket.ca/gi/2020/03/2...
DESIGN WITH NATURE: Stefano Boeri Architetti’s Smart Forest City plan for Cancun, Mexico, takes the concept of a green city to entirely new levels - Green Infrastructure
"Indeed the effort of the smart Forest City of Cancun could make our world a better place, reducing significantly the negative impacts on the environment, possibly being a pioneer for a new kind of hu...
waterbucket.ca
September 24, 2025 at 12:46 AM
#NewCities Cancun's "Smart Forest City Plan" is a luxury resort dressed up as sustainability. There’s nothing eco-friendly about a city who's construction would destroy acres of natural biodiversity; animal habitats and fragile underground water systems like cenotes.
waterbucket.ca/gi/2020/03/2...
waterbucket.ca/gi/2020/03/2...
#NewCities To curb speculation and keep housing affordable, property owners in Xiongan are prohibited from owning homes elsewhere in China. Xi’s goal is to shield the city from the broader property crisis and ensure that homes are for living in, not for hoarding.
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
Xi Jinping’s city of the future is coming to life
It is both impressive and worrying
www.economist.com
September 14, 2025 at 6:52 PM
#NewCities To curb speculation and keep housing affordable, property owners in Xiongan are prohibited from owning homes elsewhere in China. Xi’s goal is to shield the city from the broader property crisis and ensure that homes are for living in, not for hoarding.
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
#NewCities Xiongan uses a merit-based residency system that factors in education, skill, and tax contributions. It is unclear where low-wage service workers will live. Like many master-planned cities, it may rely on labor from satellite towns and informal housing.
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
Xi Jinping’s city of the future is coming to life
It is both impressive and worrying
www.economist.com
September 14, 2025 at 6:48 PM
#NewCities Xiongan uses a merit-based residency system that factors in education, skill, and tax contributions. It is unclear where low-wage service workers will live. Like many master-planned cities, it may rely on labor from satellite towns and informal housing.
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
The newly built capital city of Nosantra may be more about legacy than necessity; immortalizing an association of Jokowi's government with Indonesia's transformation into a developed country. Indonesians are suspicious of benefits being realized. #NewCities
www.economist.com/asia/2024/08...
www.economist.com/asia/2024/08...
www.economist.com
September 9, 2025 at 7:48 PM
The newly built capital city of Nosantra may be more about legacy than necessity; immortalizing an association of Jokowi's government with Indonesia's transformation into a developed country. Indonesians are suspicious of benefits being realized. #NewCities
www.economist.com/asia/2024/08...
www.economist.com/asia/2024/08...