Agree, embedding social equity and local capacity-building into the production process itself, instead of just 'trusting' that things will fall into place with locals later on (as we've seen with other new cities). It's refreshing to see an alternative to top-down planning and extractive economies.

Yes, however, this new city emphasizes focus on "advanced manufacturing", probably meaning skilled labor. Is it safe to assume that the jobs created will automatically go to locals (who may require training programs)? Not totally sure. It's possible they could bring in outsiders to do those jobs.

That stat seems doubtful to me; KAEC feels more like a contradictory enclave where women inside face fewer restrictions than most in Saudi Arabia. Foreign women would likely avoid such a conservative, gendered space unless loopholes were created.

Right, many new cities that have become ghost towns or slow to develop read more as land speculation ventures than a genuine solution for urban issues (surprise surprise). Especially for a city funded by Gates, who has no incentive to problem-solve city design. It's cost efficient for his finances.

Despite Bhutan’s international reputation for “Gross National Happiness,” it continues to deny return, restitution, and recognition to its displaced citizens, burying its past under rhetoric of innovation and happiness.

-Nepali-speaking minority expelled from Bhutan in the late 1980s and 1990s under the government’s “one nation, one people” policy. Over 100,000 Lhotshampas were stripped of citizenship, forced into refugee camps in Nepal, and resettled abroad, their homes and lands seized without compensation.

-climate change” to cover up the fact that it’s just a symbol of neoliberal excess in a country struggling with basic services. Experts suggest that for Eko Atlantic to truly succeed, it must adhere to international standards of governance, regulation, and transparency.

-transit, and high-end residential and business spaces. It’s expected to house 250,000 residents and employ 150,000, but Nigeria’s impoverished population are very unlikely to benefit from this. In my opinion, Eko Atlantic is one the ethically-worst new cities we have discussed; using “addressing-

-it functions more as a land speculation venture than a genuine urban innovation project.

-appropriately and give residents access to usage data. While Belmont represents innovation in urban design, its desert location risks definitely intensifying environmental strain. Moreover, Belmont was announced years ago but has seen little tangible progress, raising concerns that-

-state’s worsening water crisis. Dependent on the shrinking Colorado River, Belmont must prove a 100-year water supply and prioritize conservation through smart water technologies, leak detection, and public education. To promote sustainable habits, the article argues the city should price water-

includes a huge tech park. The proposal echoes historical “company towns” but takes it even further by granting corporations explicit governing authority, raising questions about local control, democratic oversight, and potential risks of privatized governance.

-self-govern on at least 50,000 acres with plans to invest $1 billion over ten years. Each zone would be managed by a three-person board of supervisors, with the developing company of course holding the most influence. Blockchains' proposed smart city is a 100-square mile project near Reno that-

-ethical questions around consent, privacy, and long-term impacts. Woven City may be an interesting prototype, but its lessons for broader urban life may be limited as it serves the future of cars, not people, and yet desires a functioning urban space.

-raises several concerns: it’s highly exclusive, socially homogeneous, and heavily corporate-controlled, meaning it may reflect corporate priorities more than public needs; experiments in such a controlled environment may not scale to real cities; and residents’ participation in testing raises-

-2,000 participants, bringing together “inventors” (companies and startups) and “weavers” (residents collaborating on product testing). Toyota presents it as a way to move beyond being an automaker and create a controlled space for real-world experimentation. While the project is innovative, it-

-often blending cultural withdrawal with financial gain as is the case with other American new cities.

questions, including potential attempts to impose political or cultural litmus tests on residents, even though the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in housing. Analysts see the project as part of a broader far-right trend of seeking “safe spaces” and ideological enclaves in the US-

by Joshua Abbotoy through his venture fund and real estate company. Experts suggest the development may be less about creating a community and more about land speculation, with buyers paying high premiums for mostly undeveloped plots while the promoters profit. The project raises ethical and legal-