Speaker Spotlight: Norliza Hashim

There is urbanism and then there is new urbanism. Cities today are in need of a revival as population increase and so do space and economic constraints. The pace and expanse of urban growth means thoughtful urban redevelopment and township planning is now required to ensure the survival of entire countries and economies.

Norliza Hashim, Director of the Malaysian Institute of Planners Low Carbon Cities & Sustainability Centre and Secretary General of the Eastern Organisation of Planning and Human Settlement (EARPOH) will tell you that sustainable development and innovative planning solutions are what will enhance the qualify of life for local urban communities. She is also a board member of the Board of Town Planners Malayisa and on the Board of Directors of the Melaka World Heritage.

Trained as an urban planner, Norliza’s passion and inspiration for developing and redeveloping cities and towns around and to benefit local communities is deeply rooted in her childhood spent in Kota Kinabalu, around forest and nature. She saw acres of land being cleared and that deepened her desire to work in urban planning, to create balanced and sustainable growth. She and her firm APUDG (AJM Planning and Urban Design Group Sdn Bhd) now work with architects, environmentalists, urban redevelopment specialists and clients in China, India, Russia, Indonesia and the Middle East, integrating a sustainable framework into their projects.

APUDG (AJM Planning and Urban Design Group Sdn Bhd) was established in 1993 and their team of Town Planners, Urban Designers, Architects, Engineers, Environmental Planners and Professionals are committed to designing blueprints and solutions which are adaptable over time. Sustainability, environmental and social responsibility are their key focus, and the firm is widely knowledgeable and experienced in successfully implementing both local and global challenges.

Take the Kazan Smart City in Russia for example, a futuristic township ready for the 22nd Century, master-planned in the 21st. Or the HUB@Makassar, an entirely new township located on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Both are ahead of their time and shaped to include an intrinsic flow of commercial, residential, cultural and social life in the existing communities and surrounding environment. The architecture is carefully designed to fit into the region, keeping to while enhancing the culture of the region and her people. Join her at the iCities Conference in April 2016.

About Norliza Hashim