Events

Cities are under growing pressure to become more sustainable and equitable as they face rapid urbanisation and climate change. While advances in urban sensing and volunteered geographic information are opening new doors for data-driven planning, most models remain fragmented and struggle to make sense of large-scale, diverse urban data.

Singapore’s tropical equatorial context has enabled unique urban design approaches. This guest lecture invites everyone to understand how well-being in our city can be planned and designed for.

Around 15,000 Malaysian students from Johor Bahru spend close to a third of their day crossing the Causeway every morning to attend local public schools in Singapore and making the same commute back home at the end of the day. Yet so little is known about their border commutes, and this talk is an effort to make legible the temporalities and spatialities of their lives in motion.

As cities confront climate change, urbanisation, and environmental degradation, sustainable development is increasingly urgent. Landscape performance, which evaluates how outdoor spaces function socially, environmentally, and economically, offers a valuable framework for building resilient, equitable, and livable cities. Grounded in ecosystem services science, it enables planners, designers, and policymakers to make informed decisions based on measurable outcomes rather than aesthetics or tradition. This presentation examines three case studies from the Landscape Architecture Foundation’s Case Study Investigation Program, where researchers, practitioners, users, and stakeholders assess long-term design impacts. Findings show how performance metrics inform planning—enhancing biodiversity, reducing runoff, and improving health and walkability—while also guiding integration into education and practice to promote environmental and community well-being.

Synopsis
Discussions on AI veer from comfort in its promises of abundance for all human lives, to discomfort that we will abandon all that makes us human.
In this talk, we unpack this polarisation. We start with

This paper examines how people evaluate the creativity of AI-generated versus human-made artworks. Using commissioned works in three styles (charcoal animals, minimalist logos, and watercolor landscapes) researchers generated AI versions with Stable Diffusion. Participants rated each artwork’s creativity (0–10) and bid in auctions to assess monetary value. AI-generated landscapes were rated more creative and received higher bids. Creativity perceptions were influenced by detail, scene composition, and color use. Interestingly, visual errors did not reduce, and sometimes enhanced, creativity ratings. The study concludes that participants often preferred AI-generated art, particularly landscapes, due to their higher aesthetic appeal and creative presentation.

The Healthy City project bridges the disciplines of urban health and planning through a structured three-step framework: (1) Urban analytics to identify gaps and opportunities in the built environment; (2) Digital tools, such as behavioral nudging, to promote healthier commuting choices; and (3) Data-driven urban design to reimagine neighborhoods that support active lifestyles. Focused on quantifying health outcomes from Walk-Cycle-Ride (WCR) modes and access to amenities like parks and transit, the project prioritizes inclusivity and sustainability. Through a combination of location intelligence and behavioral strategies, The Healthy City aims to cultivate equitable communities that advance well-being, mobility, and overall urban livability.

Dear all,

We are excited to invite you to the upcoming TL@SUTD Research Seminar titled “Robot Navigation in Complex Indoor and Outdoor Environments.” This seminar will be presented by Prof. Dinesh Manocha from the University of Maryland at College Park.

Event Details:

Date: 25 April 2025
Time: 10:30 – 11:30 am
Venue: SUTD 8 Somapah Road, Singapore 487372, Building 2, Level 5,

Towards the Industrial Metaverse