Urban Living

Developing societies experience a sudden and constant onslaught of migration of people from hinterlands to urban centers, unplanned clusters, slums and squalor. While developed countries have already become largely urbanized, industrialized and serving their populations with highly modernized infrastructure and amenities, most of the developing world is undergoing a shift in economic activities, sporadic urbanization and setting up of new infrastructure. As per recent estimates, most of the urban growth forecasted in the 21st century is bound to occur in Asia and Africa. At the same time, planning techniques and systems in these countries are weak and largely ineffective. But since a majority of new housing physical and social infrastructure is about to be set up, the developing world holds a strong potential for sustainable and balanced urban-regional development. ISARD invests its efforts in the thematic areas of sustainable habitat, integrated planning and urbanization, master planning, landuse-transport interactions, healthy and inclusive cities, low-carbon and smart cities, green growth and infrastructure, urban regeneration and revival, urban heritage and tourism, local environmental planning, etc. ISARDs activities include advocacy, creating opinion, research studies, technical consultancy, plan preparation, training and dissemination of information among professionals, industry, experts and other stakeholders.