Discovery City

Discipline : Landscape & Territories

Categories : Urban Design / General Urban Masterplan : Gold certification

Discovery City is a forward-looking, catalytic city located in Ibrahim Technopolis (IBTec) Kulai, Johor, envisioned as a major driver of regional growth and innovation. Designed to support daily living, economic activity, and social interaction, the township integrates industrial, commercial, institutional, community, and residential functions into a cohesive and inclusive urban ecosystem. Inspired by the world’s leading planned cities, Discovery City prioritises permeability, energy-efficient mobility, and seamless connectivity, creating a highly liveable environment where movement, activity, and public life flow naturally across the urban fabric.

At the heart of the project is a blue-green infrastructure framework that redefines conventional township planning. Rather than treating green spaces as residual land, landscape and infrastructure are conceived as a single integrated system. The framework is anchored by three major public landscapes,  the Green Core, Urban Park, and Innovation Square which connect parks, open spaces, and water systems throughout the city. These spaces manage stormwater, support biodiversity, improve microclimate conditions, and provide accessible recreational environments for diverse communities.

The township promotes safety and inclusivity through Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles integrated into streets, pedestrian networks, and public spaces. Walkability, visibility, and natural surveillance are prioritised to create a secure and comfortable urban environment. Spatial equality is also central to the planning approach: every district is designed with equal environmental quality and economic opportunity, ensuring no area is treated as marginal or secondary.

Discovery City further advances sustainability through an integrated drainage and circular economy strategy. Water management systems allow the central park to function as a controlled floodplain and detention landscape, reinforcing resilience while enhancing public space. Household and landscape waste are reimagined as resources, closing material loops and regenerating soils and urban ecology in pursuit of a low-carbon, near zero-waste township.

Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and certified with a Five-Diamond rating under the Low Carbon Cities Framework, the project aligns environmental responsibility with economic growth and social wellbeing. Structured around the SDG pillars of People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnership, Discovery City demonstrates how high-tech urbanism can coexist with ecological stewardship and human-centred design.

As one of Asia’s emerging innovation hubs, Discovery City establishes a new benchmark for sustainable, low-carbon, and people-focused urban development in Malaysia.

The project in images