Putrajaya has been the administrative center of the federal government of Malaysia since 1995.

Located 25 km south of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya was planned and built around the concept of the “garden city,” seeking to balance the inclusion of open space, protected wetlands, government offices and neighborhood housing. Putrajaya is the product of strong land use planning, carefully designed transportation systems, and numerous public amenities. Environmental management in Putrajaya focuses on cultivating man-made wetlands to purify the water supply and manage storm water, while providing habitat for birds and fish that enrich the area’s biodiversity. Subsidies encourage over 30,000 people, primarily those who work for the government, to reside in the city. Putrajaya is one of Southeast Asia’s largest development projects, costing over $US 8 billion to build. Along with nearby Cyberjaya, another of Malaysia’s planned cities—built in 1997 to house and stimulate the nation’s information technology sector—Putrajaya provides important an important test of the idea that a planned city can be added to an existing metropolitan fabric.

Research questions pertaining to Putrajaya:

How does the lack of an elected local government impact planning for sustainability in Putrajaya? 

What lessons can be drawn from Malaysia’s effort to add a planned capitol city (Putrajaya) to an existing metropolitan fabric?

For more detail on the research questions please read the 2015 Research Agenda