Anandan Karunakaran

For Anandan Karunakaran, Urban Planning goes beyond designing and programming of urban spaces; it is about making meaningful and positive changes to people’s lives, especially in developing economies, through context-sensitive solutions. His approach emphasizes sustainability and inclusivity development strategies, ensuring that urban growth leads to real improvements in livelihoods and the creation of environments where people and communities can thrive.

Anandan is an accomplished urban planning professional with more than 20 years of experience in large scale Regional, City Planning and Urban Design projects across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. He collaborates with government agencies and statutory boards in various cities to understand their vision and socio-economic aspirations. Anandan effectively builds and leads highly motivated technical teams to translate these aspirations into comprehensive urban plans and design solutions, achieving sustainable development goals.

An active contributor and thought leader of Urban Planning within the Built Environment industry, Anandan frequently participates in regional and global urban planning and GIS conferences. He also offers guest lectures, training and seminars to urban planners and government agencies. In recognition of his works and contributions, the Singapore Institute of Planners has awarded him 12 accolades to date for his Regional Planning projects, Urban Design projects, public participation, stakeholder engagements and environmental stewardship.