The Cavern Beneath
Singapore has a problem that most cities would envy: too much success, not enough land. The island nation — just 733 square kilometres — has run out of room to grow outward. So it's growing downward.
The Underground Master Plan, first unveiled in 2019 and now entering its most ambitious phase, envisions a vast subterranean network that would relocate utilities, logistics hubs, data centres, and even some public spaces beneath the surface. The goal is to free up premium land above ground for housing, parks, and the kind of liveable urban fabric that has made Singapore a model for the rest of Asia.
The Scale of Ambition
The Jurong Rock Caverns — Southeast Asia's first underground hydrocarbon storage facility — were just the beginning. The government is now planning underground science cities, automated freight corridors, and reservoir systems that would sit 150 metres below street level.
"We are essentially creating a second Singapore beneath the first," says Dr. Zhao Yang, chief urban strategist at the Centre for Liveable Cities. "Every square metre we reclaim underground is a square metre of parkland or housing above."
Why It Matters
For cities like Hong Kong, Mumbai, Jakarta, and Lagos — all facing acute land pressure — Singapore's approach offers a template. The technology exists. The question is whether the political will and engineering investment can follow.
The underground economy is projected to be worth $15 billion annually by 2035. Singapore intends to capture the lion's share.