Data is increasingly influencing decision-making in everything from how cities are structured to the retail experience, said speakers at the ULI China Mainland Winter Meeting. The conference, held in Shanghai in December, featured two presentations that showed how big data and other technologies are driving design for real estate projects large and small.
Speaking at the 2018 ULI China Mainland Winter Meeting in Shanghai, Steven Zhang, chief economist and head of research at Morgan Stanley Huaxin Securities, outlined an optimistic economic outlook for China and other emerging economies. However, he said the economic and political upheaval that characterized 2018 would continue next year.
As part of a wide-ranging panel on adapting development to new technologies, held at the ULI Japan Fall Conference in Tokyo in November, industry leaders discussed using e-commerce data to drive development decisions, adapting Japan’s traditional banking sector for the future, and creating a more innovative startup culture.
While new office space paradigms are emerging in response to changes in technology and work styles, there is no consensus about the “best” future for workspace. A panel of real estate investors, occupiers, and corporate real estate experts discussed the future of workspace at the ULI Japan Fall Conference, held in Tokyo in November.
The hotel industry in Japan is evolving, with new lodging models emerging, some of which incorporate elements of the burgeoning sharing economy. A panel of real estate and hotel experts at the ULI Japan Fall Conference, held in Tokyo in November, discussed the “capsule hotel” and other models in Japan.
The workplace of the future needs to provide flexibility and wellness in order to drive innovation, said a design expert giving a keynote at the 2018 ULI Japan Fall Conference in Tokyo.
Japan is in the midst of a huge attempt to boost tourism, but there are fears that it does not offer enough nighttime fun for foreign visitors who seek out theater and other activities that often occur after sunset. A panel at the Urban Land Institute’s Japan Spring Conference, held in May at the Tokyo International Forum, discussed ways to build an “attractive night-time economy.”
At the ULI Japan Spring Conference 2018, panelists discussed how Japan’s malls can reinvigorate themselves with culture and content. Retail in Japan has not suffered as badly as elsewhere from the effects of online shopping, but the industry is concerned that malls need to offer more to retain customers.
Hong Kong’s former chief executive, C.Y. Leung, now a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, an important political advisory body, said the development of the broader region could be a significant driver of growth and relieve stress on the core market for new construction.
Prices are high but opportunities abound in China’s growing real estate market, especially in its first-tier cities, a panel of experts and investors said at the 2018 ULI Asia Pacific Summit in Hong Kong.
