BDP Wins Work in Myanmar

BDP is part of a team led by Nippon Koei commissioned to update the Strategic Urban Development Plan (SUDP) for Yangon, the former capital and current commercial and business hub of Myanmar, and gateway for most international business and tourism. The SUDP will guide development in the Yangon city region up to 2040, a period which will see a doubling in the population of the city to more than 10 million people.

BDP’s specific remit is to prepare planning and design guidance for the historic downtown area which developed in the 19th century when the city became a major trading port on the key routes between Europe and China and Southeast Asia. The rigorous grid masterplan focuses on a number of historic pagoda structures and was developed by Scottish army engineer Alexander Fraser.

Project director Francis Glare said: “We are working with Nippon Koei to ensure that the unique heritage of Yangon underpins the future plans for the city. This is possibly the only Asian waterfront city with an intact historic core, due to decades of economic isolation. This gives Yangon a unique opportunity to compete with other ASEAN countries for international business and tourism, as well as maintain a strong identity for its own citizens.”

This is the first joint project since the Japanese engineering practice Nippon Koei acquired BDP earlier this year and it fulfils our vision to be the world’s leading integrated architecture, engineering, and design firm, delivering world class solutions which enhance the communities they serve.

Nippon Koei and BDP expect to conclude the SUDP update in January 2017.