The future of cities: megacities in position

According to McKinsey, the 600 largest "global" cities will have contributed 65 % to world growth over the period 2010-2025. This wealth is challenging urban planners to create a gigantic city that is liveable and, above all, more sustainable. Led by leading architects, the projects are teeming with new business districts that harmoniously integrate soft transport, public gardens, contemporary art and economic efficiency.

The future is a balance between peaceful techno-cities, ultra-connected eco-cities and business districts built ex nihilo around mobility hubs, TGV stations and airports. But planning for the future is also part of good governance. For example, at the end of June, the Mayor of New York announced a $20 billion project to prepare his city for future climate change by redesigning the waterfront. You can never be too careful with the future...

Major cities of 2025

The Chinese metropolises, as well as Sao Paulo, Istanbul, Mumbai and Lagos, will of course continue to grow like crazy. However, the cities of the Old and New Worlds will not be out of the competition by 2025. Far from it: according to The Economist, their competitiveness will remain at an all-time high, while for McKinsey New York, London and Paris will still be among the world's top 10.

Largest cities in 2025 by GDP Total

1. Tokyo
2. New York
3. Shanghai
4. Los Angeles
5. Beijing
6. London
7. Paris
8. Sao Paulo
9. Moscow
10. Chicago
11. Rhur
12. Tianjin
13. Washington
14. Guangzhou

The largest cities in 2025 according to GDP growth

1. Shanghai
2. Beijing
3. Tianjin
4. São Paulo
5. Guangzhou
6. Shenzhen
7. New York
8. Chongqing
9. Moscow
10. Tokyo
11. Wuhan
12. Los Angeles
13. Foshan
14. Istanbul

(source: McKinsey Global Institute Cityscope database 2.0 - 2012)

Mega-projects, gigacomplexes

Dubai does not have a monopoly on pharaonic projects. Between now and 2025, Azerbaijan is preparing its futuristic artificial islands - the Khazar Islands, to the south of Baku - and Jeddah will be able to pride itself on having been the first to exceed one kilometre in height with the Kingdom Tower. Higher, but also bigger and stronger: gigantism is already at work in the Middle East and Asia. In Chengdu, the New Century Global Center shopping mall, which opened this year, is the size of Monaco! Korea is no less ambitious, with the International Songdo Business District, a hyperconnected "smart city" being completed in partnership with LG and Cisco.

Revitalisation still under way

Towns will continue to breathe new life - and lots of it - into their derelict industrial districts. In
Is it Rio and its "marvellous port" - Porto Maravilha - for the 2016 Olympics, or Toronto's Waterfront along the Ontario River, North America's largest urban renewal plan?

Nothing is too good for Istanbul

Crazy projects abound. The most incredible: the futuristic Kartal Pendik district, designed by Zaha Hadid. Business centres, concert halls, theatres, museums, hotels, housing, shops: in place of a former industrial site, a new city centre is about to emerge on the Asian side of the Bosphorus.

The infrastructure race

More than two-thirds of the world's population will live in cities by 2025, compared with half today. To avoid congestion, megacities will have to increase their infrastructure. By 2025, Paris will have its Grand Paris, Manhattan its East Side Access train, Riyadh and Casablanca their metros. Distances between major cities - whether physical or temporal - will also shrink. Hong Kong will be linked to Macao by a bridge; Lyon will be closer to Turin and Milan to Zurich thanks to tunnels under the Alps, making economic exchanges that much easier. Passing under the Baltic, the Fehmarnbelt road-rail tunnel will create a vast regional area. Hamburg will be next door to Copenhagen and Malmoe...