Guyana’s first smart city for full development by 2030 as master plan complete

The much-anticipated ‘Silica City’ is expected to be fully developed by 2030, as its master plan has been completed, according to Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali.

Silica City has been touted as Guyana’s second city and the first entirely sustainable living space. It is the brainchild of Dr. Ali.

As he addressed the opening ceremony of the 2024 International Building Expo on Thursday, the Guyanese Head of State said local authorities worked alongside the School of Architecture at the University of Miami to create the master plan for this ambitious venture.

Dr. Ali highlighted that Silica City will be developed with key digital technologies, climate-resilient infrastructure, and green, recreational spaces. Each household is also expected to help grow food.

Altogether, Dr. Ali said the planned development should promote healthy living and increase people’s life expectancy.

“We will have this Silica City realized by 2030… nothing will stop us,” Dr. Ali declared.

He added, “We must learn from the mistakes that other cities made in the building phase so that we create a product that reflects the soul of our country.”

Construction of the first 100 houses at the site is expected to be completed by the end of October 2024. Silica City will be established along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. The project aims to address the impacts of climate change and sea level rise, as well as the issues associated with the growth of non-coastal urban settlements.