What Is Forest City? The $100 Billion Development That Hosts NS

Forest City is a massive mixed-use development on four reclaimed islands in the Strait of Johor, just across the water from Singapore. Developed by Country Garden, one of China's largest property developers, the project was announced in 2006 with an estimated total investment exceeding 100 billion USD. The original vision was a self-contained smart city for 700,000 residents with residential towers, commercial districts, schools, hospitals, and green spaces. It was marketed primarily to Chinese buyers as a premium international living destination with proximity to Singapore.

Several factors converged to derail the original plan. In 2018, then-Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad restricted foreign purchases, cutting off the primary buyer market. China simultaneously tightened capital controls, making it harder for Chinese citizens to move money abroad for property purchases. The COVID-19 pandemic further stalled construction and migration. By 2023, Forest City was widely described as a ghost city, with vast empty towers, deserted streets, and a fraction of its intended population. Much of the built infrastructure remains functional but underutilized.

Despite the ghost city reputation, Forest City is not abandoned. Several thousand residents live there, along with a growing number of businesses and organizations that have taken advantage of the available space and low costs. The infrastructure, including roads, buildings, landscaping, and utilities, is modern and well-maintained. There is a hotel, several restaurants, a golf course, commercial spaces, and a duty-free zone. The Malaysian government has designated it as a Special Financial Zone to attract investment, and Network School is one of the most visible new tenants bringing activity to the area.

Living in Forest City gives NS members access to modern, high-quality buildings and amenities at a fraction of what they would cost in a major city. The emptiness of the development is both a feature and a bug. On the positive side, it is quiet, uncrowded, and offers a focused environment for work and study. On the negative side, it lacks the vibrancy, dining options, and spontaneous energy of a lived-in city. Most members adjust quickly and learn to appreciate the calm, supplementing their social needs through the NS community itself.

Forest City's future remains uncertain but is trending in interesting directions. The Special Financial Zone designation, new visa programs, and tenants like Network School are bringing new life to the development. Whether it eventually fulfills its original vision of a thriving city or evolves into something entirely different remains to be seen. For NS members, the current moment offers a unique experience of living in a surreal architectural landscape that serves as a blank canvas for community building. You can apply at ns.com to experience this unusual setting firsthand.