About Us
Our Founder
Dr. Sujata S. Govada
CEO & Managing Director, UDP International
Founding Director, ISU
Former Adjunct Faculty, CUHK and HKU
Part-time Faculty, CityU
ULI Global Trustee
2015 President of AIA Hong Kong
Founding Vice President, HKIUD
AICP, HKIP, HKIUD, LEED® AP,
Assoc. AIA, Reg. Architect CoA, India
Dr. Sujata S. Govada is an award-winning, qualified urban designer, certified urban planner and registered architect in India with over 35 years of experience having worked on a diverse range of projects in Hong Kong, US, Philippines, India and the region. She is the CEO and Managing Director of UDP International, an award winning global boutique practice based in Hong Kong since 1994. UDP International has won 16 major planning and design awards including Central Harbourfront Master Plan, Graham Street Urban Regeneration Alternate Proposal, Harbourfront Connectivity Study in Hong Kong, the Clark Green City Master Plan in the Philippines, Naya Dharavi Master Plan and IT Master Plan in India. UDP International is Innovative by Design leveraging award- winning smart and sustainable design and planning using a collaborative place-making approach with a focus on People, Place and Planet. Some of her recent and current projects include the ADB Metro Rail TOD Project in Bengaluru and Urban Design and Architectural Guidelines for Amaravati in India; Smart Cultural Precinct @ Central, Kai Tak Sports Park and several Planning Projects in Hong Kong; large waterfront master planning, campus planning, tourism and mixed use development projects in the Philippines and a Balanced land use plan for a Marina District in the US.
Dr. Govada is the Founding Director of the Institute for Sustainable Urbanisation (ISU) which she set up in 2014 in Hong Kong. She has undertaken Smart City Research leading to the Hong Kong sections in Springer publications “Smart City Smart Economy” (2016), “EDemocracy” (2017), “Smart Metropolitan Region” (2018), “Smart Environment for Smart Cities” (2019), “Smart Living for Smart Cities (2020) and Smart Mega Cities” (2021). ISU has also undertaken local initiatives such as the Smart Cultural Precinct (SCP) engaging the local community with a vision to develop a walkable Cultural Precinct in Central in Hong Kong. Over the last two years Dr. Govada has been involved with RHEA International Workshops and was instrumental in getting universities in Hong Kong, India and the US to participate as well. She has gained a reputation as a thought leader in shaping smart, sustainable, resilient, liveable and walkable communities and cities around the world.
Currently, Dr. Govada is teaching part time in the Urban Design & Regional Planning Program of City University of Hong Kong. Prior to this, she was an Adjunct Faculty for several years, at the School of Architecture, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and at the Department of Urban Planning and Design, the Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong. Dr.Govada taught courses and studios as part of the master’s program in Urban Design at CUHK that she also helped to start. She also taught several Urban Design, Placemaking, Physical and Transport Planning courses, Urban Design studios and Planning workshops including thesis supervision in the Urban Design and Urban Planning Programs at HKU. She is a Global Trustee of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the 2015 President of the Hong Kong Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Hong Kong). She is the Founding Vice President of the Hong Kong Institute of Urban Design (HKIUD), which she was primarily responsible for setting it up in 2010. Dr. Govada was also a former representative of the Harbourfront Commission in Hong Kong working towards the enhancement the Hong Kong harbourfront. Dr.Govada was also an advisor for World Bank on their Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Study focused on design, planning, development, implementation and scaling up of TOD based developments around the world.
Our Philosophy
Our Philosophy is rooted in the core principle that Strategic & Master Planning spearheads the development process and sets the stage for effective strategic vision and policy framework that shape the development and transformation of a city. The impacts of planning and engineering decisions and the limitations of two-dimensional plans further highlight the importance of urban design. Planning with an Urban Design & Place Making emphasis with a focus on “People, Place and Planet” results in a more coherent urban form and structure including new and waterfront development, Transit and Pedestrian Oriented Development (TPOD) with sensitive urban regeneration and heritage conservation to ensure cultural continuity and urban vibrancy. Planning Applications & Development Feasibility studies support potential new developments and redevelopments for government approval.
Our Approach
Architecture, Interiors & Landscape Design with a focus on human experience allows us to create innovative and sustainable built environments. Urban design and place making provides the critical link between planning and architecture; ensuring the creation of successful waterfronts, sensible and sustainable urban development and redevelopments that are sensitive to community needs and local aspirations through effective Community Outreach & Public Engagement.
Using a collaborative place-based sustainable development approach, integrated design works at the regional, city, district, neighborhood and street scale, considering the impacts of engineering, transportation and urban planning including other related disciplines in formulating effective Place Branding & Marketing strategies and an overall sense of place, health and well-being. Smart and Sustainable City Research, Design Review, Urban Design and Architectural Guidelines, as well as Sustainability and Impact Assessments support these ideas and help bring them into reality through phased implementation. These services, along with effective control of development and balancing new construction with existing structures, ensure successful city development. Across all our services offered, we ensure that important visual corridors are retained to augment the unique character of a place; engaging the public, further enhancing the image, identity, visual quality, vibrancy, and creating walkable, livable, affordable, smart, sustainable and resilient cities in the region and worldwide.