Norman Foster argues that Western cities miss the scale needed for breakthrough engineering and design.

His comments, delivered at a recent industry forum, point to cultural and regulatory hurdles that keep projects fragmented. Large‑scale collaboration often stalls when local authorities prioritize short‑term gains over long‑term vision.

Foster’s critique highlights a growing gap between ambition and execution. When public‑private partnerships fail to align, projects that could deliver decades of value collapse into piecemeal fixes. This pattern hurts investors who expect coherent, high‑impact returns.

Ultimately, the discussion signals that without a unified framework, Western firms risk falling behind in global infrastructure competition. The message is clear: streamline approval processes and foster cross‑sector alliances to unlock true scale.