Yangon Puts the Brakes on Highrises

A year and a half ago, a group of Yangon architects, engineers, and preservationists submitted a letter to Myanmar’s then-president, sounding the alarm on unruly urban development. The group called on the government to suspend construction projects and form a committee of experts to review and manage building in the city.

The group argued that Yangon lacks proper construction and zoning guidelines, particularly in the face of its surge in building since 2011, when the military relinquished direct control of the government and opened up the country’s economy. Myanmar’s economy is now one of the world’s fastest growing, at 7 to 8 percent a year. High-rises have been a hallmark of this spurt of development. The letter noted that regulations harken back to a time when buildings only reached a maximum of four stories.