The Philippines plans to build a $14 billion 'pollution-free' city that will be larger than Manhattan

Over the next three decades, the Philippines aims to build out New Clark about 75 miles outside Manila.

Source: CNBC

According to the development's plan, the city will eventually stretch 36 square miles — a land area larger than Manhattan — and house up to 2 million people.

Source: The Inquirer

New Clark will be divided into five districts, each with a specific function: government, business, education, agriculture, and recreation.

While New Clark's exact design is not fleshed out, developers say the urban plan will prioritize environmental sustainability and climate resilience.

With a minimum elevation of 184 feet above sea level, the city will likely not see much flooding.

To reduce carbon emissions, two-thirds of New Clark will be reserved for farmland, parks, and other green space.

Source: Reuters

The buildings will incorporate technologies that reduce energy and water usage.

Driverless cars, running on electric energy rather than CO2-emitting gas, will roam the streets.

Additionally, the city will feature a giant sports stadium and an agro-industrial park.

New Clark's developers, BCDA Group and Surbana Jurong, plan to start construction in 2022.

The new city will serve as a "twin city" to Manila, alleviating congestion in the capital, Surbana Jurong CEO Heang Fine Wong told CNBC.

Source: CNBC

"You'll gradually see Manila becoming a different type of city ... and in New Clark City, you'll see new technology companies coming through," he said.

The vision for New Clark certainly sounds utopian.

But the ambitious plan faces several challenges, including persuading Manila residents to move there. A new railway line could reduce the travel time between the two cities in half.

The Philippines also struggles with economic development, and building an eco-city from scratch will come with a hefty price tag. According to Wong, public-private partnerships will help finance the project.

In recent years, countries around the world — especially China — have unveiled plans for pie-in-the-sky urban developments. A number of realized projects have failed to attract a significant population, and turned into ghost cities.

Yujiapu and Xiangluo Bay, a metro area that was supposed to be known as "China's Manhattan," is half-built and largely empty.

Building cities from scratch rarely solve existing problems, but designing them can help urban planners imagine what's possible.