The new "Mindfulness City" in Bhutan is enormous, with plans indicating a unique city unlike any other globally.

Bhutan is planning to construct a "mindfulness city" that will occupy 2.5% of the country's land, which is equivalent to the size of Singapore.

The city will be constructed near Gelephu, on the southern border of Bhutan, according to plans.

The Gelephu Mindfulness City, as per the project's masterplan, will function as an economic center and a tourist gateway to the rest of the country, as stated in a January press release.

In December, Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck stated that the country is not constrained by its past and can quickly innovate to execute plans that other nations may be hesitant to pursue, as per the press release.

While Gelephu is crucial for Indian travelers crossing the border, most international tourists arrive at Paro International Airport, located near Thimphu, the capital and largest city of Bhutan, with a size of 26 square kilometers.

Gelephu Mindfulness City, like Saudi Arabia's planned linear city, The Line, reimagines how modern cities should appear, operate, and cater to the needs of their inhabitants.

Gelephu’s masterplan

A low- to-mid-rise metropolis is planned for "Gelephu Mindfulness City," with inhabitable bridges at its core.

According to the plan, each bridge will feature a new international airport, a university, a health-care facility for Eastern and Western medicine, a hydroponic greenhouse, a cultural center, a spiritual center, a market for local goods, and a hydroelectric dam.

The Sankosh Temple-Dam will feature elevated temple access via staircases, similar to the Tiger's Nest in Bhutan, as described by Bjarke Ingels, founder of the Bjarke Ingels Group.

The city's design will feature eleven "ribbonlike neighborhoods" that incorporate the area's 35 rivers and streams. The neighborhoods will be designed like mandalas, with repeated patterns organized around a central public space, as stated on Bjarke Ingels Group's website.

To safeguard against flooding, paddy fields will be constructed along the rivers, creating urban terraces that slope down from the hills to the valley. These terraces will also serve as biodiversity pathways for local plants and animals, preserving the migration routes of elephants and other wildlife.

A ‘wellbeing’ city

The city, situated in a special administrative region in southern Bhutan, will be founded on Bhutan's renowned Gross National Happiness philosophy, as stated in the press release.

Mindfulness City stands out for prioritizing both economic growth and the well-being of every resident.

The construction of a new international airport and a dry port has commenced, but there is no fixed completion date for the project as it will depend on the progress of business developments, according to media representatives.

The Mindfulness City SAR is a long-term project that will expand and evolve over time, as stated by the MCC Media.