How can you design urban resilience?

1 Assess the risks

The first step in designing urban resilience is to identify and analyze the potential threats and challenges that your city faces, both in the present and in the future. This can include environmental hazards, such as floods, earthquakes, or heat waves, as well as social and economic factors, such as poverty, inequality, or crime. You can use various tools and methods, such as hazard mapping, vulnerability assessment, or scenario planning, to understand the frequency, severity, and impact of these risks, and how they affect different groups and sectors of the city.

2 Engage the stakeholders

The second step in designing urban resilience is to involve and consult the diverse stakeholders who have a stake in the city's well-being, such as residents, businesses, civil society, and government. This can help to build trust, collaboration, and ownership among the different actors, as well as to identify and leverage their strengths, resources, and perspectives. You can use various techniques and platforms, such as surveys, workshops, or participatory design, to engage the stakeholders in defining the vision, goals, and priorities for urban resilience, and to co-create solutions that address their needs and aspirations.

3 Integrate the systems

The third step in designing urban resilience is to integrate and align the various systems and components that make up the city, such as infrastructure, services, governance, or culture. This can help to enhance the efficiency, functionality, and adaptability of the urban systems, as well as to reduce the silos, gaps, and conflicts that may hinder their performance. You can use various strategies and frameworks, such as systems thinking, circular economy, or smart city, to integrate the systems in a holistic and synergistic way, and to optimize the use of resources, data, and technology.

4 Diversify the options

The fourth step in designing urban resilience is to diversify and expand the options and opportunities that the city offers to its inhabitants and visitors, such as livelihoods, mobility, or recreation. This can help to increase the flexibility, diversity, and innovation of the urban environment, as well as to accommodate the changing preferences, demands, and lifestyles of the people. You can use various approaches and models, such as mixed-use development, multimodal transportation, or placemaking, to diversify the options in a way that enhances the quality, accessibility, and affordability of the urban services and amenities.

5 Learn from the experiences

The fifth step in designing urban resilience is to learn from and adapt to the experiences and feedback that the city generates and receives, both from within and from outside. This can help to improve the effectiveness, relevance, and sustainability of the urban resilience initiatives, as well as to foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement. You can use various methods and mechanisms, such as monitoring, evaluation, or peer review, to learn from the experiences in a systematic and transparent way, and to incorporate the lessons and insights into the design and implementation of the urban resilience actions.

6 Communicate the benefits

The sixth and final step in designing urban resilience is to communicate and demonstrate the benefits and impacts that the urban resilience efforts have on the city and its people, both in the short and long term. This can help to raise awareness, appreciation, and support for the urban resilience agenda, as well as to inspire and motivate others to join and contribute to it. You can use various channels and formats, such as stories, visualizations, or events, to communicate the benefits in a clear, compelling, and engaging way, and to showcase the achievements and challenges of the urban resilience journey.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?