Resilience and Sustainability: Planning for Disaster in Urban Areas
Summary
In this article, we discuss the concepts of resilience and sustainability in the context of urban areas. With the increasing vulnerability of cities to disasters such as hurricanes and rising sea levels, it is important to plan for the future. Resilience refers to the ability of a city to withstand a disaster, while sustainability focuses on creating environmentally friendly urban spaces. Both concepts are crucial in the emerging critical argument in urbanism.
Table of Contents
- Resilience and the Ability to Withstand a Disaster
- Sustainability and Environmentally Friendly Urban Spaces
- The Importance of Planning for the Future
Resilience and the Ability to Withstand a Disaster
As someone who has lived in New York City and witnessed two apocalypses on television, the speaker understands the importance of resilience. Resilience refers to the ability of a city to withstand a disaster, such as a hurricane or storm surge. To make cities more resilient, urban thinkers have proposed ideas such as raised subway entrances and storm gates. These ideas are crucial in the emerging critical argument in urbanism.
Sustainability and Environmentally Friendly Urban Spaces
In addition to resilience, sustainability is also important in urban planning. Sustainability refers to creating environmentally friendly urban spaces. Ideas such as green rooftops and permeable pavement help to reduce a city’s carbon footprint and prevent water runoff. The speaker mentions the importance of incorporating nature into urban spaces, such as the High Line in New York City.
The Importance of Planning for the Future
With the increasing vulnerability of cities to disasters, it is important to plan for the future. The speaker expresses concern that we tend to plan for the last disaster and not the next one. Therefore, it is important to think about ways to avoid the next disaster and create sustainable and resilient urban spaces.
Conclusion
In conclusion, resilience and sustainability are crucial concepts in urban planning. With the increasing vulnerability of cities to disasters, it is important to plan for the future and create urban spaces that can withstand and prevent disasters. By incorporating ideas such as raised subway entrances and green rooftops, we can create sustainable and resilient cities for the future.
