Designing Resilience in Asia: Designing the Unpredictable, Planning with Uncertainty

Oscar Carracedo (National University of Singapore)

In the last decades we have witnessed in greater frequency extreme weather and climate disaster events affecting our cites due to the effects of global warming and climate. Just in 2017, 335 natural disasters caused thousands of lost lives and US$335 billion in economic losses. In front of this scenario it is extremely critical to build resilient cities in light of the environmental vulnerability and the exponential consequences of rapid urbanization.

The Designing Resilience in Asia (DRiA) International Research Programme hosted by the School of Design and Environment (National University of Singapore), was initiated in 2014 with the objective to foster a substantive research and discussion about innovative ideas and design practical actions, to adapt to the impacts of climate change, protecting communities and reducing vulnerability, while mitigating the causes of global warming through specific solutions that actively contribute to the environmental recovery. Since its inception, assuming an active responsibility to return the original environmental qualities to the urban milieu, the DRiA, formed by a consortium of 15 universities from all over the world, has developed over 90 projects in China, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and India dealing with flooding, extreme rainfall, water and air pollution, urban heat island effect or subsidence.

This presentation focuses on the conclusions after 5 years of research, suggesting 7 responses to address urban resilience through urban planning and design, technology, policies or community involvement. The presentation will also elaborate on the replicability of the proposed solutions to global scenarios. The output of this study aims to be used as a basis to define a set of planning and design solutions that can constitute a potential tool for dealing with the resilience of urban developments. The resilient tools can help to provide decision makers with a clear and comprehensive support system in making better informed decisions.