CO-CREATIVE APPROACH TO URBAN RESILIENCE

Students and participants will delve into the multifaceted concept of urban resilience, examining how cities can adapt and thrive in the face of challenges. The curriculum encompasses understanding the fundamental aspects of what makes cities resilient across various systems, exploring architectural and urban design innovations that balance resilience with quality of life, utilizing data-driven methodologies and indicators to measure resilience across ecological, social, and infrastructural dimensions, employing simulation and econometric modeling to predict urban responses to disruptions, and leveraging digital twins and immersive technologies to envision more adaptive and inclusive urban futures. Through this integrated approach, participants will develop the skills to analyze, design, and implement solutions that strengthen urban resilience while promoting sustainable and equitable development.

BENEFITS OF JOINING US

Summer institute offers a rich blend of interdisciplinary learning experiences, combining scientific, technological, artistic, and sociological perspectives to understand urban resilience. Students will engage in practical, collaborative projects with international peers, developing real-world solutions while building valuable connections with industry leaders, academic experts, and urban innovators. The dynamic learning environment encourages creative thinking and innovation, allowing participants to immerse themselves in a comprehensive educational experience that bridges theoretical knowledge with practical application in the field of urban resilience.

URBAN CHALLENGES: ADDRESSING THE UNKNOWNS

Cities face transformative challenges that test their resilience and adaptability. Yet, in every challenge lies an opportunity - a blessing in disguise - to innovate and transform. The Resilience X-Factor explores these critical urban challenges to uncover the hidden potential for growth and progress, offering original insights into transformative solutions:

• Technology and Early Warning Systems: How can smart technologies improve city life while creating flexible, resilient systems (redundancy and modularity) that ensure stability during unexpected disruptions?
• Equitable Access for All: How can cities ensure that everyone - especially homeless and vulnerable populations - has fair access to housing, public spaces, and essential services, without relying entirely on tech-based solutions?
• Reliable Mobility and Flexibility: How can cities develop transportation systems that are efficient, affordable, and adaptable, ensuring they remain accessible even when faced with future shocks?
• Affordable Housing Strategies: RAs urban populations grow, how can cities implement creative solutions to make housing both affordable and inclusive for diverse communities?
• The 15-Minute City: Could this model of compact, connected urban living actually make cities more resilient and livable, or does it overlook the complexity of larger-scale urban systems?
• Green and Sustainable Cities: How can the climate and energy crises motivate cities to innovate, fostering greener neighborhoods and more sustainable growth paths?
• Managing Urban Growth: Can the challenges of urban crowding, including congestion and inequality, be viewed as opportunities to rethink community design and resource-sharing?
• Preparing for the Unknown: How can cities strengthen resilience against future disruptions, whether natural, technological, or human-made, by embracing adaptability and proactive planning?
• Citizen Engagement: How can people be involved as ‘cognitive engines’ in shaping their own future?

FOCUS AREAS

The Summer Institute is designed to address the complex, multifaceted nature of urban resilience in an increasingly dynamic world. Over the course of the program, participants will actively engage with local and regional critical challenges and explore innovative solutions through a collaborative, hands-on bootcamp-style approach. The focus areas outlined below represent the key dimensions of urban resilience that will be explored through several active sessions, case studies, and discussions. In collaboration, participants will work together to tackle issues ranging from infrastructure and governance to social equity and environmental sustainability, all while emphasizing real-world application and evidence-based strategies:

• Resilient Infrastructure: Strengthening physical systems to resist shocks and ensure continuity.
• Empowered Communities: Building cohesive social systems and inclusive networks for resilience.
• Sustainable Economies: Developing economic resources that adapt and succeed in times of change.
• Innovative and Effective Governance: Reinforcing institutions and governments for effective disaster response and recovery.
• Green and Adaptive Environments: Preserving and enhancing environmental systems for long-term sustainability.
• Cultural Resilience: Using cultural assets (including historical and cultural heritage) to foster identity, unity, and recovery.
• Smart Cities: Using advanced technology (incl. AI) and innovation to prepare, respond, and rebuild better.

SUMMER INSTITUTE AGENDA

‘The Resilience X-Factor of a City’ is not just a concept – it is a practical framework for understanding how cities can endure, adapt, and improve in the face of adversity. The Summer Institute agenda will focus on exploring, analysing, and proposing smart, effective solutions across five interconnected dimensions of urban resilience:

• Climate and environmental resilience focuses on how cities can align growth with environmental sustainability by integrating regenerative ecosystems, green infrastructure, and climate adaptation strategies. It emphasizes sustainable urban planning to build balanced relationships between urban life and natural systems.
• Infrastructure and spatial resilience looks at how cities can ensure their essential systems, such as transport, energy, and water, are both adaptable and inclusive. It examines urban planning approaches that incorporate the 15-minute city model to prioritize fair access to housing, mobility, and essential services, with a focus on supporting homeless and vulnerable populations.
• Social and housing resilience explores how cities can empower their populations by promoting social equity and community cohesion. It reviews policies and initiatives that address homelessness, strengthen community bonds, and support collective action in times of crisis.
• Economic and financial resilience examines the critical key factors that drive stability and adaptability in urban economies. It examines various economic models, innovative financial strategies, and the role of entrepreneurship in building resilience, with a particular focus on funding affordable housing projects and equitable resource distribution.
• Technological and mobility resilience explores how technology and innovative mobility systems can help cities prepare for future challenges. This dimension highlights the use of data, AI, and digital twins to improve urban preparedness and recovery, while developing efficient and inclusive transport systems to ensure accessibility for all.