Survival Architecture and The Art of Resilience

Ours is a world in flux. Extreme weather events are propelling governments, cities, developers, designers and others around the world to question our ability to confront and survive the repercussions of climate change, natural disasters and other shocks to our communities.

We are just beginning to understand the implications of a climate-changing world. Globally, almost a billion people live in slums in substandard conditions and poverty, and more are at risk of losing their homes, businesses, and lives because of increasingly unpredictable environmental conditions, from droughts to sea-level rise to loss of habitat that supports fishing, farming, and other livelihoods.

As the coastal populations expand, many of the world’s poorest residents are being pushed to the edges of livable land and into harm’s way. For example, many of the primary food-producing regions near big cities are in flood-prone regions subject to sea level rise and storm surge. Interior regions are subject to increasing (and crippling) droughts.

But innovations — high-tech and low-tech, extravagant and affordable — show us the resilience of individuals at all economic strata as they design ways to survive and thrive in turbulent times.

Building resilience requires us to find ways to survive, adapt, and grow amid shocks and stresses. To do this, we’ll need both emergency shelter and longer-term housing solutions for large populations. We’ll need to design human habitats, from houses to cities, to be flexible and adaptive and able to survive whatever Mother Nature throws our way.