the resilient city

A resilient city’s idea is to create a city that can overcome challenges or situations that can hurt or damage the urban context of the city. A resilient city in today’s time would be a city that can overcome a climate change crisis through its urban planning. In 2021, a resilient city must be able to overcome a pandemic and the social, financial, and economical consequences of such a crisis.

Mumbai has failed to overcome most of the major crisis that it has faced over the years. More developed and wealthier parts of the city have been affected lesser than others. However, area like Worli are often overlooked and usually the areas that are hit the most. Worli’s geographical location places it straight up against the coastline. As a result, during the monsoon rains and as sea levels continue to rise, the area witnesses flooding.

The resilient city approach proposes to implement development that is constructed at a height with prefabricated steel flood-proof structures that can collect rainwatersimilar to the ones in Thailand.

The city of Mumbai is not the most resilient cities known to people. Yet, it is worth mentioning that when cities fail it’s people the people become resilient themselves. As sad as it is, the people of Mumbai and lower income demographic areas like Worli have learned to face crisis head on.

Along with creating leisure spaces such as the ones proposed in the social city, implementing flood proof structures and encouraging development around the ignored and less appealing coastline.

“The firm Site-Specific Co Ltd was inspired by vernacular housing strategies of Thai communities to create an affordable flood-proof home to the modern-day cities of Thailand. Built as rafts, the design uses a prefabricated steel floating system that sits under the house to collect rainwater while remaining hidden. The house prefabricated panels with steel framing allow it to be stronger and much lighter than traditional construction. As the water level rises, the depression gets filled with water and the house will be pre-buoyant in case of a flood.” (Ankhitha Gattuplai, 10 Examples of Flood Resistant Architecture)