Design, technology and the environment in multi-risk scenarios

Abstract

Natural, human-induced, and environmental risks often manifest through interconnected combinations, linking the hazards of these phenomena to the exposure and vulnerability of physical, social, and intangible components. In addition to producing new qualities designed to overcome critical factors, technology today is capable of driving the necessary changes to ensure urban safety and liveability in the face of multi-risk scenarios. Among the risks most widely perceived as a serious threat, climate change has become a subject of study in the sociopolitical sphere and in the context of security. In urban settlements, the impacts of a changing climate, like other risks, result from the interaction of climatic phenomena with levels of vulnerability and exposure. Efforts to mitigate them must be implemented by reducing these levels through adaptation measures. In the face of multiple risks interacting with those caused by the new climate regime, architectural design must develop integrated strategies in which regenerative factors can inform new urban layouts – cities that were unfortunately developed and managed in ages when risk factors were not adequately considered.