Designing Resilient Cities: A Guide to Good Practice (EP 103)

This guide presents the Urban Futures Method to test the likely future performance of urban development and regeneration-related ‘sustainability solutions’ – actions taken today in the name of sustainability – in a series of possible future scenarios in the year 2050. If a proposed solution delivers a positive legacy, regardless of the future against which it is tested, then it can be adopted with confidence. The Method provides insights into the potential impacts of today’s urban planning and design decisions, and challenges the conventional mainstream approach to sustainability by incorporating changing priorities and different ways of thinking into today’s actions, with the intention to ensure relevance in the future. This publication is the planned outcome of a four-year,three point onemillion pound grant from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council on Urban Futures. It has been directed by a steering committee and expert panellists representing industry, government, academia and the third sector. Essential reading for decision-makers in the public and private sectors, community stakeholders, urban designers, planners, developers, architects and engineers involved in urban development and regeneration.

1. Introduction to the Urban Futures Method 2. The Urban Futures Method in brief 3. Using the Urban Futures Tool 4. The Urban Futures Method: delving more deeply 5. Applying the Urban Futures Method 6. Developing UK scenarios 7. Complexity and urban systems 8. Worked Examples 9. Water 10. Biodiversity 11. Air quality 12. Energy and carbon 13. Local economy 14. Social mix and community building 15. Healthy lifestyles 16. Appendices on CD: Urban Futures Interactive Tool. Using scenarios to explore urban UK futures: a review of futures literature 1997–2010. Scenario. Vignettes

Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham, UK