TY - JOUR
T1 - Towards a Landscape-based Regional Design Approach for Adaptive Transformation in Urbanizing Deltas
AU - Nijhuis, S.
AU - Xiong, L.
AU - Cannatella, D.
N1 - Vol. 6 (2020): Inclusive Urbanism: Advances in research, education and practice.
ISBN 978-94-6366-317-5
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Deltaic areas are among the most promising regions in the world. Theirstrategic location and superior quality of their soils are core factors supporting both human development and the rise of these regions as global economic hubs. At the same time, however, deltas are extremely vulnerable to multiple threats from both climate change and the rush to urbanization. These include an increased flood risk combined with the resulting loss of ecological and social-cultural values. The urbanization of deltas can be understood as a set of complex social-ecological systems (and subsystems), each with its own dynamics and speed of change. To ensure a more sustainable future for these areas, spatial strategies are needed to strengthen resilience, i.e. help the systems to cope with their vulnerabilities as well as enhance their capacity to overcome natural and artificial threats. In this article we elaborate a landscape based regional design approach for the adaptive urban transformation of urbanizing deltas, taking the Pearl River Delta as a case study. Based on an assessment of the dynamics of change regarding the transformational cycles of natural and urban landscape elements, eco-dynamic regional design strategies are explored to reveal greater opportunities for the exploitation of natural and social-cultural factors within the processes of urban development. Furthermore, adaptive transformational perspectives are identified to ensure reduced flood risk and inclusive socio-ecological design.
AB - Deltaic areas are among the most promising regions in the world. Theirstrategic location and superior quality of their soils are core factors supporting both human development and the rise of these regions as global economic hubs. At the same time, however, deltas are extremely vulnerable to multiple threats from both climate change and the rush to urbanization. These include an increased flood risk combined with the resulting loss of ecological and social-cultural values. The urbanization of deltas can be understood as a set of complex social-ecological systems (and subsystems), each with its own dynamics and speed of change. To ensure a more sustainable future for these areas, spatial strategies are needed to strengthen resilience, i.e. help the systems to cope with their vulnerabilities as well as enhance their capacity to overcome natural and artificial threats. In this article we elaborate a landscape based regional design approach for the adaptive urban transformation of urbanizing deltas, taking the Pearl River Delta as a case study. Based on an assessment of the dynamics of change regarding the transformational cycles of natural and urban landscape elements, eco-dynamic regional design strategies are explored to reveal greater opportunities for the exploitation of natural and social-cultural factors within the processes of urban development. Furthermore, adaptive transformational perspectives are identified to ensure reduced flood risk and inclusive socio-ecological design.
KW - Adaptive urban planning
KW - Pearl River Delta
KW - Regional landscape design
KW - Resilient urban planning and management
KW - Transformation perspective
KW - Water sensitive design
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85102360720&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.7480/rius.6.94
DO - 10.7480/rius.6.94
M3 - Article
SN - 1875-0192
VL - 6
SP - 55
EP - 80
JO - Research in Urbanism Series
JF - Research in Urbanism Series
ER -