Towards adaptive urban design. International evidence in theory, practice and policy

The world has changed rapidly in the last few decades, with profound changes in the ways we use land to support a growing, and increasingly affluent and urban population. As we head towards a global population of more than 9 billion people, we have entered a critical decision space, a window of opportunity over the next few decades within which it is still possible to avert a move beyond the planet’s sustainability limit. The successful transition towards a global society that can live within the planet’s boundaries is widely seen as the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced. More people will require more space and more resources, which will have to be provided by a finite land surface facing added pressures from our changing climate. Land use change is inevitable and managing this change sustainably will become a major challenge. A major first step towards achieving the future we want is to understand better what type of world we would like to live in.The contribution, building on a repository of case studies, illustrates the concept of "Adaptive architecture and urban design", highlighting the multiple benefits of nature-based technologies and solutions at different scales of intervention.