Assessment
The student works in the field of Urban planning.
Brief
Floods are among the most frequent and costly natural hazards (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction). Because cities concentrate people and everyday functions housing, healthcare, education, utilities, mobility—urban flooding can quickly disrupt essential services and ripple across entire communities. With climate change intensifying the frequency, severity, and spatial unpredictability of floods, cities must build resilience and be prepared for escalating shocks.
There is solid evidence that physical urban form influences flood resilience, but most research sits at macro (city/region) or micro (parcel/building) scales. At the meso (neighborhood) scale, studies remain comparatively few, fragmented, and context-specific.
Recently, there has been a large amount of interests raised on green space and its utilization. Not just from civil engineering point of view, many experts in urban and regional planning emphasize the importance of green space in environmental planning. Especially, the relationship between green space and flood mitigation received a greater attention than before.
The aim of this research is to understand how neighborhood Meso-scale physical urban form influences urban resilience to flooding; and focus mainly on Urban Green Space integration as the main element of urban form in developing flood resilient neighborhoods by synthesizing findings from studies, indicators, and best practices, and then coming with a framework/recommendations perform best against flood shocks.
Summary of Assessment Requirements
The assessment required the student working in the field of Urban Planning to conduct a detailed analysis on the role of Urban Green Space Integration in developing flood-resilient neighborhoods. The main objective was to evaluate how meso-scale (neighborhood-level) urban form influences flood resilience and to propose a framework or recommendations based on global best practices and research evidence.
Key Pointers to be Covered
- Understand the impact of urban flooding and its growing frequency due to climate change.
- Examine how physical urban form affects the resilience of cities to floods.
- Focus specifically on the integration of green spaces as a sustainable solution for flood mitigation.
- Review and synthesize existing studies, indicators, and practices at the neighborhood (meso) scale.
- Develop a conceptual framework or recommendation model that can enhance neighborhood-level resilience.
The purpose was to encourage critical analysis, sustainability-focused urban design thinking, and evidence-based planning solutions.
Mentor-Guided Approach to the Assessment
The academic mentor guided the student through a systematic step-by-step process to ensure both analytical depth and practical application. The guidance focused on developing the student’s research, synthesis, and evaluation skills aligned with the learning outcomes.
Step 1: Understanding the Context and Research Scope
The mentor first helped the student interpret the brief emphasizing the importance of climate resilience and green infrastructure in urban flood management. Discussions revolved around defining the meso-scale and understanding how it bridges macro (city-wide) and micro (building-level) flood studies.
Step 2: Literature Review and Evidence Gathering
Next, the mentor advised the student to conduct a targeted literature review covering:
- Flood mitigation strategies linked to green space design.
- Case studies of resilient neighborhoods worldwide.
- Quantitative and qualitative indicators of urban resilience.
The mentor encouraged the student to evaluate both engineering-based and ecological planning approaches to create a balanced understanding.