Building urban resilience: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic for future-proofing city infrastructure

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has become a global issue of increasing concern in recent years. As time has passed, existing urban planning and design have gradually been challenged and transformed. The World Health Organization has provided numerous recommendations to the public regarding the transmission of COVID-19, with social distancing being the primary measure. However, the implementation of social distancing policies has altered people's lifestyles. With nearly three years of ongoing pandemic transmission and the advent of the post-pandemic era due to increased vaccination rates, it is essential to consider the adjustments of urban elements in response to the changing lifestyles of residents. The pandemic has underscored the need for cities to not only reduce damage but also to maintain functionality and livability, thus enhancing economic development and urban vibrancy. It applies the Analytic Hierarchy Process to select principles based on expert opinions, constructing specific criteria accordingly. Critical Infrastructure (CI) criteria and their weights in the Taipei metropolitan area are then obtained, establishing a sequence for the reallocation of critical infrastructure. The study delves into whether critical infrastructure should be reallocated in the post-pandemic era, aiming to build urban resilience. Through expert questionnaires based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process and matrix statistical calculations, the true importance weights are derived. The results show that the highest priority criteria is "policy management," followed by "built environment and public facilities," and third is "green-blue infrastructure." These criteria will serve as important measures for adjusting urban design in the post-pandemic era, with Wanhua as the study area, to respond to the impact of public facility data analysis on urban development and to understand the pandemic's effects on cities. The findings aim to provide governmental units with a framework to evaluate and improve essential urban infrastructure, ensuring cities are better prepared for future health crises and environmental challenges.