Towards a holistic interpretation of resilient cities' concept: The case of Doha, Qatar

Abstract

Resilience and resilient cities are heavily used terms in the current architecture and planning discourse. Given the mixed interpretations of the concept of “Resilient Cities”, this paper calls for a more holistic understanding of the concept and its impact on the way cities are designed, planned and developed. By labelled as resilient, cities should transcend the current limited definition of the resilient cities concept which focuses merely on facing environmental challenges and readiness for climate change impact and other forms of natural disasters. Resilience as an attribute for cities and as will be shown in the case of Doha, the capital city of Qatar, should be holistic and inclusive to embrace all aspects of city development including economical base, cultural assets, social structure and urban development. Using the case of Doha, the paper illustrates a new conceptual understanding of cities’ resilience. The paper analyses the contemporary evolution in Doha and highlights the milestones in structuring the new vision for Doha’s development as a resilient city holistically. In the last decade, the city was subjected to several radical transformations started from winning the bid to host the 2022 FIFA world cup, decrease in oil prices and finally the sea, air and land blockade imposed on Qatar by its adjacent neighbors. The paper illustrates Doha’s model in providing a worthy case of resilience which allows the city to successfully cope with the consequences of all the major shocks, stress and unforeseen challenges, the city have faced in the last decade.