About this course
What makes a city truly resilient in the face of complex, interconnected urban challenges? This course explores urban resilience as a holistic concept, examining how cities withstand, adapt to, and evolve through crises. Through an interdisciplinary approach, you will investigate how diverse systems—physical infrastructure, governance, community networks, cultural heritage, and ecological landscapes—interact to shape the resilience of urban environments.
Using Copenhagen as a living laboratory, the course offers hands-on, field-based learning in one of Europe’s most forward-thinking cities. You will engage with local stakeholders and experts across sectors, analyzing how resilience is embedded not only in climate adaptation and sustainable design, but also in housing equity, public health, economic diversity, cultural continuity, and democratic governance. Through team-based projects, you will co-create visions and proposals for a more resilient Copenhagen, applying analytical tools, systems thinking, and community-centered strategies. The course challenges students to imagine and design urban futures that are inclusive, adaptable, and regenerative.
