Urban Design and Urban Disasters: Lessons for Nigeria

Abstract

Urban design has been described as being 'about the making of better places for people'; therefore the growing trend of natural and human-induced disasters should be areas of key concern to urban designers and other built environment professionals. Earthquakes, typhoons, landslides, flooding, explosions, and other disasters related to global climate change have increased in frequency and intensity. This paper explores the links between urban design and urban disasters - that is, disasters that directly or indirectly impact the urban realm. It identifies and attempts a categorization of disasters, with reference to their urban character. It reflects on a number of questions, and attempts to find answers to these from the literature and through lessons gleaned from the archival records of past urban disasters. The key questions include: What is the role urban design in urban disasters? Are there ways that urban designers can be trained to meet the increasing need for disaster-preparedness and disaster-mitigation? What lessons can urban designers learn from urban disasters? The conclusion is drawn to inform further research and policy-making in the context of a developing nation like Nigeria.