Welcome to Resilient Towns. Population: you and me, for the moment.

These ideas started in the crucible of severe weather events that shook what was once regarded as a climate sanctuary in Appalachia, specifically the valleys and hills surrounding Asheville, North Carolina. As the flood waters retreated and roads cleared of wind-torn debris, the damage was surreal.

As rebuilding efforts started back up, the question nagging the back of my mind was what should we build back with? The previous design helped exacerbate issues – development in flood zones, the every-growing encasement of the land in pavement and concrete for cars, the encroaching grass landscapes into forests. There is a strong voice to build back, to restore what was lost. There is another voice to build back better. There is less volume discussing what is better.

Better looks different to different people – unsurprising I know. More trees, gardens, bikes are frequently mentioned in better. Sometimes better looks like large white buildings, covered in glass set in a sea of green. Sometimes it looks like people eating in a park with the city far off in the distance and kids climbing trees. Sometimes it looks like floating cities built in the middle of the ocean where governmental influence cannot reach. I want to discuss a better option, one I haven’t seen represented in my home. I want to see others share their better options for their homes.

One standard I think better needs to adhere to is resiliency. This is an immediate reaction to the Helene storm and her destruction caused, the community she highlighted, and the land she left behind.

Resiliency will become a more requested feature of better. As these words are written, Los Angeles is in the midst of a brutal wildfire, displacing thousands of people. Another natural force showcasing the current lack of resiliency in our human habitats.

ideation intent

To facilitate the ideation of resilient towns, I will lean heavily on solarpunk ideals. I won’t dive too deeply into solarpunk now, its an evolving field of thought that arose from some idealistic images of people gardening, cultivating a healthier, happier future, together. Solarpunk is a way of thinking optimistically about our future. Of finding solutions to our pressing issues opposed to settling into the gloom of defeatism that can feel unfortunately popular lately. Normally, these solutions will involve community engagement, environmentally conscience decision making, low-tech solutions where viable, developing technology to serve our needs where needed. Oh, and gardens. Lots of gardens.

These ideas will exist in an almost fictional world. A world stripped of modern zoning regulations, of commerce-centric designs, of car-centered mobility, of investment-based development. In short, this will be a post-capitalism world. These ideas will be built on what can be seen driving through the region today. These ideas will represent what I see as a better way to build back and will represent an architect’s mind at play.