Sustainable Resilience: A Case for Vaastu Principles in Urban Planning

Abstract

In recent years, an increasing number of local governments are recognizing the impact of climate change on different urban sectors. This has led many to pursue climate adaptation planning, seeking to achieve preparedness through reducing vulnerability and enhancing the resilience of the population, assets, and municipal operations. Different planning approaches have been undertaken by many cities sharing the above mentioned common goal. In this paper, we examine urban ecology, Vaastu and sustainable-resilience approaches. We assess the potential and limitations of these different approaches, promoting participation and adaptive capacity of vulnerable groups, and facilitating overall urban resilience. Though these three terms represent different approach the common string between them is being sensitive towards nature. Urban ecology, Vaastu and resilience have a commonality, that is to learn from observing nature to come up with a suitable remedy so as to create a win-win situation for human as well as other living creatures to live in harmony. The paper concludes with the inference that, the notion of resilience when combined with urban ecology and concept of Vaastu is used to respond to uncertainty and vulnerability it would help develop strategies and alternative approaches to strengthen the relationship between man and nature.