A Research by Design Strategy for Climate Adaptation Solutions: Implementation in the Low-Density, High Flood Risk Context of the Lake District, UK

Ifigenia Psarra, Özlem Altınkaya Genel and Alex van Spyk
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Ifigenia Psarra: Academy of Architecture, Institute of Future Environments, Hanze University Groningen, 9747 AS Groningen, The Netherlands
Özlem Altınkaya Genel: Research Center for Built Environment Noorder Ruimte, Hanze University Groningen, 9747 AS Groningen, The Netherlands
Alex van Spyk: Research Center for Built Environment Noorder Ruimte, Hanze University Groningen, 9747 AS Groningen, The Netherlands

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-23

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to propose a research by design strategy, focusing on the generation of innovative climate adaptation solutions by utilizing the Design Thinking Process. The proposed strategy has been developed and tested in a research and design studio, which took place in 2020 at a Master of Architecture degree program in the Netherlands. The studios focused on the sparsely populated, high flood risk region of the Lake District, UK. The Lake District faces urgent climate change challenges that demand effective solutions. On the other hand, the area is a UNESCO heritage site, characterized by massive tourism and tending towards museumification (sic). Three indicative design research projects were selected to illustrate the proposed research by design strategy. The results reveal that this strategy facilitates the iterative research by design process and hence offers a systematic approach to convert the threats of climate change into opportunities by unraveling the potentials of the study area. The findings lay the groundwork for more systematic studies on research by design as an effective strategy for climate change adaptation design. Beyond the local case, the results contribute to the critical theories on climate adaptation design and research by design methodologies.

Keywords: climate adaptation; research by design; design thinking process; the Lake District; low-density; high flood risk; uncertainty; spatial planning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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