Designing for extreme weather in a changing world

Around the world, extreme weather events—such as wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and droughts—are reshaping how we think about architecture. Climate-resilient infrastructure is no longer a luxury. It's a necessity. Designing for these challenges demands creativity, innovation, and a global perspective.

Resilient design architecture is about building structures that can withstand and adapt to harsh environmental conditions. Explore how resilient architecture is evolving and real-world projects are leading the way.

What is design resilience?

Design resilience refers to the ability of buildings and infrastructure to absorb, recover, and adapt to changing environmental stresses. Resilient design architecture anticipates disruption. It doesn’t just survive storms and rising seas. It thrives through them.

The Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities initiative showed how resilience isn't only about building stronger. It's about creating smarter and working systematically across all sectors. Launched in 2013, the project helped 100 cities worldwide¹ tackle physical shocks like floods and socioeconomic stresses like housing crises.

Each selected city appointed a chief resilience officer to lead these efforts. Supported by over $160 million in funding, the program gave cities guidance, access to global solution networks and membership in a collaborative urban resilience community.

The result was over 50 comprehensive resilience strategies and 1,800 global projects and actions. These strategies leveraged over $655 million in new investments and sparked more than 150 partnerships between cities and private, public, and non-profit groups.

After the program’s conclusion in 2019, the Rockefeller Foundation committed an additional $8 million to keep the momentum alive. This helped cities move from planning to real-world implementation. 100 Resilient Cities proved that resilient design architecture isn’t just a technical exercise. It’s a dynamic movement connecting infrastructure, governance, and social equity.

Principles of climate-resilient infrastructure

Designing for extreme weather means embedding resilience from the ground up. Here are a few key principles architects follow:

Flexibility: Buildings must adapt to shifting conditions. Features like movable walls, elevated platforms, or adjustable facades help structures respond to floods, storms, or rising temperatures.
Redundancy: Critical systems need backups. Designing secondary energy sources, water supplies, and communication networks ensures a building can function when primary systems fail. This approach minimizes disruptions and enhances the building's ability to withstand unexpected events.
Durability: Materials must withstand harsh conditions over time. Options like cross-laminated timber, fiber-reinforced concrete, and weather-resistant steel increase the lifespan of climate-resilient infrastructure.
Sustainability: Resilient design architecture should reduce environmental impact by incorporating renewable energy, rainwater harvesting, and passive cooling. Greywater recycling helps conserve freshwater, addressing the global water crisis affecting 884 million people². These sustainable strategies enhance resilience while supporting water conservation.

Resilient architecture examples around the world

Here’s how different regions are embracing resilient design architecture.

The Floating School, Makoko, Nigeria

The Makoko Floating School offers a ground breaking solution for flood-prone regions. Elevated on stilts, the structure floats on the lagoon, rising and falling with the water levels. This allows it to thrive in constantly changing conditions.

The design promotes natural ventilation and airflow, minimizing the need for energy-intensive cooling. Photovoltaic panels harness solar energy. A rainwater collection system ensures the building is self-sufficient in terms of water. The school is a global beacon of resilience and eco-friendly innovation.

The Lotus Temple, New Delhi, India

The Lotus Temple is a prime example of resilient architecture. This Bahāʾī house of worship features a nine-sided structure³ symbolizing the mystical properties of the number nine. Its 27 marble "petals" form a lotus shape.

Beyond its beauty, the temple is built to endure. The white marble exterior withstands harsh conditions. The glass-and-steel roof allows natural daylight, reducing the need for artificial lighting. The design harmonizes aesthetics with function, blending symbolism, sustainability and structural strength.

BIG U, New York City, USA

The BIG U is a 10-mile flood protection system for Manhattan’s waterfront. Divided into three parts, it features parks, berms, and deployable walls that protect against storms. The Lower East Side Bridging Berm combines flood protection with recreational space.

Created in response to Hurricane Sandy, the BIG U reimagines flood protection as functional and inclusive. It integrates resilient infrastructure with public spaces, making the waterfront accessible and livable. With a focus on sustainability and community involvement, the BIG U sets a new standard for climate-adaptive urban design.

Key strategies for designing resilient buildings

Designing resilient buildings requires a strategic, comprehensive approach. Here are several strategies to enhance resilience:

Integrate smart technology: Building management systems that monitor energy use, temperature, and structural integrity help buildings adapt in real time to changing conditions, improving efficiency.
Optimize site selection and planning: Careful site analysis and planning help buildings avoid risk-prone areas. Elevating structures, using natural land contours or choosing locations with lower environmental risks can reduce vulnerability to natural disasters.
Emphasize water management: Stormwater management systems—such as permeable pavements or green roofs—reduce flooding risks and improve water retention, protecting buildings from water damage.
Design for energy efficiency: High-performance insulation, advanced glazing systems, and energy-efficient appliances lower energy consumption and enhance the building’s ability to perform in extreme weather conditions.
Enhance community integration: Buildings that serve as communal hubs or emergency shelters enhance resilience by promoting social cohesion and ensuring structures are valuable in emergencies.
Invest in long-term maintenance: Resilient buildings require monitoring and maintenance. Designing structures with easy upkeep ensures critical systems remain functional and protected.

Challenges and opportunities in global resilient design

Despite significant progress, challenges persist in the pursuit of global resilient design. One of the primary barriers is cost. The upfront investment for climate-resilient infrastructure can be a hurdle for governments and communities.

A significant shift toward opting for hurricane-proof materials in U.S. architecture hails back all the way to 1992. Hurricane Andrew caused significant damage, with one of the most costly aspects⁴ being the destruction of overhead doors. High winds forced commercial and residential doors out of place, leading to internal pressure and structural collapses. This underscores the importance of resilient infrastructure and investing in long-term safety and sustainability solutions. Since then, more builders, contractors, and architects have looked into ways to strengthen building envelopes and increase resilience for safety while keeping costs within reason.

An ongoing challenge is designing for an uncertain future, as climate data constantly evolves. This requires flexible design strategies to accommodate unforeseen conditions. However, there are numerous opportunities to drive progress in resilient design. Governments are increasingly offering policy incentives to support resilient construction.

Innovative materials—such as self-healing concrete, heat-reflective paints, and lightweight porous composites like hempcrete—are pushing the boundaries of sustainable structures. Hempcrete provides thermal insulation and soundproofing. Due to its high porosity⁵, making it valuable for energy-efficient designs.

Community-led design initiatives are also gaining momentum, creating effective and culturally relevant solutions. As resilient design architecture continues to rise globally, it opens the door for collaborations between architects, engineers, and policymakers.

The future is resilient

Resilient design is a central focus of modern architecture and future urban environments. The buildings of tomorrow will be adaptable, durable, and harmoniously integrated with nature.

Designers prioritizing resilience today lay the groundwork for stronger, safer communities tomorrow. In a world that continues to change, resilient design has become not just a smart choice but a necessity.