Toward resilient communities: Urban forms that adapt multi-hazard risks

As climate change intensifies natural hazards, rapid urban sprawl in metropolitan settlements has exposed growing populations and infrastructure to vulnerable and hazard-prone areas. Hazard modeling has shifted from focusing solely on natural causes to a complex socio-ecological system (SES) framework. This evolution emphasizes the need for a holistic understanding of urban-hazard interactions when developing effective climate adaptation and urban planning strategies. To address these challenges, we examine the relationship between urban forms and the extent of losses from multiple hazards by incorporating environmental, social, and economic dimensions. We found that (1) compact configuration, when strategically planned, may serve as a resilient development pattern in multi-hazard environments; (2) nature-based solutions have shown partial effectiveness in reducing hazard risks within metropolitan areas; (3) interacting urban form variables substantially influence multi-hazard risks, while individual form variables yield subtle effects. These findings illuminate insights on integrating urban planning across multiple scales for sustainable disaster risk reduction (DRR). We suggest tailored risk reduction strategies considering local contexts, especially for managing population density in urban settlements.