The Martin Centre is a research centre in the Department of Architecture at the University of Cambridge. For over fifty years the Martin Centre has been one of the leading architectural research units in Britain, renowned particularly for its ground-breaking data-driven quantitive research, with over five decades of successful research for government and industry, both nationally and internationally. It hosts one of the longest running seminar series in the field of architectural research, for this academic year (the 55th series) the theme is:

Resilience

Throughout history, many cities have been destroyed—through war, natural disasters, or human actions—yet they almost always manage to rebuild. From small neighborhoods to entire urban areas, these cities recover, restoring their social and economic functions or transforming into sites of education, tourism, and remembrance.

Urban disasters and resilience come in many forms and can be categorised in various ways. The scale of destruction can vary from a single small precinct to an entire city. Disasters can be understood by their causes and their impact on human life. Some large-scale disasters, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, cause widespread disruption and loss of life without physically destroying buildings. Conversely, events like the Gaza War resulted in massive casualties and extensive damage to the built environment. Regardless of the scale and source of these disasters, the psychological injuries are often profound.

In this context, the concept of resilience is complex. Physical reconstruction and emotional and cultural recovery often do not occur simultaneously, and sometimes one overshadows the other. In some cases, selective reconstruction is guided by foreign ideologies that do not align with the public’s interests. Conversely, a disaster can be an opportunity to restore a vibrant local community. Culture also plays a crucial role in this process, as forms such as film, literature, and photography help people make sense of the disaster, discover or establish meanings, and regain a sense of control over their surroundings.

This seminar series seeks to shed light on how cities and their residents manage to be resilient in different configurations of urban disasters. How do they survive and recover after periods of disappointment, collapse, depression, and failure?

All are welcome, please come and join the conversation...