How Climate affects the City, How the City affects Climate: Designing Scales of Architectural Intervention for Resilient Living

Climate change and urban form influence one another through reciprocal relationships that shape environmental performance and human wellbeing. This chapter argues that architecture should be understood not as a passive recipient of climate policies, but as an active agent capable of mitigating environmental impacts and supporting urban adaptation. Building on literature review and international case studies, it develops a multi-scalar design framework operating across the building, neighbourhood and city scales. The framework addresses three major urban challenges—flooding, urban heat islands and greenhouse gas emissions—through three complementary modes of intervention: stopping the problem, addressing its consequences and reversing environmental degradation through regenerative design. By integrating spatial, material and ecological strategies within a single design framework, the chapter demonstrates how architecture can contribute to climate resilience while promoting environmental quality, social equity and long-term urban sustainability