Revitalizing small urban streams as an instrument of urban planning in creating resilient cities

Revitalizing small urban streams emerges as a cost-effective, proactive strategy for enhancing urban resilience and sustainability. This study demonstrates that restoring these watercourses—often overlooked or buried in dense urban areas—can significantly reduce flood risks from intense rainfall while bolstering ecosystem health, public well-being, social interaction, and climate change adaptation. Through comparative analysis of Graz (Austria) and Oslo (Norway), the research highlights tangible benefits such as improved stormwater management, environmental quality, and land-use efficiency. It further proposes actionable urban planning guidelines to integrate these revitalized watercourses into policy frameworks, offering a scalable model for adapting inherited urban landscapes to climate challenges.

Dinic-Brankovic, M., & Markovic, M. (2021). Revitalizing small urban streams as an instrument of urban planning in creating resilient cities. Facta Universitatis - Series: Architecture and Civil Engineering, 19(2), 193–205. https://doi.org/10.2298/fuace211203015d