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Abstract

Social infrastructure, as the physical medium for social life in cities, is increasingly being acknowledged for its ability to offer climate-proofing benefits both in times of climate stability and climate disturbances. However, more evidence is needed on how social infrastructure can be deliberately shaped to contribute to climate-proofing cities. Our study addresses this gap through exploring the key strategies which ensure the effective engagement of social infrastructure (SI) in climate proofing cities (CPC). An explorative case study of Rotterdam city is performed, as the city is well recognized as a pioneer in climate resilience through spatial planning. Data sources for the case study include the review of key city documents and primary data collected from walk-through observations of three social infrastructure projects in the city (Watersquare Benthemplien, Dakpark, and Markthal). Through a reflexive thematic analysis of the collected data, we identify six key strategies for enabling active engagement of SI in CPC: Contextualize, Reframe, Collaborate, Integrate, Mobilize, and Evaluate. These strategies work together through all stages of SI development, with climate, society, and economy as core values of the process. The findings reveal that effective climate-proofing through SI requires more than engineered interventions or planting greenery on sites; it demands a holistic vision, deep community integration, a robust strategic framework to ensure long term success. Ultimately, the research provides a strategic framework that solidifies the link between SI design and CPC, with valuable practical implications for urban planners and policy makers. The proposed strategies help to amplify the multidimensional benefits of SI in CPC, through infusing climate-proofing measures within the place shaping process of SI. Furthermore, the study offers a transferable analytical framework that can be conducted on other cities with variant urban and climate contexts to further scrutinize the findings.

Keywords

Social infrastructure (SI), Climate-proofing cities (CPC), Urban design, Strategies, Climate adaptation, Rotterdam

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