Experts at SMU City Dialogues Vienna advocate for urban resilience built on trust
The fourth edition of SMU City Dialogues, a joint initiative between Singapore Management University (SMU) and Urban Innovation Vienna (UIV), took place at Vienna City Hall on July 2, 2025. The event brought together urban leaders, policymakers, and academics from Europe, Asia, and beyond, with a focus on the value of urban resilience.
The keynote address was delivered by Mr Jürgen Czernohorszky, Executive City Councillor for Climate, Environment, Democracy, and Personnel of the City of Vienna. The joint key takeaway session was led by SMU professors Winston Chow and Orlando Woods, alongside UIV's Johannes Lutter.
Urban resilience is defined as the capacity of a city to maintain its essential functions, adapt to changes, and recover quickly from various shocks and stresses, such as natural disasters, climate events, economic downturns, and social challenges. It goes beyond simply bouncing back after a crisis; it involves long-term investments and planning to ensure that city systems, services, and communities can respond effectively to disruptions and continue to prosper.
The importance of urban resilience was emphasized by the speakers. Dr Johannes Lutter, Senior Urban Planner at Urban Innovation Vienna, stressed the importance of understanding who is at risk in order to effectively help those most vulnerable. He advocated for a structured dialogue between governments and communities to foster genuine collaboration between public institutions and the people they serve. Dr Lutter also highlighted the need to restore agency to communities, not by shifting responsibility onto them, but by fostering collaboration between governments and communities.
Professor Winston Chow, Co-Chair of the IPCC Working Group II and Professor of Urban Climate at SMU, emphasized that resilience is about thriving, not just surviving. He suggested that we should strive to be a 'smart enough city', tailored to the context and problem at hand. Prof Chow warned against over-reliance on public-private partnerships, highlighting the need for competent, stable governments, extensive due diligence, and clear alignment of interest.
Prof Orlando Woods, also Director of the SMU Urban Institute, cautioned against over-reliance on data and digital tools in addressing complex urban challenges. He noted that over-reliance can lead to oversimplified responses, masking deeper systemic issues like inequality, mental health, or infrastructural neglect.
The programme featured three thematic tracks: Finance and Public-Private Partnerships, Social Equity and Environment, and Innovation and Technology. City Dialogues Vienna welcomed over 100 attendees from 20 countries. The event had representation from more than 20 universities and over 30 private and public organizations.
The SMU City Dialogues likely explored themes such as cities adopting multi-sectoral approaches that connect different government layers and stakeholders to create comprehensive resilience strategies. They also discussed using urban planning to transform aging infrastructure with climate-adaptive zoning, green infrastructure like permeable pavements, and smart city technologies for real-time monitoring. The forums also emphasized fostering social cohesion and justice as a foundation of resilience, ensuring marginalized communities receive equitable attention to reduce vulnerabilities. Encouraging modular, interconnected systems that can operate independently when needed, enhancing self-sufficiency during crises, was another topic of discussion.
In summary, urban resilience is about building cities that are safe, adaptable, and inclusive in the face of increasing risks. It requires proactive planning, investment in infrastructure and social systems, and fostering trust and collaboration among all stakeholders to ensure cities not only survive but thrive during and after crises.
- The three thematic tracks in the SMU City Dialogues included discussion about the importance of finance and public-private partnerships in promoting urban resilience.
- Emphasizing the value of education and self-development, Professor Orlando Woods warned against over-reliance on data and digital tools in urban planning, advocating for a comprehensive understanding of complex urban challenges and their underlying systemic issues.
- In emphasizing the need for urban resilience, Dr Johannes Lutter of Urban Innovation Vienna highlighted the significance of lifelong learning and continued collaboration between governments and communities to effectively address the risks faced by the most vulnerable.
