Disaster risk reduction in cities

Un anno di studi a Londra per conseguire un dottorato prestigioso

The creation or modification of urban built environments that are socially acceptable, economically affordable and environmentally sustainable, pose an immense challenge for architects, builders, engineers, planners and other professionals. There is an urgent need for radically new approaches to space formation and transformation and ways of working and creative engaging with design in order to respond to rapidly growing urban populations.For the first time in history, more than half of humankind lives in urban areas. While such urban growth is substantially transforming the planet, cities are shaped by liberalisation of policies and exogenous transformation marked lead forces that increment vulnerabilities of urban poor’s and marginalised communities.


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On the other hand climate change and unpredictable and extreme events tend to be concentrated disproportionally in poorer urban districts with the least adequate provision for protective infrastructure and services. The principal driver of increasing loss of life as well as social and economic vulnerability is poverty (limiting individual, household and community investments) and exclusion (limiting public investments and services).

The result of these global, national and local processes is that cities, the planning of cities, and the design of urban spaces has become increasingly fragmented, while inequality and vulnerabilities have increased. Architects, town planners and other professionals concerned with the urban design are trained mainly to cater to the needs of a minority of the population. Rarely are they trained to address the problems of the poor, illegal or unplanned settlements, the absence of basic urban services, unhealthy and deteriorating environmental conditions, including natural disasters and extremely constrained resources.

Elitist and compartmentalised education has inhibited opportunities for developing comprehensive and well co-ordinated approaches to urban development, which are of benefit to the majority of the population. Nor are they equipped to understand the complexities of market forces that drive real estate development and so are rarely able to participate in urban regeneration projects other than as style consultants, when they should be in the forefront of the emerging urban era, guiding urban development and design.

Objectives of the course

The course aims to present a holistic process of design for development in cities within this context. It combines an examination and analysis of economic, social, cultural and spatial elements in the production of urban form and building with the principles of designing for development, which include affordability, acceptability, sustainability, participation and responsiveness. In particular, it links the methods and practice of 'design' with the complementary 'developmental' processes of action area identification, client promotion, stakeholder participation and project implementation.


Target Audience

BUDD is intended for professionals wanting to work on urban local area transformations, urban design, architecture and the improvement of neighbourhood infrastructure and services. BUDD focuses on taking a community-oriented, participatory approach to spatial design.

BUDD students have very varied educational and/or professional backgrounds and come from a wide range of nationalities. Indeed, such interdisciplinarity and multiculturalism are actively encouraged by the course, as we believe that they contribute to the richness and added value of the experience of studying at the DPU.

Although not limited to architects, it is aimed at those professionals who are (or would like to be) engaged with the built environment. BUDD focuses on taking a community-oriented, participatory approach to spatial design.



Admission Requirement

Candidates should have a first degree, awarded by a university or polytechnic, approved by University College London. Candidates who lack the required qualifications but have other relevant educational or professional experience may be considered in exceptional circumstances.



Application Procedure

Please apply online here or send the application form to dpu@ucl.ac.uk



Tuition and Cost

Tuition fees are fixed annually by University College London and are therefore subject to modification. The fee for this course for the 2008/09 academic year for overseas students is £15,500 and for European Union students £7,895. The fee covers the cost of all tuition and basic course costs, including field visits and the field trip overseas. Participants should allow approximately £915 per month to cover the cost of living, clothing, books and local travel in London.