Author(s):
Michael Hodson* - University of Salford
Simon Marvin* - University of Salford
Abstract:
Secure urbanism and resilient infrastructure argues that a new logic is beginning to reshape the material development of urban infrastructure networks both within and between cities. The paper argues that there are three critical elements to the new logic of infrastructure development. The first strategy concerns the degree to which cities are "strategically protected" in terms of their preparedness for adaptation - dealing with heat and enhancing flood protection infrastructure. The second strategy concerns the way that cities' resource bases are "strategically resilient", which is how cities can guarantee sufficient access to key energy resources and internal mobility that are low carbon and secure. Cities are attempting to strategically withdraw from national and regional infrastructure and develop new decentralised systems within the city to increase levels of self-sufficiency. The third strategy concerns the development of new "secure global agglomerations", particularly of new mobility systems – biofuels, hydrogen, and hybrids that can guarantee continued interconnection between world cities. Using a range of evidence we seek to demonstrate that premium world cities are collectively developing this new logic of infrastructural development – often with national governments and key corporates. The paper seeks to outline the key elements of these new strategies that are themselves being touted as emblematic new configurations that can be unproblematically inserted into other contexts. Consequently we critically assess their relevance to ordinary cities and megacities of the global south.
