Peer-reviewed Papers by Kuei-Hsien Liao
In this essay, we describe two key research questions pertaining to ecological wisdom scholarship... more In this essay, we describe two key research questions pertaining to ecological wisdom scholarship: What is ecological wisdom? How does ecological wisdom relate to ecological knowledge? Drawing upon an analysis on existing literature and a contribution to this special issue, we call for due attention to these two and several pertinent questions from the international community of scholars and practitioners.
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Despite the widespread implementation of flood control infrastructure, modern cities around the w... more Despite the widespread implementation of flood control infrastructure, modern cities around the world remain vulnerable to flood hazards. Although flood management has in general placed less emphasis on structural measures, urban flood hazard mitigation continues to fixate on the flood control paradigm, the ideology that flooding must be prevented in the first place, as flooding is assumed to be disastrous. To promote urban flood resilience, this paper argues for the alternative flood adaptation paradigm, which concerns preventing damage when flooding occurs and allows flooding to enter the city. The argument is grounded on our fieldworks on the ecological wisdom of living with floods in the Vietnamese MekongDelta in two hamlets, Vinh An and Ha Bao, where flooding is mostly harmless and brings benefits. To turn this ecological wisdom of the rural hamlets into practical knowledge, we extract lessons for modern cities: Modern cities need ecological knowledge to nurture ecological wisdom; and need to become agile by developing localized flood-response capacity, striving for timely systemwide adjustment, and turning amphibious. To make these lessons of the ecological wisdom actionable, we translate them into three urban design principles: Urban design should (1) anticipate and accommodate flooding, (2) incorporate the ecological process of flooding, and (3) reveal the flood dynamics to the public.
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Natural Hazards, 2014
Despite massive investment in flood control infrastructure (FCI), neither cities nor rivers have ... more Despite massive investment in flood control infrastructure (FCI), neither cities nor rivers have been well served—flooding continues to challenge cities around the world, while riverine ecosystems are degraded by FCI. Although new flood hazard management concepts have shifted the focus away from FCI, many cities continue to count on FCI to prevent flood damage. It is assumed that existing built-up areas can only count on FCI, as large-scale retreat is often impossible. However, flood adaptation—retrofitting the built environment to prevent damage during flooding—as an option is often ignored. This paper argues against the continual use of FCI to prevent flood damage by reviewing FCI’s established problems. The paper examines human–river interactions associated with FCI, focusing on the feedback mechanisms in the interactions, with a case study on the Lower Green River (LGR) valley in King County, Washington, USA. An urban ecology research model is employed to organize the case study, where interactions between floodplain urbanization, FCI, flow and sediment changes, flood risk, and riverine ecosystem are explored and two feedback mechanisms—river adjustment and flood risk perception—are explicitly addressed. The resulting complex dynamics, in terms of cross–scale interactions, emergence, nonlinearity, and surprises, are synthesized and limitations of FCI outlined. Flood adaptation is explored as a plausible alternative to flood control to nurture flood resilience. A management scenario of flood adaptation for the City of Kent—the largest municipality in the LGR valley—is developed to discuss the implications of flood adaptation on flood risk and river restoration.
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Jounal of Biourbanism, 2013
"Ecological design adequate to help resolve current social environmental problems will have to en... more "Ecological design adequate to help resolve current social environmental problems will have to engage organisms, ecosystems, and cities as far-from-equilibrium, open, self-organizing systems. Because these systems are inherently dynamic, with elements co-constituting one another, the goal of ecological design should not be a specific condition or end state. Rather, the entire network of processes, especially the positive feedback loops from which a given system’s self-organizing capacity emerges, needs to be maintained. Thus, the task of fully
ecological design is to avoid interrupting or impairing a system’s ability to maintain or transform itself; or, as is increasingly necessary, enhancing or helping restore damaged ecosystem dynamics. Thankfully, landscape architecture and allied design disciplines and practices are developing greater capacity to facilitate dynamic adaptive processes—substantially contributing to a transition from a first to a second phase of ecological design
that operationalizes the new paradigm of complexity theory. In order to continue the transformation we need to make explicit and integrate the fundamental dimensions of this shift and the implications for design. To present a clear description and analysis that also emphasizes the actual physical changes that make an ecological difference the essay uses examples concerning hydrologic flow regime and flooding."
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Ecology and Society, 2012
River cities require a management approach based on resilience to floods rather than on resistanc... more River cities require a management approach based on resilience to floods rather than on resistance. Resisting floods by means of levees, dams, and channelization neglects inherent uncertainties arising from human–nature couplings and fails to address the extreme events that are expected to increase with climate change, and is thereby not a reliable approach to long-term flood safety. By applying resilience theory to address system persistence through changes, I develop a theory on “urban resilience to floods” as an alternative framework for urban flood hazard management. Urban resilience to floods is defined as a city’s capacity to tolerate flooding and to reorganize should physical damage and socioeconomic disruption occur, so as to prevent deaths and injuries and maintain current socioeconomic identity. It derives from living with periodic floods as learning opportunities to prepare the city for extreme ones. The theory of urban resilience to floods challenges the conventional wisdom that cities cannot live without flood control, which in effect erodes resilience. To operationalize the theory for planning practice, a surrogate measure—the percent floodable area—is developed for assessing urban resilience to floods. To enable natural floodplain functions to build urban resilience to floods, flood adaptation is advocated in order to replace flood control for mitigating flood hazards.
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Books in Chinese by Kuei-Hsien Liao
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"作者廖桂賢以九年時間,從全美最適合人居的大城市、知識水準全美第二名、星巴克發源地、微軟總部所在地的西雅圖為起點,足跡踏遍美歐亞非各大城市:舊金山、波特蘭、柏林、哥本哈根、(瑞典)馬爾摩、阿姆斯... more "作者廖桂賢以九年時間,從全美最適合人居的大城市、知識水準全美第二名、星巴克發源地、微軟總部所在地的西雅圖為起點,足跡踏遍美歐亞非各大城市:舊金山、波特蘭、柏林、哥本哈根、(瑞典)馬爾摩、阿姆斯特丹、泉州、京都、香港等城市,以及迦納等國家,搜羅各種精采案例或值得省思的負面教材,為您帶來一場城市設計和住居新觀念的震撼教育!
城市個性魅力,真正動人的風景:然而都市建築設計革新觀念的背後,生活在城市中的每一個市民的生命力決定了城市的鮮活個性與魅力--1998年西雅圖公投通過10年「全民圖書館」法案;2005年發起美國城市運動,訂定「氣候行動方案」積極對抗全球暖化;2006年通過「自行車10年總體計畫」;發行《Real Change》週報創意濟貧;自發性參與「開放空間2100」……
西雅圖的城市個性鮮明、市民充滿活力、朝永續發展的城市建設,展現了美好城市的雛型樣貌,堪稱全球典範都市,這也是即便有著惡名昭彰的天氣,西雅圖人終究捨不得離開西雅圖的原因。
城市動脈--交通大變革,從車的城市回歸到人的城市,將都市空間還給「人」:你知道台灣追求交通便利的道路規劃、全面都市更新的做法已落後了先進國家 30 年的腳步?荷蘭「人車平權」、「提倡生活化道路」的政策,早在 30 年前就已經開始重新規劃車道……
城市靜脈--打造海綿般的城市,與水和平共存不是夢想:台灣大部分城市位在河岸或水岸邊,興築堤防、河川整治工程是最優先的治水方案,但雨水下水道普及率達 98% 的台北市,依然逃不過納莉、敏督利等颱風帶來的水災肆虐!反觀原本與海爭地的荷蘭,2000 年放棄加高堤防、退一步展開「還地於河」15 年計畫,讓河流自己修復洪水災害;西雅圖的自然排水實驗 2000 年完工--縮減道路面積、蜿蜒路線、設生態草溝,成功吸收98%的雨水逕流量,取代傳統下水道,也美化了居家環境,房地產價格頓時攀升……
全民綠生活運動--永續的綠色經濟與有節制的綠色消費:就像美國總統歐巴馬拚環境,同時也是拚經濟,鼓勵產業轉型和勞工轉業政策,淘汰不永續的產業;實踐並推廣物資循環的觀念,用「搖籃到搖籃」(cradle to cradle)取代目前「搖籃到墳墓」(cradle to grave)的經濟生產模式;而愛逛大賣場小市民,別忘了低價背後的高成本、即使搞不清楚什麼商品才能環保節能,但減少消費、減少製造垃圾就是最根本的方法。
未來任務--蓋綠建築已來不及,用修復城市來修復全球環境才是王道:我們沒有空間持續興建道路橋樑、沒有時間等待工程浩大的雨污水下水道來解決淹水和污染問題。我們必須馬上修復不永續的城市,將所有的建築改造為綠建築,將基礎建設改造為綠色建設,盡量利用天然又免費的生態系統服務,讓城市中的自然生態系統慢慢恢復健康,讓城市漸漸成為綠色的美好城市。"
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Papers by Kuei-Hsien Liao
Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science
The impacts of disasters are increasing due to climate change and unplanned urbanization. Big and... more The impacts of disasters are increasing due to climate change and unplanned urbanization. Big and open data offer considerable potential for analyzing and predicting human mobility during disaster events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to better disaster risk reduction (DRR) planning. However, the value of human mobility data and analysis (HMDA) in urban resilience research is poorly understood. This review highlights key opportunities for and challenges hindering the use of HMDA in DRR in urban planning and risk science, as well as insights from practitioners. A gap in research on HMDA for data-driven DRR planning was identified. By examining human mobility studies and their respective analytical and planning tools, this paper offers deeper insights into the challenges that must be addressed to improve the development of effective data-driven DRR planning, from data collection to implementation. In future work on HMDA, (i) the human mobility of vulnerable populations shou...
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Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Aug 14, 2022
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Routledge eBooks, Mar 9, 2022
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River Cities in Asia
River Cities in Asia uncovers the intimate relationship between rivers and cities in Asia from a ... more River Cities in Asia uncovers the intimate relationship between rivers and cities in Asia from a multi-disciplinary perspective in the humanities and the social sciences. As rivers have shaped human settlement patterns, economies, culture and rituals, so too have humans impacted the flow and health of rivers. In Asia, the sheer scale of urbanization increases the urgency of addressing challenges facing urban rivers, leading to the importance of historically, socially, and culturally relevant solutions. However, cities are also uneven landscapes of power, affecting chances to achieve holistic ecological approaches. The central premise of River Cities in Asia is that a “river city” is one where proximity between a river and a city exists across time and space, natural and social dimensions. Recognition of these deep connections can help to better contextualize policy solutions aimed at rivers and their ecologies, including human life.
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Amsterdam University Press eBooks, Dec 31, 2022
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International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction
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Amsterdam University Press eBooks, Oct 15, 2022
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Landscape and Urban Planning
• Japan's 3/11 disaster could have been reduced through ecological planning. • A 1980 env... more • Japan's 3/11 disaster could have been reduced through ecological planning. • A 1980 environmental inventory largely predicted areas impacted by 3/11 disaster. • Japan's most recent risk mapping fails to indicate the 3/11 disaster impacted areas. • Map overlay can be instrumental for multi-hazard risk assessment. • Its effectiveness requires open, integrated and comprehensive risk information.
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Climatic Change
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The Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Cities and Landscapes in the Pacific Rim, 2022
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Journal of Flood Risk Management, 2022
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Landscape and Urban Planning, 2019
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Socio-Ecological Practice Research, 2019
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Peer-reviewed Papers by Kuei-Hsien Liao
ecological design is to avoid interrupting or impairing a system’s ability to maintain or transform itself; or, as is increasingly necessary, enhancing or helping restore damaged ecosystem dynamics. Thankfully, landscape architecture and allied design disciplines and practices are developing greater capacity to facilitate dynamic adaptive processes—substantially contributing to a transition from a first to a second phase of ecological design
that operationalizes the new paradigm of complexity theory. In order to continue the transformation we need to make explicit and integrate the fundamental dimensions of this shift and the implications for design. To present a clear description and analysis that also emphasizes the actual physical changes that make an ecological difference the essay uses examples concerning hydrologic flow regime and flooding."
Books in Chinese by Kuei-Hsien Liao
城市個性魅力,真正動人的風景:然而都市建築設計革新觀念的背後,生活在城市中的每一個市民的生命力決定了城市的鮮活個性與魅力--1998年西雅圖公投通過10年「全民圖書館」法案;2005年發起美國城市運動,訂定「氣候行動方案」積極對抗全球暖化;2006年通過「自行車10年總體計畫」;發行《Real Change》週報創意濟貧;自發性參與「開放空間2100」……
西雅圖的城市個性鮮明、市民充滿活力、朝永續發展的城市建設,展現了美好城市的雛型樣貌,堪稱全球典範都市,這也是即便有著惡名昭彰的天氣,西雅圖人終究捨不得離開西雅圖的原因。
城市動脈--交通大變革,從車的城市回歸到人的城市,將都市空間還給「人」:你知道台灣追求交通便利的道路規劃、全面都市更新的做法已落後了先進國家 30 年的腳步?荷蘭「人車平權」、「提倡生活化道路」的政策,早在 30 年前就已經開始重新規劃車道……
城市靜脈--打造海綿般的城市,與水和平共存不是夢想:台灣大部分城市位在河岸或水岸邊,興築堤防、河川整治工程是最優先的治水方案,但雨水下水道普及率達 98% 的台北市,依然逃不過納莉、敏督利等颱風帶來的水災肆虐!反觀原本與海爭地的荷蘭,2000 年放棄加高堤防、退一步展開「還地於河」15 年計畫,讓河流自己修復洪水災害;西雅圖的自然排水實驗 2000 年完工--縮減道路面積、蜿蜒路線、設生態草溝,成功吸收98%的雨水逕流量,取代傳統下水道,也美化了居家環境,房地產價格頓時攀升……
全民綠生活運動--永續的綠色經濟與有節制的綠色消費:就像美國總統歐巴馬拚環境,同時也是拚經濟,鼓勵產業轉型和勞工轉業政策,淘汰不永續的產業;實踐並推廣物資循環的觀念,用「搖籃到搖籃」(cradle to cradle)取代目前「搖籃到墳墓」(cradle to grave)的經濟生產模式;而愛逛大賣場小市民,別忘了低價背後的高成本、即使搞不清楚什麼商品才能環保節能,但減少消費、減少製造垃圾就是最根本的方法。
未來任務--蓋綠建築已來不及,用修復城市來修復全球環境才是王道:我們沒有空間持續興建道路橋樑、沒有時間等待工程浩大的雨污水下水道來解決淹水和污染問題。我們必須馬上修復不永續的城市,將所有的建築改造為綠建築,將基礎建設改造為綠色建設,盡量利用天然又免費的生態系統服務,讓城市中的自然生態系統慢慢恢復健康,讓城市漸漸成為綠色的美好城市。"
Papers by Kuei-Hsien Liao
ecological design is to avoid interrupting or impairing a system’s ability to maintain or transform itself; or, as is increasingly necessary, enhancing or helping restore damaged ecosystem dynamics. Thankfully, landscape architecture and allied design disciplines and practices are developing greater capacity to facilitate dynamic adaptive processes—substantially contributing to a transition from a first to a second phase of ecological design
that operationalizes the new paradigm of complexity theory. In order to continue the transformation we need to make explicit and integrate the fundamental dimensions of this shift and the implications for design. To present a clear description and analysis that also emphasizes the actual physical changes that make an ecological difference the essay uses examples concerning hydrologic flow regime and flooding."
城市個性魅力,真正動人的風景:然而都市建築設計革新觀念的背後,生活在城市中的每一個市民的生命力決定了城市的鮮活個性與魅力--1998年西雅圖公投通過10年「全民圖書館」法案;2005年發起美國城市運動,訂定「氣候行動方案」積極對抗全球暖化;2006年通過「自行車10年總體計畫」;發行《Real Change》週報創意濟貧;自發性參與「開放空間2100」……
西雅圖的城市個性鮮明、市民充滿活力、朝永續發展的城市建設,展現了美好城市的雛型樣貌,堪稱全球典範都市,這也是即便有著惡名昭彰的天氣,西雅圖人終究捨不得離開西雅圖的原因。
城市動脈--交通大變革,從車的城市回歸到人的城市,將都市空間還給「人」:你知道台灣追求交通便利的道路規劃、全面都市更新的做法已落後了先進國家 30 年的腳步?荷蘭「人車平權」、「提倡生活化道路」的政策,早在 30 年前就已經開始重新規劃車道……
城市靜脈--打造海綿般的城市,與水和平共存不是夢想:台灣大部分城市位在河岸或水岸邊,興築堤防、河川整治工程是最優先的治水方案,但雨水下水道普及率達 98% 的台北市,依然逃不過納莉、敏督利等颱風帶來的水災肆虐!反觀原本與海爭地的荷蘭,2000 年放棄加高堤防、退一步展開「還地於河」15 年計畫,讓河流自己修復洪水災害;西雅圖的自然排水實驗 2000 年完工--縮減道路面積、蜿蜒路線、設生態草溝,成功吸收98%的雨水逕流量,取代傳統下水道,也美化了居家環境,房地產價格頓時攀升……
全民綠生活運動--永續的綠色經濟與有節制的綠色消費:就像美國總統歐巴馬拚環境,同時也是拚經濟,鼓勵產業轉型和勞工轉業政策,淘汰不永續的產業;實踐並推廣物資循環的觀念,用「搖籃到搖籃」(cradle to cradle)取代目前「搖籃到墳墓」(cradle to grave)的經濟生產模式;而愛逛大賣場小市民,別忘了低價背後的高成本、即使搞不清楚什麼商品才能環保節能,但減少消費、減少製造垃圾就是最根本的方法。
未來任務--蓋綠建築已來不及,用修復城市來修復全球環境才是王道:我們沒有空間持續興建道路橋樑、沒有時間等待工程浩大的雨污水下水道來解決淹水和污染問題。我們必須馬上修復不永續的城市,將所有的建築改造為綠建築,將基礎建設改造為綠色建設,盡量利用天然又免費的生態系統服務,讓城市中的自然生態系統慢慢恢復健康,讓城市漸漸成為綠色的美好城市。"