City Models and Preventive Planning Strategies for Resilient Cities in Germany

In the face of the Covid-19 crisis, the city model of the new Leipzig Charter of the EU was re-evaluated. The existing urban development model of a mixed and compact city is to be mainly maintained because the urban density or building typology does not influence the spread of Covid-19. But the pandemic has made it clear how important green space and recreation areas are for inner city residential areas. This green space also becomes more important regarding climate adaptation measures to provide cooler air and ventilation. In the framework of the Leipzig Charter of the EU, the German ministry for building adopted the memorandum on Urban Resilience in May 2021. Resilience in this context means that we should not only repair the damage of disasters but also adapt to future crises and make our cities more resilient and sustainable. For this, we need to strengthen preventive strategies in urban development planning connected with urban renewal approaches and ask for extended city models. Planning shapes the future, including counteracting undesirable scenarios with preventive planning. In this sense, future planning and disaster control have common objectives—they take an interdisciplinary approach to prepare for future change, they want to anticipate and prevent danger, protect and expand the infrastructure, and serve the common good. In this article, I will point out how integrated urban development concepts should be extended with aspects of urban resilience, and which city models are important for the future.