Assessing and enhancing public space resilience to pandemics and earthquakes: a case study of Chongqing, China

Recently, our cities have been exposed to various fatal emergencies, specifically pandemics and earthquakes, resulting in significant losses of life and property. In this context, resilient public spaces are crucial in improving the response to pandemics and earthquakes and in reducing their effects. This study examines the resilience of public spaces to ensure their effective use in the event of a pandemic or an earthquake. Four primary criteria with 20 sub-criteria for the resilience of public spaces to pandemics (such as the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic) and earthquakes were developed and used to assess 169 public spaces across three distinct regions in Chongqing, China. Data collection was carried out through remote sensing, site visits, interviews, official documents analysis, and surveys. The study used a geographic information system (GIS) to study and assess the pandemic and earthquake resilience criteria. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and weighted overlay analysis (WOA) were used to evaluate the resilience level. Results indicate that the current resilience levels in Chongqing public spaces are insufficient to enable an effective response to pandemics and earthquakes. However, the levels of resilience vary among regions based on their characteristics. This study is a fundamental resource for enhancing preparedness for pandemics and earthquakes, effectively contributing to building resilient cities.