Renaturing for Resilience

How do you design for a crisis that’s already happening—and constantly changing? In this episode of Renaturing for Resilience, host Stewart Monti speaks with Matthijs Bouw, founder of One Architecture and Urbanism, about the role of design in navigating climate complexity, institutional inertia, and social vulnerability.

Matthijs shares insights from decades of work across the Netherlands and the U.S., helping cities confront sea level rise, flooding, and climate risk through long-term, multi-scalar approaches to resilience.

We explore:

• Why climate adaptation requires designers to embrace systems thinking

• Lessons from Rebuild by Design and community-led resilience in New York and the Bay Area

• The limits of traditional infrastructure and the case for multi-benefit, iterative solutions

• How resilience isn’t just about protection—it’s about governance, equity, and cultural change

This episode explores how design can help institutions evolve, communities adapt, and cities become not just more resilient—but more just and responsive.

What role can design play in helping coastal cities adapt to a changing climate? In this episode of Renaturing for Resilience, host Stewart Monti speaks with Keith VanDerSys, Senior Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania and Co-Director of the Environmental Modeling Lab at the McHarg Center.

Keith shares how landscape architecture is evolving to meet the demands of sea level rise, storm risk, and ecological degradation—shifting from fixed solutions to adaptive, data-informed, and justice-driven approaches.

We explore:

• Why the concept of non-stationarity demands new thinking in design and policy

• The Resilient by Design Bay Area Challenge and its approach to layered vulnerability

• The role of data modelling and interdisciplinary tools in designing for uncertainty

• The ethical complexity of managed retreat and designing with community at the centre

This episode examines how coastal resilience is as much about mindset and method as it is about materials—calling on designers to embrace complexity, context, and change.

How can cities be redesigned to work with nature rather than against it? In this episode of Renaturing for Resilience, host Stewart Monti speaks with Frederick (Fritz) Steiner, Dean of the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design and a leading voice in ecological planning and urban resilience.

Fritz shares insights on how planning, policy, and education can shape a more sustainable urban future, including:

• The legacy of Ian McHarg and the evolution of ecological planning
• How Penn’s campus has become a living lab for green infrastructure
• The role of policy, design, and community engagement in resilience
• Why long-term thinking is essential for climate adaptation and biodiversity

This episode explores how urban planning, research, and practice must align to build truly resilient cities for generations to come.

How can cities go beyond green spaces and truly integrate nature into everyday life? In this episode of Renaturing for Resilience, host Stewart Monti speaks with JD Brown, Program Director at Biophilic Cities, about the intersection of policy, urban planning, and biophilic design.

JD shares insights on how cities worldwide are embedding nature into governance and infrastructure, including:

• What makes a biophilic city and how to create one
• How policy and legal frameworks shape urban greening efforts
• The challenges of funding and implementing nature-based solutions
• Why community-driven, equitable access to nature is key to urban resilience

This episode explores how policy, planning, and innovation can make cities not just greener—but truly biophilic and climate-resilient.

What if cities were designed to reconnect people with nature? In this episode of Renaturing for Resilience, host Stewart Monti speaks with Tim Beatley, Professor of Urban Planning at the University of Virginia and founder of the Biophilic Cities Network.

Tim shares how biophilic urbanism is transforming cities into healthier, greener, and more resilient places. We explore:

• Why nature-filled cities are more liveable, sustainable, and climate-resilient
• The role of urban wildlife, tree canopy, and green infrastructure in shaping resilient communities
• The connection between biophilia, mental health, and social well-being
• How cities worldwide are embedding biophilic design into policy and planning

This episode is an inspiring look at how embracing nature in urban life can create healthier, happier, and more resilient communities.

How can cities protect and restore biodiversity while growing sustainably? In this episode of Renaturing for Resilience, host Stewart Monti speaks with Lori Hennings, Senior Natural Resource Scientist at Oregon Metro, about the critical role of habitat connectivity, land conservation, and climate resilience in urban planning.

Lori shares insights from over two decades of ecological planning, covering:

• How habitat corridors support urban wildlife and climate adaptation
• The role of Oregon’s Urban Growth Boundary in balancing development and conservation
• Strategies for integrating green infrastructure and ecological networks into city planning
• Why environmental justice must be central to nature-based resilience

This episode explores how regional planning can safeguard biodiversity, protect communities, and ensure cities thrive in a changing climate.

How can entire neighbourhoods lead the way in urban sustainability? In this episode of Renaturing for Resilience, host Stewart Monti speaks with Joshua Baker, Outreach Program Manager at Lloyd EcoDistrict, a nonprofit transforming Portland’s Lloyd neighbourhood into one of the most sustainable urban districts in the U.S.

Joshua shares how collaborative, community-driven action is making cities more resilient, energy-efficient, and ecologically vibrant. We explore:

• The role of EcoDistricts in scaling up urban sustainability
• Challenges and successes in revitalising Peace Memorial Park
• How green infrastructure is reshaping urban mobility and public space
• The power of voluntary collaboration in climate action

This episode highlights how local action and innovative governance can transform urban resilience—one district at a time.

How can buildings and cities function like ecosystems? In this episode of Renaturing for Resilience, host Stewart Monti speaks with Kirstin Weeks, founder of BioStudio and a leader in regenerative design, biophilic urbanism, and ecological resilience.

Kirstin shares her journey from green building consulting to urban ecology, explaining why cities must go beyond sustainability to actively regenerate nature and biodiversity. We explore:

• How buildings can mimic ecosystems through biomimicry
• The role of urban creeks, native landscapes, and habitat restoration in city resilience
• Why community-driven projects are essential for lasting impact
• The intersection of climate adaptation, health, and environmental justice

This episode dives deep into designing cities that don’t just sustain life—but regenerate it.

How can cities adapt to climate change while enhancing biodiversity and public space? In this episode of Renaturing for Resilience, host Stewart Monti speaks with Richard Mullane and Annie Ryan from Hassell, exploring how nature-based solutions are reshaping urban resilience.

We dive into their work on Colma Creek in South San Francisco, where flood adaptation goes beyond engineering to reconnect communities with nature. They share insights from the Resilient by Design Bay Area Challenge, highlighting the role of policy, community engagement, and long-term investment in making cities climate-ready.

• The challenge of fragmented urban governance
• Integrating green infrastructure into flood adaptation
• Why resilience planning must prioritize social equity
• Lessons from global best practices in urban ecology

This episode uncovers the big ideas shaping the future of climate-resilient cities—from localised solutions to policy shifts.