Investigating Relationships between Built Environment and Urban Resilience: A Case Study of Singapore

Abstract

This study aims to empirically investigate the relationship between the built environment and urban resilience, focusing on the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore. Using public transit passenger data as a proxy for urban vitality, which serves as an indicator for urban resilience, we propose a quantitative method by using three resilience metrics – robustness, recovery degree, and total performance loss – to assess urban resilience related to changes in urban vitality. The multiple linear regression (MLR) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models are employed to identify the significant built environment factors influencing these resilience metrics. Built environment factors such as residential density, land use mix, distance to CBD, and transit service coverage are significantly related to urban resilience. We also map the effects of these significant variables on resilience metrics, informing targeted interventions in developing a more resilient built environment.

Keywords: Built environment, Urban resilience, Urban vitality, COVID-19, Singapore