Bibliographical analysis of resilient architecture as a damage mitigation strategy in face of natural disasters in Brazil

Abstract

Natural disasters are events resulting from phenomena such as tsunamis, hurricanes, volcanism, cyclones, erosion, as well as landslides, floods, and heavy rainfall, which—whether or not aggravated by human activity—negatively impact society, causing serious damage and compromising population well-being. Resilient architecture has emerged as a key approach due to its ability to resist and adapt to scenarios of risk and instability. This study aimed to investigate the fundamental concepts and techniques of resilient architecture, as well as its relevance in mitigating generated environmental impacts and the challenges related to its implementation in Brazilian territory. For this purpose, data were collected from the National Center for Monitoring and Early Warning of Natural Disasters (CEMADEN) and the United Nations (UN), as well as from the Science Direct and Google Scholar databases, using the following keywords: resilient architecture, natural disasters, resilience index, risk areas, climate change, and urban planning. The 19 articles selected according to the inclusion criteria were organized into tables and charts to enable better extraction, understanding, and analysis of the data. The results indicated the frequency and severity of disaster occurrences in Brazil, as well as the importance of environmental management instruments and of strengthening attributes associated with resilient cities—such as slope protection, the sponge city model, and the use of biomimetics. The main challenges to its implementation were also identified, including financial constraints, legal obstacles, and the lack of integration among public agencies. Therefore, the development of future research is encouraged to deepen these concepts, with a focus on raising public awareness and guiding decision-making by competent authorities.