Andrew Kao

Hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, and floods are shocks to cities, but communities also experience stresses from high unemployment, overtaxed or inefficient public transportation systems, endemic violence, or chronic food and water shortages. A city that has fully assessed its risk and developed a strategy to mitigate it is better able to respond to adverse events and to deliver basic functions in both good times and bad.

In November 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines with the strongest winds the country had ever seen, but the substantial storm surge generated proved even more deadly.

Team WXY/West8 has been designing a system of constructed offshore islands that could significantly reduce the height of storm surges (Source: Rebuild by Design) As a participant, I have to agree with CNN that the Rebuild by Design contest really was one of the ten best ideas of 2013.