URBAN AND BUILDING DESIGN FOR RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ZIMBABWE

Urban regeneration and revitalization, green buildings and roofs, compact cities, and mixed-use developments are among the adaptation techniques being used to design resilient and sustainable cities globally. However, Zimbabwe's economic circumstances have impeded the implementation of such strategies, leaving the country with colonial buildings and structures that are not resilient or sustainable. These strategies require considerable financial investment, and given the current situation in Zimbabwe, sustainability is not a priority when compared with other urban challenges such as poverty and unemployment. This study employed a qualitative methodology, which allowed for the development of a geographical explanation and a description of the building designs in Zimbabwean cities. Harare, Mutare, Bulawayo, Chipinge, Victoria Falls, and selected growth points were used as case studies to explore the design approaches employed in Zimbabwean cities and how such designs are influencing sustainability and resilience in urban centers. The study findings revealed that urban and building designs in Zimbabwean cities predate when the country started experiencing the effects of climate change, as is true of other cities in Africa. Moreover, Zimbabwe has not been able to respond adequately to the effects of climate change due to economic conditions, so appropriate designs and plans are not being implemented, and the adaptation and adoption of techniques such as urban generation and the construction of green buildings are not possible due to a lack of revenue and political will on the part of the government, local authorities, and developers. The study concludes with a number of policy suggestions to effectively implement sustainable and resilient urban and building design in Zimbabwe.