The city as a risk- dependent system. Towards resilient cities through risk assessment. The case of Albania

The city has always been seen as one of the most intriguing objects of research and is studied from different perspectives related to the functionality, aesthetics and even from the social point of view related to the communities living in these cities. Sitte who sees the city as an aesthetic object, Rossi who sees it as a gigantic manmade object that ought to be studied as something constructed over time or Lynch who in his book explains that people’s perception of the city is important are just some examples that show different ways of analyzing the city. In developing an area and building a city the aesthetic and functionality are two important elements, but above all the most important element is the safety and wellbeing of the inhabitants. The demands for living space are increasing day by day leading to the consumption of entire areas where firstly existing urban areas are being consumed behind the capacities and secondly the urbanization in risk- prone areas is taking place. This consumption is associated with an increasing risk and exposure towards natural hazards and while the requests are such that the development can’t be stopped the risk imposed can be assessed and serve as a basis towards sustainability and resilience of cities. The aim of the research is to emphasize the need of studying the city as a risk- dependent system, with risk assessment methodologies as an important tool in mitigating and reducing the effects a hazardous event can have. The research will be focused in Albania as one of the most hazardous prone countries in Europe, giving an overview of the situation of the major cities and the way this new approach can change this situation.