On urban maladaptation in times of epidemics.

ABSTRACT: Epidemics are long-lasting and transboundary crises that challenge traditional approaches. Given the complexity and interconnectedness of modern cities, interventions can lead to unintended consequences or maladaptation. Although adaptation is central to resilience, crisis management often focuses on short-term response, leaving a gap in understanding urban adaptation and maladaptation. This study examines the impacts of uniform interventions across diverse urban districts to assess this (mal)adaptive process. We use the COVID-19 pandemic in The Hague, Netherlands, as a case study, employing a large-scale agent-based model. We find that without an intervention, the high-contact city centre becomes an infection hotspot due to the transient population it attracts. Conversely, the outer resid

SUBMITTER: Sirenko M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12830883 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature