Reframes conflict not as mere disruption but as a generative force in the evolution of urban space. Amid a constant flood of negative news—wildfires, war, displacement—this issue urges a shift in perspective, spotlighting how cities like San Francisco, Kyiv, and Irpin reshape themselves through crisis. The 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, for example, triggered a wave of emergency shelter construction that ultimately expanded housing access and laid groundwork for more inclusive planning. In Jordan’s Al-Zaatari refugee camp, as explored by Rana Abudayyeh, displaced Syrians have built vibrant, self-organized urban systems, turning impermanence into agency and challenging the stereotypical narratives that frame refugees as passive burdens. This tension between public perception and lived resilience is also dissected in the dialogue between Ritts, Dhawan, and Castro Varela, which reveals how spatial policies often mirror systemic exclusion, such as the peripheral siting of refugee camps in Germany. Architect Eve Blau critiques the limitations of conventional architectural roles, arguing that post-conflict urbanism must move beyond physical reconstruction to address collective trauma and emotional landscapes. Urbanist Greta Samulionyte adds a Baltic perspective, reflecting on the post-Soviet legacy in Lithuanian microraions, where top-down governance stifles bottom-up initiatives—even when communities are ready to engage. Through case studies, interviews, and critical reflections, this issue positions conflict as an inevitable and even vital element of urban life. Rather than erasing tension, it suggests we must learn to work within it, treating crisis not only as a rupture but also as an opportunity for reinvention and social transformation.
