Passive and Nature-Based Design Innovations for Climate Resilient Cities: A Systematic Literature Review

As urban centers worldwide face escalating challenges from climate change, the need for resilient, low-impact, and adaptive design strategies has never been more urgent. This systematic review examines the evolving landscape of passive and nature-based design innovations aimed at enhancing climate resilience in urban environments. By providing a systematic and evidence-based synthesis, the review goes beyond descriptive mapping to critically assess what works, under which conditions, and with what limitations. The study synthesizes research published between 2010 and 2025, drawn from major databases including Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect, using the PRISMA methodology to ensure a transparent and replicable process. The review identifies and categorizes a wide range of passive design strategies—such as thermal massing, solar orientation, natural ventilation—and nature-based solutions (NBS), including green roofs, urban forests, and water-sensitive urban design. A thematic analysis reveals three key dimensions underpinning these innovations: climate adaptation effectiveness, socio-environmental co-benefits, and integration challenges in policy and practice. Particular attention is given to the empirical magnitude of impacts, context-specific performance, and documented trade-offs across different urban and climatic settings. The findings indicate that while both passive and NBS strategies demonstrate potential in mitigating urban heat islands, managing stormwater, and reducing energy consumption, their implementation remains fragmented and context-dependent, often hindered by institutional barriers, lack of stakeholder coordination, and inconsistent regulatory frameworks. This review contributes to the field by providing a consolidated understanding of design-based resilience approaches and their empirical performance in diverse urban contexts. By explicitly addressing effectiveness, trade-offs, and implementation barriers, it highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration, community engagement, and long-term policy alignment to maximize the impact of passive and nature-based interventions. The paper concludes with a research agenda to bridge knowledge gaps, advance integrative frameworks, and inform future planning and design practices for climate-resilient urban development.