LAUSR

Purpose Planning for the future can become mired in fixing the problems of the present. To create alternative solutions, planning must break free of the boundaries and assumptions of existing paradigms. The purpose of this paper is to explore an alternative way of thinking that reframes the issues from problems of “what is” to the potential of “what could be” in the context of socio-ecological resilience. Design/methodology/approach A case study reviews the limitations revealed during a traditional problem-solving exercise on the topic of Coastal Eco-Cities, as well as the innovations resulting from the rethinking of the issues through the lens of the alternative paradigm. Findings A key finding is the significance of linguistic modality, shifting from objective expressions to subjective dialogue. Originality/value The originality of this approach is the emphasis on the framing of the problem before the development of the solution and the methodological implications of this early dialogue.