Urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction: A case study of Wenchuan County, China

Urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction emphasizes strategies, safety, memorials and institutional arrangements. It is closely related to earthquake recovery plans. This article reviews general studies on urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction, before focussing on the case of Weizhou Town in Wenchuan County, which in 2008 was severely damaged by a magnitude-8 earthquake. Unique institutional arrangements, however, led to a rapid recovery and reconstruction process. The urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction in Weizhou Town was an integrated approach that promoted both long-term and short-term developments and combined the creation of public space with the. provision of public facilities. It created four interwoven systems, namely a safety system, a memorial system, a tourism system and a network of open spaces. This study shows that the urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction in Weizhou Town greatly improved the safety and vibrancy of the town, whereas the top down approach and the rapid reconstruction process resulted in new problems. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.