Towards Sustainable Development in Historic City Centres: An Integrated Approach

Few investigations have examined the sustainability of urban development in historic centres in view of disaster vulnerability. The objective of this paper is to shed light on the importance of integrating disaster preparedness for historic city centres to the sustainable development of such areas. The paper points out that sustainable development in historic areas requires disaster planning, and that historic preservation is by nature an act of Preparedness. The investigation finds that historic city centres have many vulnerabilities, which could be reduced through sustainable development actions. The paper utilizes a case study approach investigating the historic core of the city of Karak, Jordan. Field work, interviews, and documents are analyzed to distinguish the current status-quo. The investigation points out to the poor development of the historic centre. The paper suggests pointers on how historic preservation should be integrated with development and disaster planning. The results can be transferable to contexts where historic city centres face the challenges of natural disasters.