Author(s)

H. Sadat Nabavi Razavi

Abstract

Disasters, whether caused by humans or nature, impose significant threats to sustainability. Reducing vulnerability to natural disasters is an essential component of achieving sustainable cities. Most cities suffer from severe damage caused by natural disasters like earthquakes. Qazvin is a historical city in Iran with an important commercial role. It lies in a most hazardous prone area in the country with respect to earthquake. During its history Qazvin has faced different earthquakes which had drastic impacts on the most historical parts of the city such as the Old Bazaar as a main economic center in the country. Qazvin Old Bazaar has undergone development for centuries. There are many historical monuments and landscape-conservation areas in Qazvin. Dense old buildings and narrow covered passage networks exist in the Old Bazaar, recent rapid urbanization and using modern urban elements in this area have been leading into changing the most vulnerable areas. Hazard Mitigation Plans are needed to reduce the loss of life and property by lessening the impacts of disasters (natural, technological and man-made) to reach safe trade center and finally sustainable city to live. This paper aims to analyze the issues related to physical urban vulnerability in detail to arrive at strategies or policy based solutions that are necessary to support the redevelopment of urban areas like Qazvin Old Bazaar. By combining this vulnerability assessment of Qazvin Old Bazaar, this paper tries to give some strategic guidelines for the utmost use of open spaces during disaster and

Keywords

hazard mitigation, Qazvin Old Bazaar, open spaces, historical cities