Relationships Between Local Urban Development and Disaster Management System in Bam

Abstract

This chapter discusses the local-level underlying drivers linked with existing urban development system, broad disaster management policies and severity of destruction, and professional context interplayed towards shaping the Bam recovery strategy and reconstruction objectives. It examines how the historic and traditional urban characteristics of the Bam urban area, the fame of its ancient citadel (Arg-e-Bam) along the severity of the earthquake, death toll and devastating disaster made a special case for the Bam recovery and reconstruction that is relevant to other international cases. The reconstruction of the Bam urban areas was seen as an emerging opportunity to influence the broader urban development system in the country. The Bam recovery positioned itself as optimistic but pragmatic within the contemporary debates on linking reconstruction and urban development. Yet there were challenges of linking short-term activities to longer-term reference documents of urban development plans, as well as existing sanctions on Iran at the time that also challenged the deliverability of key developmental initiatives that were agreed with international agencies. Despite challenges, the Bam case exemplifies reconstruction per se is part of the developmental path of the area. It highlights a fundamental difference between participatory housing programmes and non-participatory reconstruction projects.