Habitat International 41 (2014) 290e299

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Habitat International
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/habitatint

Urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction: A case study of

Wenchuan County, China
Lixiong Liu a, Yanliu Lin b, *, Shifu Wang a
a
State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building Science, School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
b
Spatial Planning Section, Faculty of Geoscience, Utrecht University, Willem C. Van Unnik building (Office: 420C), Heidelberglaan 2, 3584 CS Utrecht, the
Netherlands

a b s t r a c t
Keywords: Urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction emphasizes strategies, safety, memorials and institu-
Urban design tional arrangements. It is closely related to earthquake recovery plans. This article reviews general
Post-earthquake reconstruction
studies on urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction, before focussing on the case of Weizhou
Strategies
Safety
Town in Wenchuan County, which in 2008 was severely damaged by a magnitude-8 earthquake. Unique
Institutional arrangements 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 topedown approach and the rapid reconstruction process resulted in new problems.
Ó 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introduction be provided, while also promoting long-term economic develop-

On 12 May 2008, a magnitude-8 earthquake hit Sichuan Prov-
ince, causing catastrophic damage. Wenchuan County was the
epicentre of the quake and thus one of the most severely hit areas.
The county covered an area of 4084 km2 and had a population of
106,119 in 2005. The earthquake devastated the local people’s
livelihood. It caused 15,941 deaths and injured 34,583 persons;
7474 persons were missing (Song & Hu, 2008). Over 70% of the
buildings were destroyed or devastated; 200,000 houses collapsed
and 300,000 were badly damaged (interviews with officers in
Wenchuan County, 2008). Public facilities and the county’s infra-
structure, such as hospitals, schools and roads, were severely
damaged. The local industry was wrecked and about 80% of the
farmland was damaged. Some put the economic loss at more than
RMB 100 million (
GBP 1 million/EUR 1.25 million) (Guo, 2008).
There were many challenges for urban design and planning for
post-earthquake reconstruction in Wenchuan County. The areas
affected by the earthquake had to be restored or reconstructed as
soon as possible. New homes and facilities for the habitants had to
* Corresponding author. Tel.: þ31 302533739.
E-mail addresses: lewlx@126.com (L. Liu), yanliu_lin@hotmail.com, y.lin@uu.nl
(Y. Lin), archcity@scut.edu.cn (S. Wang).
ment. A new urban form that was safer and more resilient to di-
sasters had to be created. A topedown approach was applied to
deal with these challenges. It was related to the counterpart sup-
port plan established by the State Council of the People’s Republic
of China in 2008. Guangzhou City in Guangdong Province was
assigned as the corresponding city to support the post-earthquake
reconstruction of Weizhou Town. Through unique institutional ar-
rangements and a huge investment from Guangzhou Municipal
Government, Weizhou Town experienced a rapid recovery and
reconstruction processes. The urban design for the reconstruction
of Weizhou Town was embedded in the town’s Earthquake Re-
covery and Reconstruction Plan. It was a future-oriented integrated
approach that promoted both long-term and short-term de-
velopments and combined public spaces with public facilities. It
created a new urban form that was safer and more resilient to di-
sasters and greatly enhanced the quality of life in the town. The
topedown approach and the rapid reconstruction process, how-
ever, created new problems.
The existing literature mainly focuses on housing reconstruction
after earthquakes (Steinberg, 2007; Tanaka, Benjamin Abramson, &
Yamazaki, 2009) and on earthquake or disaster recovery plans
(Foster, 1980; Han, Ge, & Cheng, 2008, pp. 21e23; Healy, 1969; Hu,
2008; Murphy & Bayley, 1989). Urban design for post-earthquake
reconstruction has received little academic interest. The present

0197-3975/$ e see front matter Ó 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2013.09.001
 L. Liu et al. / Habitat International 41 (2014) 290e299
study is an attempt to bridge this research gap through literature
studies and a specific case study. This article presents a general
literature review on urban design for post-earthquake reconstruc-
tion and its relationships with earthquake recovery plans, and then
focuses on a case study of Wenchuan County, China. The conclusion
is that research and practices in this field should pay particular
attention to institution, design process and mixed land use.
The materials for the case study were mainly collected during
two intensive periods of fieldwork, the first of which was in 2008e
2010. This research surveyed Weizhou Town by means of ques-
tionnaires, semi-structured interviews, site visits, observations,
photographs and mapping. In order to understand the requirement
intent of residents for post-earthquake reconstruction, 150 copies
of questionnaires were distributed in 3 main neighbourhoods of the
county town in 2008. With the assistance of local governments, the
overall rate of successful interviews was higher than 95%. In the
questionnaire, there was a series of questions, ranging from con-
struction priority to economic conditions. A number of face-to-face
semi-structured interviews with residents and representatives of
public authorities were also conducted to understand the extent of
the damage and development issues of the town. Furthermore, the
authors were involved in a design competition that led to the
formulation of the ‘Urban Design for the Reconstruction of Weizhou
Town’ (2009). Questionnaires were also sent to 6 design units
which were involved in the urban design project and the recovery
plan to know expert’s opinions on the design process. Moreover,
many internal documents (e.g. policies, reports, and urban design
and planning documents) were obtained from the Guangzhou Aid
Working Group. The second period of fieldwork was in 2013. The
authors visited the newly-established public spaces and buildings
in the town, and conducted several semi-structured interviews
with the town’s inhabitants and representatives of public author-
ities to understand the utility of the newly-established public
spaces and buildings as well as the new urban dynamics. Based on
these two periods of fieldwork, the article analysed and evaluated
the urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction in Weizhou
Town.
Literature review: urban design for post-earthquake
reconstruction
Urban design is a matter of collaboration between various dis-
ciplines, resulting in three-dimensional urban forms and an
enhancement of the quality of urban life (Waterman & Wall, 2009).
The “quality of life” associated with the built environment includes
not only the physical characteristics of the place, such as the di-
versity of open space (Allan & Bryant, 2010), but also the social
attributes of the environment, such as the sense of neighbourhood
(Chapman & Larkham, 2007), increased vitality and safety, available
amenities and facilities (Carmona, De Magalhaes, Edwards, Awuor,
& Aminossehe, 2001). Contemporary urban design theories are
concerned with shaping city and urban spaces to encourage social
activities within the urban fabric, create positive social interactions,
satisfy ecological needs, mitigate the negative effects of urbaniza-
tion and promote economic growth (Clancy, 2011). The key prin-
ciples of such theories include places for people, enriching the
existing, making connections, working with the landscape, mixing
uses and forms, managing the investment and designing for change
(Davies, 2007). Some recent urban design literatures also focus on
vision development, strategy-making and the role of key stake-
holders in the production of space (Lin & De Meulder, 2012; Salet,
2006).
These urban design theories have become the foundation of
urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction. It should be
recognized however, that urban design for post-earthquake
291
reconstruction is closely related to earthquake recovery plans,
which emphasize safety and long-term development. Earthquake
and other disasters can cause serious damage to the spatial forms in
which economic activities and social networks are embedded. Ur-
ban design for post-disaster reconstruction is an opportunity to
create a new urban form that is safer and more resilient to disasters,
as well as to develop strategies for promoting economic develop-
ment and enhancing the quality of life in urban areas. Urban design
also pays attention to the emotional and psychological needs of
those who lost their families or were injured during the earth-
quake. Moreover, the design and planning process is strongly
influenced by institutional arrangements and the role of key
stakeholders. In sum, urban design for post-earthquake recon-
struction emphasizes strategies, safety, memorials and institutional
arrangements.
For planning purposes, disasters can be classified into four
stages, namely assessment, warning, impact and recovery (Foster,
1980). The recovery process can take decades, depending on local
conditions, and requires a large amount of funding and federal or
even international assistance (Murphy & Bayley, 1989). The recov-
ery stage can be divided into four periods: the emergency period,
which lasted until the essential services had been restored and the
danger of secondary effects (e.g. earthquake aftershocks) had
passed; the restoration period, during which refugees returned and
normal economic and social activities resumed; the reconstruction
period, during which the destroyed facilities were rebuilt and living
conditions were improved through redevelopment; and the final
betterment and commemorative period, in which a new and
improved community fashioned from the rubble of its predecessor
arose, something that is often noted on monuments commemo-
rating the disaster as a turning point in local history (Murphy &
Bayley, 1989). A disaster recovery plan is usually made for the re-
covery stage. Urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction is
properly embedded in a disaster/earthquake recovery plan. It is
related to the third and fourth periods of the recovery stage.
Visions and development strategies are often developed in ur-
ban design for post-earthquake reconstruction (Ciborowski, 1982).
For example, the urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction
in three neighbourhoods of Nagata Ward addressed both short- and
long-term visions for specific sites and the entire study area of each
neighbourhood (Tanaka et al., 2009). Driven by the economic
restructuring and deindustrialization on the global scale, the
growth of tourism has been stimulated worldwide as an urban
redevelopment strategy that is adopted by cities in their post-
disaster redevelopment processes (Qu, 2011).
The theme of “urban safety” encompasses a wide range of
concerns and issues, from basic needs through impacts of natural
disasters (such as earthquake) to collective security needs (UN-
HABITAT, 2007). A renewal programme for old urban fabric must
offer higher levels of safety and earthquake resistance, through
limiting vulnerability of urban fabric, components and structure,
building in effective systems of preparedness for a catastrophe, and
facilitating emergency and post-disaster rescue operations
(Ciborowski, 1982). Urban design in earthquake-prone areas should
ensure the safety of a city as a whole, the safety of all urban interiors
and their occupants, and the safety of the operational capabilities of
the settlement as a functional entity (Ciborowski, 1982). In order to
prevent or mitigate disaster damage, urban design measures
should include: safeguarding the operational capacity of major
components of transport routes (streets, intersections, squares)
against being blocked by falling debris; green and open spaces as
evacuation routes and evacuation zones; and emergency exit routes
from inner-city blocks (Ciborowski, 1982). However, the require-
ment to provide safe refuge and recovery in times of emergency is
sometimes at odds with the needs of liveable cities (Allan & Bryant,
292 L. Liu et al. / Habitat International 41 (2014) 290e299
2010). Large quantities of unstructured open space are created in
many post-earthquake reconstruction processes. This can result in
dispersed rather than compact urban forms, making it difficult to
achieve liveable, diverse and sustainable urban environments.
There has been criticism of the reconstruction of Tangshan City,
China. The city may now be less vulnerable to earthquakes, but its
wide streets, low-rise buildings and lack of an identifiable centre
has left it without ‘urbane refinements’ (Michell, 2004). Never-
theless, “urban resilience” provides a way of designing for the
adaptability of cities while accommodating everyday use (Allan &
Bryant, 2010). The concept of “resilience” is strongly influenced
by systems thinking and defined here as the capacity of a system to
respond to disturbance while still maintaining structure and
function (Holling, 1973). Diversity and variability are important
characteristics of resilience and are crucial concepts in urban design
theory. The key to the successful integration of recovery plan and
urban design lies in a shift of thinking that sees a city’s open spaces
as a ‘second city’: a network of open spaces is designed not only to
contribute to the quality everyday urban life, but also to act as
essential life support system and an agent of recovery in the event
of an earthquake (Allan & Bryant, 2010).
The study of place-making and landscape has recently been
linked to the study of memorialization and social memory (Gordon,
2001). What might be called the ‘memory business’ (e.g. the pro-
duction of memorials) is a necessary enterprise at a time when
traditional mechanisms for the dissemination of memories are
dying out (Simpson & Corbridge, 2013). A large part of the work of
memory has been performed through the many public competi-
tions that preceded the construction of a particular memory site
(Nolan, 2004). Memorials are usually created after catastrophes
(e.g. earthquakes, wars and tsunamis) have destroyed cities and led
to the loss of lives. For example, numerous architectural memorials,
museums and squares were constructed in Europe after the Second
World War, many memorials were built in Japan to commemorate
the lives lost during the 2011 tsunami (MacLeod, 2012) and an
earthquake memorial park was constructed in Tangshan after the
2008 earthquake (Hao, 2009).
Institutional arrangements and the role of key stakeholders
have greatly influenced the design and planning processes for post-
disaster reconstruction. For example, after Hurricane Katrina
devastated New Orleans, public participation contributed to the
formulation and implementation of the Citywide Strategic Recov-
ery and Rebuilding Plan of New Orleans (Hu, 2008). However,
government structures operating on three levels (federation, state
and locality) and the self-governance of locality were criticized for
their inefficiency in the planning and design processes. As a result,
it took about 20 months to devise the plan, which delayed the
reconstruction process. The involvement of many stakeholders (e.g.
multilevel governments, national and international NGOs, the pri-
vate sector and citizens) can lead to a reconstruction process that is
much slower than intended (Steinberg, 2007). In other cases, gov-
ernments play dominant roles in the reconstruction process.
Although this can lead to the rapid recovery of areas affected by
earthquakes, the faster delivery of assistance can lead to the
abandonment of the community-based development approach, the
shedding of environmental safeguards, or the disregard for indig-
enous architectural and cultural traditions (Steinberg, 2007).
A case study of Weizhou Town, Wenchuan County
Weizhou Town has a rich history and a vibrant culture, and is the
political, economic and cultural centre of Wenchuan County.
Located in a valley, the county town is surrounded by mountains
and its built-up areas are concentrated along Minjiang River. Two
national roads bypass the town and connect it with other areas in
Aba Prefecture. There are a number of beautiful traditional Qiang
stockade villages in the nearby area of the town. Before the
earthquake, Weizhou town had a population of 45,000. It covered
an area of 134.38 km2, of which the county town had a total area of
1.29 km2. Weizhou economy largely depended upon agriculture
(10.81 km2 of arable land) rather than industry (0.48 km2 of mining
land). There were also few public facilities and amenities in the
town.
The spatial structure of human settlement in Weizhou Town was
usually very compact, because there was severe land scarcity in the
town. In the county town, built forms were intensive, leaving only
small patches of open space. A main street through the built-up
area on the eastern side of the river was the town’s main evacua-
tion route and public space. The waterfront, which was the safest
area in the town, was densely built-up (Fig. 1). The town was lack of
a “safety” system, such as green and open spaces as evacuation
routes and evacuation zones (see Ciborowski, 1982).
Weizhou Town was severely damaged by the 2008 earthquake,
which killed 131 of its inhabitants and injured a further 7129
people; 42 inhabitants are still missing. Officials interviewed in
Weizhou Town in 2008 reported that the earthquake had destroyed
85% of the town’s residential buildings (a total gross building area
of 498,000 m2) and 93% of its industrial buildings (a total gross
building area of 127,000 m2). About 14% of arable land (with an area
of 153.67 ha) was lost and 17 km of municipal roads collapsed. The
questionnaires which were distributed in 3 main neighbourhoods
of the county town in 2008 showed that about 87% of residents had
economic difficulties. How to promote further economic develop-
ment thus became a key issue for post-earthquake reconstruction.
Public service facilities (e.g. schools, hospitals and commercial
buildings) comprising a total gross building area of 270,000 m2
were also severely destroyed, while 400,000 m2 required imme-
diate renovation. Therefore, the town encountered many chal-
lenges, including housing reconstruction, economic development,
the provision of public facilities, the memory of the deaths, and so
on.
Institutional arrangements
A topedown approach was applied to the post-earthquake re-
covery and reconstruction process in Wenchuan County (Fig. 2). In
2008, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China estab-
lished a counterpart support plan, whereby 19 eastern and central
provinces and municipalities would help 18 counties on a ‘one
province to one affected county’ basis. The plan spanned three
years and cost each province/municipality 1% of its total budget.
This topedown approach and the prompt delivery of assistance
contributed to the rapid recovery of areas affected by the earth-
quake. As a result, most of the construction tasks were completed
ahead of schedule (Qu, 2011).
Guangzhou City was assigned as the corresponding city to
support the reconstruction of Weizhou Town. Guangzhou Munic-
ipal Government invested RMB 2.8 billion in the recovery and
reconstruction of Weizhou Town, a sum that exceeded the
requirement laid down by the central government (RMB 1 billion)
(Guangzhou Municipal Government, 2009) and allowed the sup-
port programme to be completed in March 2010, less than 2 years
after the earthquake. The counterpart support programme
comprised 60 reconstruction and recovery projects and 17 subsi-
dized projects. These projects included three resettlement areas
(2191 units), upgraded housing (5074 units), three schools, two
hospitals, a sewage treatment plant, two squares and several
upgraded roads (Guangzhou Municipal Government, 2010). The
Guangzhou Aid Working Group was established by Guangzhou
Municipal Government to support the recovery and reconstruction
 L. Liu et al. / Habitat International 41 (2014) 290e299 293

Fig. 1. Weizhou Town before the earthquake. Photographer: Yi Chen.

of Weizhou Town. The working group played a crucial role in the
formulation of urban design projects. It communicated with
Guangzhou Municipal Government about finance and counterpart
support projects. It also organized a design competition, which led
to the formulation of a professional project titled Urban Design for
the Reconstruction of Weizhou Town (2009), based on the Recovery
and Reconstruction Plan of Weizhou Town (2008e2020). The re-
covery and reconstruction plan emphasized the creation of safe
areas, evacuation routes, resettlement housing, facilities, industrial
areas, and so on. The urban design for the post-earthquake recon-
struction in Weizhou Town mainly focused on the organization of
public spaces, which were usually combined with the provision of
facilities, the design of safe areas and evacuation routes, and other
structures. The urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction
was consequently embedded in the recovery and reconstruction
plan.
The urban design project was mainly developed by public offi-
cials from Guangzhou Municipal Government, the Guangzhou Aid
Working Group and Weizhou Government, and members of the
expert community and design units. Unique institutional arrange-
ments and a huge investment from Guangzhou Municipal Gov-
ernment contributed to the rapid reconstruction and recovery of
the town. The arrangements also resulted in high-quality buildings.
The professional project fundamentally transformed the previous

Fig. 2. Institutional arrangements in the formulation of urban design project for the reconstruction of Weizhou Town. (Source: authors’ drawing.)
294 L. Liu et al. / Habitat International 41 (2014) 290e299
dense spatial structures into a new urban form that is safer and
more resilient to disasters. It created many lively public spaces and
greatly enhanced the quality of life in the town. It was an integrated
approach that promoted both long-term and short-term de-
velopments, and that combined open spaces with public facilities.
However, many problems remained. Although the unique institu-
tional arrangement contributed to the rapid recovery of the town, it
was not feasible for public participation and the involvement of
other stakeholders. The rapid reconstruction process also exhaus-
ted most of available land in the town. In 2010, questionnaires for
experts in 6 design units which were involved in the projects
showed that there was a lack of involvement of experts from other
fields (e.g. folklorists and anthropologists) and local technicians in
project formulation. There was little room for public participation
or the involvement of market parties. This led to the emergence of
new issues in the town after the completion of the counterpart
support programme and the withdrawal of Guangzhou Municipal
Government and the Guangzhou Aid Working Group. There are
now conflicts between urban resilience and the dynamics of the
real estate market, and between the daily need of habitants and a
large number of open spaces.
Visions and strategies
Weizhou Town was severely destroyed during the earthquake.
In the process of reconstruction, priority was given to “higher levels
of safety and earthquake resistance” that is one of the main con-
cerns of urban design in earthquake-prone areas (see Ciborowski,
1982). As a considerable amount of arable land was lost and the
majority of industrial facilities were damaged, how to promote
economic development became a key issue of the town. Consid-
ering that there were many tourism attractions in the surrounding
area (such as traditional Qiang stockade villages) and the town
became famous after the earthquake, the development of tourism
was thus adopted as a new strategy to promote economic growth.
Consequently, three visions were proposed in the Urban Design for
the Reconstruction of Weizhou Town (2009). Firstly, Weizhou Town
was to be the ‘Sunshine Gokseong’ of Sichuan Western Qiang areas
e a safe and ecological town. In order to realize this vision, a series
Fig. 3. A commercial street as the main open space in Weizhou Town. (Source: authors’ drawing based on fieldwork in 2008 and the Aviation Remote Sensing Map of Weizhou Town
in 2008.)
of actions (e.g. the creation of three large evacuation squares and
the recovery of the ecosystem in the surrounding mountains) were
performed. Second, Weizhou Town was to be an important node of
the Xiqiang Cultural Corridor. It was not only the memorial base of
the earthquake, but also a cultural and historical town with tradi-
tional Qiang stockade villages. Third, Weizhou Town was comprised
of a part of the Western Sichuan tourism system. The construction
of memorials and tourism facilities and the improvement of the
infrastructure fulfilled the demands of both tourism development
and the town’s inhabitants. The three visions of the urban design
project were related to the town’s long-term vision, namely to
become ‘a provincial level historicalecultural site, a tourism town, a
traffic hub, a political centre and an ecological zone’ (Recovery and
Reconstruction Plan of Weizhou Town (2008e2020)). These visions
led to a series of specific interventions. The urban design for the
reconstruction of Weizhou Town was future-oriented and used
reconstruction projects as strategic interventions for the future
development of the town.
Urban design for safety, memorial, tourism and the public
As mentioned, the previous building density of Weizhou Town
was too high and the spatial structures were not resilient to such
disasters as earthquakes. The town’s commercial street was the
main evacuation route (Fig. 3). There was a lack of evacuation zones
and routes. During the earthquake, the spatial structures were
severely damaged. The urban design for post-earthquake recon-
struction was an opportunity to create a new urban form that
would be safer and more resilient to disasters. Collapsed or low-
quality houses and old industrial buildings were demolished and
replaced by public facilities, open spaces and commercial buildings.
Resettlement housing was built on three main sites on the pe-
riphery of the town. The new spatial structure of the town com-
prises one belt, two axes, multi-clusters, multi-corridors and
several nodes (Fig. 4). One belt is the waterfront landscape belt. The
axes are the central axis (yuwang axis) and the commercial axis
(jiaochanglu axis). The multi-clusters are resettlement areas and old
districts. The multi-corridors are several visual landscape corridors
that connect mountains and rivers. Several big squares (including
 L. Liu et al. / Habitat International 41 (2014) 290e299
Fig. 4. New spatial structures in Weizhou Town. (Source: authors’ drawing based on fieldwork in 2013 and an existing map of Weizhou Town.)
three disaster prevention squares/parks) form several nodes. A
safety system, a memorial system, a tourism system and a network
of public spaces were created in the town. These four systems are
interwoven with each other.
Safety system
According to Ciborowski (1982), urban design measures that
offer higher levels of safety and earthquake resistance should
include green and open spaces as evacuation routes and evacuation
zones as well as emergency exit routes from inner-city blocks. In
the process of reconstruction in Weizhou Town, a safety system was
established. It was comprised of a series of interrelated squares,
streets and open spaces. Besides the commercial street, a pedes-
trian street on the eastern side of Minjiang River became another
important evacuation route. Several secondary roads were estab-
lished to connect the commercial street and the pedestrian street.
They functioned as emergency exit routs from inner-city blocks.
The pedestrian street was also connected with two squares for
disaster prevention and a series of open spaces. Three big squares/
parks for disaster prevention were constructed in this small town
(Urban Design for Weizhou Central Town, Wenchuan, 2009). One of
these squares is in front of the new museum. It covers an area of
14,000 m2. As it is located in the middle of the central axis, it
functions as the town’s central square. Another square for disaster
prevention is in front of the town hall and next to the new stadium.
It covers nearly 20,252 m2. The square is paved and planted with
trees, and provides children’s playgrounds and sports facilities. It is
an important node of the landscape corridor on the eastern side of
the river. A park near the new People’s Hospital and two of the
resettlement areas was also established for disaster prevention.
According to the urban design proposal, these three squares/parks
295
could become evacuation zones during disasters and also be used
for day-to-day leisure activities.
The fieldwork in 2013, however, revealed that the two last-
mentioned squares were rarely used and do not conform with the
proposal of the urban design project. There were few activities in
the large square, which was in front of the town hall and connected
with the waterfront landscape belt. As most people were attracted
by the commercial activities and leisure facilities on the waterfront,
few used this square. There were also few people in the park near
the People’s Hospital and a resettlement area. As the function of
this area was very simple, the park attracted only some of the
residents who lived in the surrounding areas. In contrast, the
pedestrian street (a new evacuation route) on the waterfront was
used for all kinds of activities. This was primarily attributable to the
mixed land use in this area. People who lived in the surrounding
residential areas and other areas of the town were attracted by the
commercial, recreational and cultural facilities as well as by the
landscape near the pedestrian street.
Memorial system
Memorials are usually created after catastrophes (e.g. earth-
quakes) have destroyed human settlements and led to the loss of
lives. A particular memory site can be used for condolence, edu-
cation of disaster prevention for survivors and posterities, and
rethinking the relationship between urban development and
disaster mitigation (Wang & Liu, 2008). The significance of the
establishment of a memorial system in the town lay in the re-
membrance of lost lives, the earthquake ruins that have a high
scientific value and the important elements of the tourism system
(Urban Design for the Reconstruction of Weizhou Town, 2009). The
memorial system includes two earthquake ruins parks, Bell Tower
Square, Love Square and Red Arm Bridge. The earthquake ruins
296 L. Liu et al. / Habitat International 41 (2014) 290e299
parks are important nodes of the town’s tourism route. Bell Tower
Square and Love Square were built on the old site of the Aba
Teachers College, which was destroyed during the earthquake and
is now located outside the town. These memorial squares are also
important public spaces in the town.
Tourism system
The development of tourism has been stimulated worldwide as
an important strategy for post-disaster redevelopment, as tourism
can bring visitors and revenue back to disaster affected areas (Qu,
2011). According to the long-term visions of Weizhou Town
addressed by both the Urban Design for the Reconstruction of
Weizhou Town (2009) and the Recovery and Reconstruction Plan of
Weizhou Town (2008e2020), Weizhou Town is to become an
important tourism town. It is located at the middle section of the
western Sichuan tourism route and can provide service for tourists.
The town is an important attraction of the Xiqiang Cultural Corridor
(Yingxiu e 213 Life Road e Weizhou), which contains numerous
earthquake memorials and many beautiful Qiang stockade villages.
The urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction in Weizhou
therefore included the establishment of a tourism system (Fig. 5).
Firstly, the construction of a new long-distance bus terminal
improved the connections between Weizhou Town and other
towns and cities in the region. Second, a number of tourism at-
tractions (e.g. earthquake ruins parks, a cultural museum and a folk
cultural tourism zone) were established. The ecological park and
the waterfront landscape belt on the eastern side of Minjiang River
also became a part of the tourism system. Third, new hotels and
tourism facilities were built. The attractions and tourism facilities
were connected by main roads and pedestrian streets in the town.
The fieldwork in 2013 revealed that there had indeed been a
growth of tourism in the town. The earthquake had made Weizhou
Town well known. A considerable number of tourists were drawn
by the tourism facilities and attractions. The growth of tourism had
contributed to the town’s economic development.
Network of open space
Diversity and variability of open space are important charac-
teristics of “quality of life” and “resilience”. A network of open space
is designed not only to contribute significantly to the quality of
everyday urban life, but with the latent capacity to act as essential
life support and an agent of recovery in the event of an earthquake
(Allan & Bryant, 2010). In the post-earthquake reconstruction pro-
cess of Weizhou Town, a network of open space was established,
comprised of the waterfront landscape belt on the eastern side of
Minjiang River, two axes, several squares and pedestrian streets.
The waterfront landscape belt is now the town’s most important
public space. It is comprised of many diverse and lively open spaces
Fig. 5. The tourism system. Source: authors’ drawing based on Architectural Design & Research Institute of South China University of Technology (2009).
and commercial facilities which attract a large number of people.
After the earthquake, buildings that had collapsed or were of low
quality were demolished and replaced by a series of interrelated
open spaces and new buildings. A pedestrian street was con-
structed on the eastern side of the river to connect several squares
(e.g. two of the squares for disaster prevention and a cultural
square), green areas, commercial buildings and tourism facilities.
The pedestrian street is also linked with the central axis. The central
square is located in the middle of the central axis and is used for
leisure activities and disaster prevention. The network of open
space is consequently integrated with the safety system, the me-
morial system and the tourism system. The network comprises
evacuation squares and routes, memorials and tourism facilities.
Open spaces can be used for various purposes, such as evacuation,
daily activities and commercial activities. The observations and
interviews with residents in 2013 revealed that the establishment
of a large amount of open space had greatly enhanced the quality of
life in the town. Some squares (e.g. the cultural square) were used
for various activities, for example dancing and playing. The
waterfront, once a densely built-up area, had become the new
public realm, attracting a large number of users. It is still ques-
tionable, however, whether it is necessary to have such a large
number of open spaces in Weizhou Town. As mentioned, the daily
use of three large squares for disaster prevention was rare and
inefficient. Moreover, because the town is located in a valley, land
for urban construction is extremely rare and thus valuable. How to
effectively use large amounts of open spaces is worthy explored.
Urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction as an
integrated approach
The urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction in Weiz-
hou town applied an integrated approach. As mentioned before,
public buildings and facilities were severely damaged during the
earthquake. The questionnaires about the requirement intent of
residents for post-earthquake reconstruction in 2008 showed that
construction priority was given to public facilities, such as infra-
structure, water supply, education and cultural facilities. The pro-
vision of public buildings and facilities thus became one of the key
concerns in the urban design project and recovery plan. The pro-
vision of public facilities and infrastructure and the construction of
public buildings were usually combined with the establishment of
open space (Liu, 2011). The integrated approach can improve the
daily use of open space and create mix land use patterns. For
example, the regeneration of the central axis was an integrated
project. Guangzhou Municipal Government invested RMB 20
million in the regeneration of the central axis, which covers a total
area of 14,100 m2 (Guangzhou Municipal Government, 2010).
Thirty-six low quality or collapsed buildings were demolished and
replaced by public facilities and open spaces. This integrated
 L. Liu et al. / Habitat International 41 (2014) 290e299
regeneration project had several subprojects, such as water supply,
road construction, greening projects and lighting projects. The
central square for leisure activities and disaster prevention was
constructed in front of the new cultural museum. This project
greatly improved the environment in the city centre by creating
open spaces and providing public facilities.
Another integrated project was the regeneration of the eastern
side of Minjiang River. The length of the upgraded area is 2.6 km.
The project occupies a total area of 90,917 m2, and has 4,200 m2 of
gross floor area (Guangzhou Municipal Government, 2010).
Collapsed and low quality buildings were demolished and replaced
by public spaces and facilities. This integrated project had several
subprojects, such as greening projects, square and road projects,
municipal pipe network and lighting projects, and embankment
reinforcement projects. The project fundamentally transformed the
densely built-up waterfront into mixed land use that comprised
open space, public facilities and commercial buildings. The field-
work in 2013 revealed that the integrated project for the regener-
ation of the eastern side of Minjiang River had successfully created
lively and vibrant open spaces on the waterfront by introducing
mixed land use (Fig. 6). The inhabitants of the nearby residential
areas and other areas of town were attracted by the commercial
activities and leisure facilities on the waterfront.
Discussion and conclusion
Urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction in Weizhou
Town was a topedown rather than a bottomeup or participative
approach. It was embedded in the counterpart support plan
Fig. 6. Lively and vibrant open space on the waterfront. (Source: authors’ photograph, 2013.)
297
established by the Chinese Central Government. In the counterpart
plan, Guangzhou City was assigned as the corresponding city of
Weizhou Town. Unique institutional arrangements and a huge in-
vestment from Guangzhou Municipal Government contributed to
the rapid reconstruction of the town. The Guangzhou Aid Working
Group was established by Guangzhou Municipal Government to
support the recovery and reconstruction of Weizhou Town, and it
played a crucial role in the formulation and implementation of the
urban design project. It communicated with Guangzhou Municipal
Government about finance and counterpart support projects. It also
organized a design competition, which led to the formulation of a
professional project titled Urban Design for the Reconstruction of
Weizhou Town (2009). In these institutional arrangements, the
urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction was mainly
developed by public authorities and experts. There were few room
for public participation or the involvement of market parties.
The urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction funda-
mentally transformed the previous dense spatial structures into a
new urban form that was safer and more resilient to disasters. It
was an integrated project that promoted both long-term and short-
term developments, and combined the establishment of public
space with the creation of public facilities. The Urban Design for the
Reconstruction of Weizhou Town (2009) project was embedded in
the Recovery and Reconstruction Plan of Weizhou Town (2008e
2020). Three visions developed in the urban design project were
related to visions addressed in the recovery plan. These visions led
to a series of specific interventions in the town. The new spatial
structures incorporate four interwoven systems, namely a safety
system, a memorial system, a tourism system and a network of
298 L. Liu et al. / Habitat International 41 (2014) 290e299
open spaces. The urban design project offered higher levels of
“urban safety”, through creating open spaces and squares as evac-
uation zones and emergency exit routes from inner-city blocks. A
safety system was established in Weizhou Town. It comprises three
big squares, a waterfront evacuation route and several interrelated
open spaces for disaster prevention. A memorial system was
established to commemorate lost lives and promote tourism. It
comprises several tourism attractions, facilities and routes. It is
embedded in the system of tourism, which was established to
promote economic development of the town. A network of open
spaces was also created. It includes the waterfront landscape belt
on the eastern side of Minjiang River, two axes, several squares and
pedestrian streets. The integration of the four systems greatly
contributes to the daily use of evacuation zones and routes. It leads
to the integration of everyday urban life, disaster prevention and
economic development. Many lively squares were created and the
waterfront became the new public realm. To a certain extent, the
urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction in Wenchuan
Town not only enhances “urban safety” by establishing a safety
system, but also facilitates future development by promoting
tourism growth. Furthermore, it contributes to “the quality of life”
by creating pleasant facilities and amenities as well as a diverse
range of open spaces. Many open spaces are lively and can be used
for various purposes. They enhance “urban resilience”, as they can
act as essential life support system and an agent of recovery in the
event of an earthquake.
Many problems remain, however. The topedown approach and
the rapid delivery of assistance led to the emergence of new issues.
For example, the reconstruction took up almost all of the available
land, preventing further development in the town. Furthermore,
there have been conflicts between urban resilience and the dy-
namics of the real estate market. There was little room for the
involvement of market parties and inhabitants in the counterpart
support programme. After the completion of the counterpart sup-
port programme and the withdrawal of Guangzhou Municipal
Government, real estate companies became involved in the modi-
fication of the previous urban design project. They were attracted
by a gradual increase in land value stimulated by the counterpart
support projects. The fieldwork in 2013 revealed that several high-
rise buildings had been constructed by real estate companies in this
small town. There was a trend towards more and more low-rise
buildings (which had been preserved during the reconstruction
process) being replaced by high-rise buildings. The new buildings
did not conform with the original urban design project. They were
mainly developed by market parties, which play a significant role in
the transformation of Chinese cities. As in many cases in China, it is
easy for market parties to modify urban projects due to the lack of
enforcement power. The adjustment of urban projects can also be
influenced by other factors, such as corruption. The powerful
market forces consequently have the potential to destroy the
newly-established spatial structures that are safer and more resil-
ience to disasters. This leads to the question how one can create a
continuing and transparent design and planning process that
considers the involvement of different stakeholders (not only
public authorities and experts, but also market parties and resi-
dents), and how one can protect the safety system and maintain
urban resilience in the long term.
As is the case with post-disaster reconstruction in many cities in
the world, there is a conflict between the requirements of safe
refuge and the needs of liveable cities, and there is the issue of the
need for large numbers of open spaces for disaster prevention.
Although open spaces in Weizhou Town are well structured and
designed for various uses, there are still questions about the large
number of open spaces and their efficient utility. The daily use of
two of the three large squares for disaster prevention was rare and
inefficient. In contrast, open spaces on the waterfront were used for
all kinds of activities. This was mainly due to the mixture of land
use on the waterfront and the surrounding urban areas. The com-
mercial activities, amenities, facilities and open spaces on the
waterfront attracted a large number of people from the surround-
ing residential areas and other areas of the town. We may therefore
say that mixed land use can help to bridge the gap between the
need for safe refuge and the needs of liveable cities. Suggestions can
then be given to the adjustment of the other two large squares for
disaster prevention. These squares can be transformed to be multi-
functional open spaces. New parking and recreation facilities can be
added, while some green areas can be transformed to paved areas
to accommodate public gatherings, events and activities. Some
buildings around the squares can also be adapted for commercial
use. Adjusting the surrounding areas which are used for a single
function to mixed use areas in the future can contribute to the
effective use of these squares. Besides institutional arrangements
and design process, mixed land use can be another important focus
for further research on urban design for post-earthquake (or-
disaster) reconstruction.
Acknowledgements
The research underpinning this paper was sponsored by the
National Planning office of Philosophy and Social Science
(11&ZD154) and the State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building
Science in China. The authors appreciate the assistance provided by
the Guangzhou Aid Working Group and Weizhou Government of-
ficials. Many thanks go to the residents of Weizhou Town for
sharing so many of their experiences. The authors are grateful to
the editor and reviewers for their very constructive comments and
assistance.
References
Allan, P., & Bryant, M. (2010). The critical role of open space in earthquake recovery: A
case study. Paper presented at the NZSEE Conference, 26e28 March 2010, New
Zealand.
Architectural Design & Research Institute of South China University of Technology.
(2009). Urban design for the reconstruction of Weizhou Town (2009). Project
document.
Carmona, M., De Magalhaes, C., Edwards, M., Awuor, B., & Aminossehe, S. (2001).
The value of urban design: A research report commissioned by CABE and DETR to
examine the value added by good urban design. London: Thomas Telford
Publishing.
Chapman, D. W., & Larkham, P. J. (2007). Urban design, urban quality and the quality
of life: reviewing the department of the environment’s urban design campaign.
Journal of Urban Design, 4(2), 211e231.
Ciborowski, A. (1982). Physical development planning and urban design in
earthquake-prone areas. Engineering Structures, 4(3), 153e160.
Clancy, J. (2011). The origins of the principle of contemporary urban design theory.
www.Academia.edu.
Davies, L. (2007). The urban design compendium. Urban Design Alliance.
Foster, H. (1980). Disaster planning: The preservation of life and property. New York:
Springer Verlag.
Gordon, A. (2001). Making public pasts: The contested terrain of Montreal’s public
memories. Montreal: McGill University Press.
Guangzhou Municipal Government. (2009). The report on the recovery and recon-
struction in Guangzhou counterpart support Weizhou Town in Wenchuan County.
An unpublished document from Guangzhou Aid Working Group.
Guangzhou Municipal Government. (2010). The revised table of post-earthquake
reconstruction and recovery projects in Guangzhou counterpart support Weizhou
Town of Wenchuan County. An unpublished document from Guangzhou Aid
Working Group.
Guangzhou Urban Planning & Design Survey Research Institute. (2008). Recovery
and reconstruction plan of Weizhou town (2008e2020). Project document.
Guo, P. (2008). The economic loss of Wenchuan County runs higher than 100 million
yuan. There were still impassable roads in three towns. www.China.com.cn.
Han, B., Ge, H., & Cheng, S. Q. (2008). Assessment on plan of disaster prevention in
urban regions in China after Wenchuan earthquake. Guidance of Disaster
Reduction, No. 5.
Hao, W. G. (2009). The legacy of disaster-stricken memory-discussion of Tangshan
earthquake memorial park planning and construction. Chinese Landscape Ar-
chitecture, No. 12.
 L. Liu et al. / Habitat International 41 (2014) 290e299
Healy, R. (1969). Emergency and disaster planning. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Holling, C. S. (1973). Resilience and stability of ecological system. Annual Review of
Ecology and Systematics, 4, 1e23.
Hu, Y. Z. (2008). Theory and post-disaster recovery planning: a case study of New
Orleans recovery and its implications for Wenchuan earthquake recovery. Ur-
ban Planning International, 23(4), 66e70.
Lin, Y. L., & De Meulder, B. (2012). A conceptual framework for the strategic urban
project approach for the sustainable redevelopment of ‘villages in the city’ in
Guangzhou. Habitat International, 36, 380e387.
Liu, L. X. (2011). Thoughts on urban design promoted by post-earthquake recon-
struction event: a case study of Weizhou. South Architecture, No. 4.
MacLeod, C. (2012). Japan debates how to memorialize thousands killed by tsunami.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012-03-11/japan-tsunami-
memorial-debate/53479060/1#.
Michell, J. (2004). Re-conceiving. In S. Norman (Ed.), NZ recovery symposium, 2004
Napier (pp. 47e68). Wellington: Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency
Management.
Murphy, P., & Bayley, R. (1989). Tourism and disaster planning. Geographical Review,
79(1), 36e46.
Nolan, M. (2004). The politics of memory in the Bonn and Berlin republics. In
D. Walkowitz, & L. Maya Knauer (Eds.), Memory and the impact of political trans-
formation in public space (pp. 105e125). Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
Qu, L. (2011). Post-disaster redevelopment of the 5.12 earthquake-affected areas in
China. Paper presented in 2nd International Conference on China’s Urban
Transition and City Planning, 27e28 May 2011, Cardiff, UK.
299
Salet, W. (2006). Framing strategic urban projects. In W. Salet, & E. Gualini (Eds.),
Framing strategic urban projects: learning from current experiences in European
urban regions (pp. 3e20). Routledge.
Sichuan Provincial Architectural Design Institute, and Architectural Design &
Research Institute of South China University of Technology. (2009). Urban
design for Weizhou central town, Wenchuan. Project document.
Simpson, E., & Corbridge, S. (2013). The geography of things that may become
memories: the 2001 earthquake in Kachchh-Gujarat and the politics of reha-
bilitation in the Prememorial Era. Annals of the Association of American Geog-
raphers, 96(3), 566e585.
Song, H. B., & Hu, J. (2008). 20,258 people lost their lives during the earthquake in Aba
Zhou until 6 June 2008. www.abazhou.gov.cn.
Steinberg, F. (2007). Housing reconstruction and rehabilitation in Aceh and Nias,
Indonesia e Rebuilding lives. Habitat International, 31, 150e166.
Tanaka, T., Benjamin Abramson, D., & Yamazaki, Y. (2009). Using GIS in com-
munity design charrettes: lessons from a JapaneU.S. collaboration in earth-
quake recovery and mitigation planning for Kabe. Habitat International, 33,
310e318.
UN-HABITAT. (2007). Enhancing urban safety and security. UK and US:
Earthscan.
Wang, S. F., & Liu, F. (2008). A pilot consideration on monumental system in post-
disaster reconstruction planning e sensing the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake.
New Architecture, 4, 44e47.
Waterman, T., & Wall, E. (2009). Basics landscape architecture 01: Urban design.
Switzerland: AVA Publishing.