Urban renewal owing to disaster risk: The case of Izmir

Throughout the history, Anatolian region we live on has been faced with many disasters such as the disasters related to transportation and technological disasters like fire, as well as earthquakes and floods. As a result of these disasters, it is known that many losses, both material and spiritual, were experienced. The main axis of studies related to disasters in Turkey and the world, firstly considered as an conventional approach to heal wounds; particularly since the 90s more inclusive and versatile approach have been adopted (at first disaster loss preventing and risk reducing). In parallel with this change, especially after the 1999 Marmara Earthquake, an understanding reducing and predicting the risk in advance has been tried to place, in our country as well. Many methods are used to prevent the experience of losses before the occurance of disasters. Urban renewal practices are also stand out as one of the ways to prevent the disaster. When we look at the legal basis for urban renewal in Turkey, Law on Renewal of Disaster Areas Under Risk numbered 6306 is seen. Therefore, disaster management and issues in its content are very closely related to urban renewal. City of Izmir suffered the disasters mentioned above many times throughout the history, was destroyed and built again. So, it will not be wrong to say that İzmir is a city accustomed to renewal. While disaster and disaster management issues form the theoretical basis of this study, reflections of history of disasters of city of İzmir and how much disaster preventing are practices of urban renewal form main issues of this study. KEY WORDS: Disaster Management, Risk, Urban Renewal, Sendai Framework, İzmir