Investing in the social places of heritage towns

Worldwide, heritage sites and artifacts have survived various disasters triggered by natural and human-driven hazards. In Japan, the 2011 Great East Earthquake destroyed many properties and places. However, several social places, such as temples and shrines, withstood this disaster and housed many survivors, including tourists. This research promotes the collaboration between architects and anthropologists to examine the disaster experiences and disaster-recovery processes in World Heritage towns in the Asiatic seismic zone, particularly Sichuan (China) and Patan (Nepal). Subsequently, we analyzed the spatial characteristics of social places and activities and examined the perspectives of diverse stakeholders of the Old Town of Lijiang (China). Through these analyses, we proposed a disaster risk mitigation plan involving social places and activities for Bergama (Turkey), which integrates community-based disaster risk reduction measures. We collected data through fieldwork including observations, interviews, and a spatial survey. Furthermore, to increase people's awareness of disaster risk preparedness, we conducted a community-based workshop in Bergama. Our study clarifies the possibility of utilizing social places to reduce disaster risks in heritage towns, build community resilience, and sustain the culture of such towns. In particular, we advocated the plan to rebuild resilient communities in such regions, as called for by the third priority of the Sendai Framework. Highlights: • Disaster experiences in Asia illustrate the potential of social places in risk reduction. • In World Heritage towns, evacuation can benefit from traditional social places. • Joint efforts of community leaders and residents contribute to community resilience and sustainable heritage tourism. • Government and local communities should collaborate to develop risk mitigation plans.