Urban Resilience, Heritage Preservation, and Sustainable Reconstruction in Antakya After the 2023 Earthquake

Abstract

Post-disaster reconstruction in historic cities requires more than replacing damaged buildings; it must reconcile structural safety, environmental performance, social recovery, and continuity of place identity. This article examines Antakya after the 6 February 2023 earthquakes as a case through which contemporary problems in architecture and urban design can be evaluated. Using a qualitative, concept-driven review of the city’s historical development, disaster-related vulnerabilities, and reconstruction priorities, the discussion links urban resilience, heritage conservation, sustainable architecture, public space, green infrastructure, community participation, adaptive reuse, and digital planning. The analysis identifies that the scale of destruction resulted not only from seismic exposure but also from accumulated weaknesses in construction quality, regulatory enforcement, land-use planning, infrastructure, and social equity. It argues that reconstruction should avoid both the total erasure of the damaged urban fabric and the literal replication of pre-disaster conditions. Instead, the urban palimpsest is proposed as an integrative framework for retaining significant historical layers while introducing earthquake-resistant construction, climate-responsive systems, resilient infrastructure, and inclusive planning processes. The article concludes that Antakya’s recovery can provide a transferable model for historically layered, hazard-prone cities when safety, sustainability, cultural memory, and community needs are addressed as interdependent design priorities.