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1- Department of Landscape Architecture and Reconstruction, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract: (161 Views)
Background & objective: The 2019 flood in Aq Qala was one of the most extensive natural hazards in Golestan Province, causing substantial damages. This study aims to conduct an integrated and multi-dimensional analysis of urban vulnerability by employing the Pressure and Release (PAR) model and examining eight urban systems, including mobility and accessibility, land use, public spaces, physical form, urban landscape, environmental systems, social dimensions, and socio-political systems.
Method: The innovation of this study lies in adopting a comprehensive and systemic approach that simultaneously integrates physical and non-physical systems, moving beyond one-dimensional analyses to provide a holistic view of the hidden layers of vulnerability. The research methodology is based on descriptive-analytical analyses, utilizing urban maps, aerial images, official reports, and field surveys conducted through assessment checklists across 13 neighborhoods of Aq Qala.
Findings: The research findings indicate that vulnerability in Aq Qala is the result of a synergy between physical and managerial factors, whereby weaknesses in urban governance and the lack of alignment between the physical form and the region's topography played a pivotal role in exacerbating the crisis. The analysis using the aforementioned model revealed that structural root causes (such as dense development policies) and dynamic pressures (such as unauthorized land-use changes) set the stage for transforming flood hazards into disasters. The empirical results underscore the necessity of shifting from hazard-oriented approaches to causal frameworks, so that by distinguishing underlying vulnerability from immediate exposure, risk reduction strategies can be optimized.
Conclusion: Overall, this study demonstrates that flood vulnerability in Aq Qala is a systemic characteristic shaped by the integrated interaction of natural hazards, urban structures, and institutional capacities. This approach provides a theoretical foundation for data-driven research and enables a more in-depth analysis of vulnerability conditions in cities like Aq Qala. Finally, as the main achievement of this research, a set of operational strategies for improving urban resilience and reforming managerial structures has been proposed in the form of a conceptual model.
Method: The innovation of this study lies in adopting a comprehensive and systemic approach that simultaneously integrates physical and non-physical systems, moving beyond one-dimensional analyses to provide a holistic view of the hidden layers of vulnerability. The research methodology is based on descriptive-analytical analyses, utilizing urban maps, aerial images, official reports, and field surveys conducted through assessment checklists across 13 neighborhoods of Aq Qala.
Findings: The research findings indicate that vulnerability in Aq Qala is the result of a synergy between physical and managerial factors, whereby weaknesses in urban governance and the lack of alignment between the physical form and the region's topography played a pivotal role in exacerbating the crisis. The analysis using the aforementioned model revealed that structural root causes (such as dense development policies) and dynamic pressures (such as unauthorized land-use changes) set the stage for transforming flood hazards into disasters. The empirical results underscore the necessity of shifting from hazard-oriented approaches to causal frameworks, so that by distinguishing underlying vulnerability from immediate exposure, risk reduction strategies can be optimized.
Conclusion: Overall, this study demonstrates that flood vulnerability in Aq Qala is a systemic characteristic shaped by the integrated interaction of natural hazards, urban structures, and institutional capacities. This approach provides a theoretical foundation for data-driven research and enables a more in-depth analysis of vulnerability conditions in cities like Aq Qala. Finally, as the main achievement of this research, a set of operational strategies for improving urban resilience and reforming managerial structures has been proposed in the form of a conceptual model.
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