The city was built to withstand all natural disasters.

Authorities and architects are developing plans to rebuild the city of Antakya to cope with earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters.

More than 50,000 people died and millions more were displaced when two earthquakes measuring 7.8 and 7.5 magnitudes rocked southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6 last year. The United Nations estimates the cost of rebuilding the region at more than $100 billion . The city of Antakya (also known as Antioch ), the capital of Hatay province, was one of the hardest hit in Turkey, with nearly 80% of its homes destroyed beyond repair.

Perspective drawing of the revitalized city of Antakya with the waterfront in the center. (Photo: Türkiye Design Council)

The damage is 'beyond imagination,' said Nicola Scaranaro of Foster + Partners, the architecture firm that unveiled plans last month to rebuild and revive the city, with the goal of making it resilient to earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters. That's easier said than done in a region prone to such earthquakes. Last year's quake was the seventh to hit Antakya since the city was founded in the 4th century B.C., Scaranaro said.

The city is nestled at the foot of the Habib Neccar Mountains in the Asi River Valley. Its proximity to the river means the destructive effects of earthquakes are exacerbated by a phenomenon called liquefaction, which causes the soil to lose its strength and move more like a liquid. With many homes built along the banks of the Asi, flooding has long been a risk for Antakya's residents. More than 45,000 residents living on 2.5 million square meters of land were at risk of flooding before last year's earthquake, Foster + Partners estimated. The likelihood of such disasters is only going to increase with the climate crisis.

Ensuring resilience to both recurring threats was a key consideration when the firm was commissioned by the Türkiye Design Council, a non-governmental organization, to lead an international coalition to develop a strategy for rebuilding the area six months after the earthquake. The architecture and street design served as a first line of defense against the impact of the earthquake, including compact housing that was better able to cope with seismic activity than the large, long, L-shaped structures that dotted Antakya before.

Superblock-style mixed-use neighborhoods inspired by those in Barcelona would encourage car-free zones, ensuring routes for both emergency services and residents to escape in the event of a disaster. This layout would also benefit quality of life, leading to lower traffic density and more urban green space.

Green space plays an integral role in preventing flooding, with a strip of land along the river marked off from development. Instead, sprawling riverfront parks will fill these high-risk areas, acting as natural buffers when the river overflows and absorbing floodwaters. Native species plantings, a network of green spaces and local public parks will provide vital habitat for plants and animals, becoming green spaces that allow wildlife to roam freely. Such an approach will also help meet the plan's goal of doubling green space per capita.

Construction is starting as plans take shape, with engineering consultancy Buro Happold predicting it will take 10 years to fully revive the city.