Understanding the Meaning of " Sense of Place" in Post-Earthquake Reconstructions in Bam Residential Settlements (Case Study: Narges Residential Complex)

Disasters have a major role in making people homeless so that some experts regard them as a catalyst for "homelessness" or loss of sense of place. In addition to huge destruction in disasters, uniform constructions and similar places in the reconstruction process speed up homelessness. Furthermore, major reconstruction activities follow a physical approach to housing construction and do not consider the re-establishment of sense of home and place and the revival of socio cultural spirit of local community is neglected. Despite the frequent occurrence of natural disasters in Iran and increasing emphasis on social and mental rehabilitation in reconstruction process, there is no theoretical framework for the creation of "sense of place", particularly in post-disaster reconstructions. This dissertation follows two main first, to formulate understanding the meaning of living in Bam post-earthquake housing reconstructions from the perspective of its survivors; second, to explain the theoretical frameworks of "creation of sense of place", accordingly. The research methodology is qualitative and the "grounded theory" method, based on Strauss & Corbin (1998), is adopted to build theory. In other words, the theory is not built through hypothesis testing, but is a data-driven entity based on field study. The data collection was conducted through structured interview with 21 survivors of Narges Residential Complex selected by Snow-ball Method to obtain theoretical saturation in sampling. Data analysis, theory explanation, and paradigm model development were carried out through grounded-theory coding process. The research findings show that understanding sense of place from the viewpoint of the survivors of reconstructed settlements is interpreted as "re-experience of sense of living" depicted in the research grounded model in terms of conditional, interactive, and consequential categories. The sense depends on "self-expression", "home as a living center", and "social life". Survivor's interactions to this phenomenon are represented as "belonging to settlement" and "being as a member of extended family". These interactions finally result in "hopeful life to future" among survivors. The research results can be used as the theoretical basis for "creation of sense of place in developing urban design principles (substantive and procedural dimensions) in the post disaster reconstructions to provide the possibility of reconstruction of better places for survivors.