Rebuilding after war

War influences every single part of society. Oftentimes, when the topic of war and its effects is discussed, people tend to focus on the social and economic impacts of war. The built environment and how that specific part of society is affected is often left out of the conversation, even though urban areas have always been the target for destruction during wars. The built environment is often targeted in modern wars, because destroying major urban areas is an effective way of destabilizing the enemy. Places like airports, political establishments and ports are strategic places to hit, as they are often directly connected to large, densely populated urban areas like big cities. Destroying symbolic places, like religious buildings, can be a way to further destabilize and demoralize the society. Cities themselves are not often the target of destruction, but since they are so close to these strategic places, they are often taken down with them. Since the built environment is an integral part of society, a civilization can barely function without a working urban structure.

Text: Lianne Willekers. Lay-out: Karim Jaspers

Reconstruction after war is difficult and it has always been hard to get it started, but these days, it can be even more difficult. In the past, weapons that were used usually only caused physical destruction, in the sense that building may have been destroyed, but there were no long lasting effects beyond that. Nowadays chemical, biological and nuclear weapons are often used, and they can have more catastrophic and long-term consequences than the weapons that humans used in the past. The very definition of warfare has changed, and as such, also the consequences.

Because of this new level of destruction that new weapons can bring, wars have an almost permanent effect on the environment, people’s health and entire ecosystems, and this makes it increasingly difficult to rebuild effectively after a war. Toxic and radioactive properties of these newer weapons make sure that all local materials cannot be used for reconstruction. This makes it more difficult for people to find materials and start rebuilding a city. As a result, in post-war areas it is increasingly important to focus on rebuilding entire ecosystems and cleaning up the pollution left behind by the war, instead of just reconstructing urban areas. Another issue that can get in the way of rebuilding quickly and effectively is the cost. Wars already influence a country’s economy negatively, so after the war is over, countries have very little money to spend. Normally, constructing a building in an area that is not even affected by war is extremely expensive. Added costs of cleaning up rubble and demolishing buildings that cannot be salvaged make the cost of rebuilding an entire city infinitely high. Another thing to take into account is the fact that many people will have left the area and have sought refuge in other countries. There will be fewer and fewer people left behind to actually rebuild.

How not to do it

Cities that have already been rebuilt can serve as an example, or a warning. One such example is Beirut, the capital of Lebanon After a fifteen year long civil war the city was left in ruins. It has since risen from the ashes and now serves as a symbol for richness, with its glass skyscrapers and luxury hotels. However, the reconstruction of the downtown area of the city was anything but how you’re supposed to do it. A private company was contracted to oversee the rebuilding process of the city and even though it now looks like a futuristic and progressive area, the way this company went about reconstructing the area had great consequences, both politically and economically.

While new iconic architecture boosted the economy, it left many of the inhabitants of Beirut excluded from an area which they used to visit frequently. As a matter of fact, more buildings were torn down during the reconstruction process than were destroyed during the actual war. Much of Beirut’s cultural heritage was ignored and even destroyed and now that the history of the city has been wiped away, it looks nothing like it did in the pre-war era. Public interest was ignored and private profit was prioritized. This was done with the consent of the government, as the actual Prime Minister of Lebanon was at one point the biggest shareholder in the private company that conducted the reconstruction. Furthermore, the reconstruction process was so expensive that the country went into great debt and is now still the third country with the most debt in the world.

Beirut is an example of what not to do when rebuilding an urban area. Public interest and history were ignored and things that no one but the billionaire Prime Minister could afford were put in the place of a city that was once vibrant with local cultural heritage. As a result, Beirut is now a true city of exclusion.

How to do it

So how do you rebuild a city after war? The answer is quite simple: there is no answer. There is no one way to rebuild an entire city. It would not make sense to suggest that there is some sort of step by step plan that to follow and the result will be a beautifully reconstructed city. However, there are some things that need to be taken into account when making a plan for the reconstruction of an urban area.

Firstly, knowledge of the area and what the war exactly did to it is important. It needs to be clear before starting reconstruction in which areas the war has left its mark. Mapping exactly where the environment is polluted and needs to be cleaned up, or where unexploded devices left by the war may still lie is crucial to making a clear plan for the reconstruction. Secondly, the people need to be taken into account. Inhabitants of a destroyed urban area have obviously been through a lot and their wishes for the reconstruction of their city need to be considered. Involving the local community in the plans for the reconstruction will give them the chance to have a say in how their city is restored. This will strengthen the sense of community and the connection people feel to the city. Thirdly, the war and its scars must not be buried. People will want to leave the idea of the war behind, but it is impossible to go back to the way things were before the war. There are some great examples of destruction of architecture caused by war being turned into a place where people come to remember the war and the people that it affected. In England, the entire roof of Saint Michael’s Cathedral in Coventry was destroyed as a result of bombings in the second World War. Instead of reconstructing the roof, the place has been transformed into a space where people can remember the war and its victims. Trying to erase every trace of the war is not going to work and keeping monuments can serve both as a reminder of the devastation war can bring, and as a place of memorial where people can remember their lost loved ones.

Rebuilding urban areas after a war has proven to be a difficult task. Despite what people have tried in the past, spending a large amount of money on it will not guarantee that this happens in a successful way. As is clear, there is no obvious way to go about reconstructing a city. There are, on the other hand, certain things to be kept in mind that can make reconstruction easier and more successful. The entire world has much to learn about this topic. Perhaps the most important lesson to be learnt here is that none of this would be necessary if nations all around the world just decided not to destroy each other.

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