[Objective] The pressure of accelerated urbanization has caused rural landscapes to face the great challenges of reconstruction, homogenization and extinction, with rural landscapes gradually losing their diversity and regional characteristics. Compared with lowland villages, mountainous villages are constrained by special topography, rich in resources but backward in construction, and have always been the key and difficult areas in China’s rural revitalization work, and the identification and management of their landscape characters are particularly urgent. As a complex landscape system with multiple levels and diversity, the mountainous villages need a more comprehensive cross-scale tool to guide and manage the process of landscape change and the protection of local landscape characters. Landscape character assessment (LCA) is a mainstream method to identify landscape character, but its results often present a static, nodal and objective perception. The collective memory theory focuses on the dynamic characteristics of landscape evolution and is able to identify more subtle differences in landscape characters, compensating for the shortcomings of LCA in the temporal and human dimensions. Therefore, this research aims to 1) integrate LCA and collective memory theory to construct a theoretical and technical framework for multi-scale identification of mountainous rural landscape characters; 2) integrate quantitative analysis of LCA and qualitative interpretation of collective memory to solve the problem of spatialization of narrative memories; and 3) validate the scientific validity and effectiveness of the identification system through empirical evidence in the Wuling Mountain area.

[Methods] The research proposes to construct a multi-scale mountainous rural landscape character identification system. 1) Theoretical framework: Integrate LCA and collective memory theory to establish a systematic framework of “definition scope − element selection − classification and description − practical application”, realizing the layer-by-layer cognition and description from macroscopic to microscopic perspective. 2) Technical path: Establish the operational path of “data collection − character recognition − character translation”. The “extraction of memory carriers − spatial coordinate localization − generation of vector data” approach is used to realize the spatialization of collective memory. At the regional scale (Chongqing section of the Wuling Mountain area), natural elements such as elevation, and land cover are selected to identify landscape character zones. At the local scale (Qianjiang District), cultural elements such as land use, and characteristic villages are selected to identify landscape character categories. At the site scale (Taiji Township), traditional settlements, collective memory, and other cultural and culturally related elements are selected to identify landscape character units and elements. At the same time, the surviving condition of the character elements is marked.

[Results] The complexity and cultural diversity of the geographic environment in the Chongqing section of the Wuling Mountain area provide an ideal background for character identification. A multi-scale mountainous rural landscape character identification system is constructed and successfully applied to different scales (Chongqing section of the Wuling Mountain area − Qianjiang District − Taiji Town), which provides a regional reference for the identification and protection of mountainous rural landscape character. The identification system identifies 10 rural landscape character zones in the Chongqing section of the Wuling Mountain area at the regional scale, 8 rural landscape character categories in Qianjiang District at the local scale, and 6 rural landscape character units in Taiji Towns at the site scale. Cases such as the memory of natural beliefs (land temple) and the memory of the construction of public facilities (academy ruins) reflect the deep coupling of landscape character and the collective memory of the villagers. At the same time, marking the surviving condition of the character elements (including the disappearing elements) helps to explain the historical development of landscapes.

[Conclusion] Mountainous rural landscapes have both natural and humanistic attributes, and public participation and raising awareness of the cultural value of landscapes is a key part of rural landscape planning. This research analyzes the theoretical framework, technical path and practical application of the identification of mountainous rural landscape characters at multiple scales, and draws the following main conclusions. 1) The technical process of LCA can provide a spatial anchor point for collective memory, while collective memory can inject an interpretive dimension into LCA, and the two are complementary to help understand rural landscapes in a more comprehensive way. 2) It realizes the deep integration of the quantitative analysis of LCA and the qualitative interpretation of collective memory, clarifies the path of memory carrier materialization, and solves the problem that narrative memory can hardly interface with LCA technology. 3) The case of Wuling Mountain area proves that the identification system can effectively integrate geographic diversity, cultural characteristics and villagers’ perception, and realizes precise identification of landscape character through the synergistic collaboration of top-down (systematic delineation dominated by LCA) and bottom-up (local cognition driven by collective memory) identification, and provides a tool support for the national rural landscape planning and protection. In the future, the results of character identification should be transformed into planning actions through differentiated planning decisions, dynamic protection mechanisms, participatory governance, etc., so as to respond to the real dilemmas of rural planning.

[Objective] In the context of urban regeneration, cities in the arid region of northwest China, constrained by limited water and land resources, are progressively implementing the ecological development of inefficient urban lands as an important approach to enhance urban resource utilization efficiency and facilitate the transformation of urban green spaces. Based on existing assessment methods that use ecological value as the criterion, this research proposes the incorporation of a social demand perspective into the priority assessment for ecological construction on inefficient urban lands, thereby clarifying the appropriate scale and priority of such construction and reinforcing the necessity and feasibility of the assessment outcomes.

[Methods] Taking the main urban area of Hami City in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region as the research object, a priority assessment framework for ecological construction on inefficient urban lands in cities in the arid region of northwest China based on the both perspectives of ecological value and social demand. Considering the spatial habitat requirements of characteristic flora and fauna in cities in the arid region of northwest China, the InVEST and MSPA model is employed to identify the ecological security pattern. The ecological value of inefficient urban lands is then assessed based on the analysis of ecological sources, ecological corridors, and habitat quality. Meanwhile, by integrating the needs of multiple stakeholders, three indicators — construction feasibility, distribution evenness, and green space demand — are selected to evaluate the social demand for ecological construction on inefficient urban lands. Finally, the assessment outcomes from the both perspectives are overlaid, categorizing the inefficient urban lands into five priority levels: highest, high, medium, relatively low, and lowest.

[Results] The integrated assessment from the perspectives of ecological value and social demand indicates that the area ratios of inefficient urban lands designated for ecological construction with the highest, high, medium, relatively low, and lowest priorities are 1∶1.8∶0.8∶4∶2.2. Notably, the inefficient urban lands with relatively low and lowest priorities occupy the largest area, which suggests that most inefficient urban lands in Hami’s main urban area are not suitable for immediate ecological construction. Specifically, a total of 75 sites with the highest (Level I) and high (Level II) priorities — areas where ecological construction should be prioritized — account for 28.54% of the total area of inefficient urban lands, and these sites are generally located within the radiation range of ecological sources as identified by the ecological security pattern assessment, free from interference by large-scale infrastructure. In contrast, there are 14 sites (7.84% of the total area) classified as sites with medium priority (Level III), and 176 sites (accounting for 63.62% of the area of inefficient urban lands) categorized as sites with relatively low (Level IV) or lowest (Level V) priority, which are mainly distributed along the urban periphery and in areas with complex land ownership matters. According to the zoning results of the research area, the Liyuan and Xihe districts are identified as key areas for the ecological construction on inefficient urban lands, as sites with the highest or high priority in these areas constitute over 30% of the total area of inefficient urban lands. In areas such as Donghe District, Tiebei District, and Western New District, constrained by the synergies between ecological and social perspectives, sites with the highest or high priority comprise over 17% of the total area of inefficient urban lands, indicating a relatively higher priority for ecological transformation of inefficient urban lands. Meanwhile, the Huicheng and Tienan areas, with a total area of inefficient urban lands of less than 10 hm², are not suitable for large-scale ecological construction.

[Conclusion] The main urban area of Hami City is at a stage where both the quality enhancement and transformation of existing stock and the structural adjustment of new increments are concurrently prioritized. The assessment of inefficient urban lands is subject to the dynamic, long-term adjustments influenced by the maturity of urban construction. Notably, the assessment results for the priority of ecological construction on inefficient urban lands differ significantly among the ecological value, social demand, and composite perspectives. The inclusion of social demand indicators reduces the assigned priorities for ecological construction in most districts within the research area, thereby preventing excessive ecological construction on inefficient urban lands that could lead to the consumption of water and land resources. The driving factors for ecological construction on inefficient urban lands in various districts are primarily categorized into four types: ecological − social composite drive, ecological drive, social drive, and constraint-dominated drive. Based on the assessment outcomes, this research proposes five regeneration strategies — ecological mode, functional mode, natural mode, collaborative mode, and reserved mode — for the different priority levels of ecological construction on inefficient urban lands in Hami’s main urban area, with the aim of promoting the practical implementation of ecological construction on inefficient urban lands in cities in the arid region of northwest China and providing feasible theoretical support for urban regeneration initiatives.

[Objective] Urban regeneration has become a critical component of sustainable urban development, especially as Chinese cities transform from large-scale expansion to stock-based optimization. Within this transformation, traditional old city neighborhoods represent the most challenging yet urgent targets for regeneration. These areas are characterized by high density, fragmented property rights, aging infrastructure, and the need to balance cultural heritage preservation with contemporary demands for livability, environmental performance, and low-carbon development. Green assessment systems at the neighborhood/community scale — such as BREEAM-Communities (UK), LEED-ND (US), CASBEE-UD (Japan), and DGNB-UD (Germany) — have matured over the past two decades, providing systematic frameworks that integrate environmental, social, and economic dimensions. However, the existing research primarily focuses on new development contexts, leaving a gap in strategies for traditional neighborhoods with unique spatial and governance constraints. This research therefore aims to explore how international green assessment tools can inform adaptive regeneration strategies for traditional old city neighborhoods in China. The research introduces a dual-dimensional “goal – process” framework that not only responds to global sustainability objectives but also addresses the full cycle of planning, construction, and management. Taking Beijing’s traditional neighborhoods as an example, the research seeks to demonstrate how generalized frameworks can be transformed into specialized tools that guide context-sensitive and operable regeneration strategies.

[Methods] The research adopts a multi-step research pathway. First, a systematic review of four representative international green neighborhood assessment systems is conducted to extract key indicators. These indicators are mapped and reorganized into a general “goal – process” framework: The goal dimension encompasses environmental, social, and economic sustainability (aligned with the United Nation’s “3E” principle), while the process dimension covers planning, construction, and management stages. Second, the framework is refined into a universal strategy system through indicator integration and reclassification, ensuring operability across diverse neighborhood regeneration contexts. Third, the framework is applied to Beijing’s traditional neighborhoods, where field surveys, spatial data analysis, and community/stakeholder interviews are carried out. The general framework is further adapted into a specialized regeneration framework by adjusting indicator priorities, identifying specific contradictions, and formulating targeted strategies. Furthermore, the research team integrates relevant data — including the environmental characteristics of neighborhood location, the constraint factors from higher-level planning, and the spatial characteristics of neighborhood courtyards — with textual data for overall analysis. This process helps identify the case’s characteristics as well as the key priorities and difficulties in the regeneration work. Then, based on the aforementioned specialized framework, the team leverages corresponding key strategies to conduct targeted regeneration and transformation.

[Results] The results highlight both theoretical contributions and practical applications. First, framework innovation: The general “goal – process” framework successfully bridges international assessment standards with China’s local regeneration contexts. Unlike static indicator systems, it emphasizes multi-objective sustainability and full-cycle governance, offering a flexible and operable strategy matrix. Second, case-based adaptation: Applied to Beijing’s old city neighborhoods, the framework clarifies regeneration priorities such as density optimization, functional mix, public space enhancement, and resilience building. Third, diagnostic insights: Empirical analysis reveals three distinctive pathways. 1) functional integration and energy efficiency — e.g., courtyard regeneration through mixed-use design and underground space development; 2) perceptual greening — introducing algorithms to measure and optimize residents’ visual perception of greenery, which guides the placement of vertical greening and green materials; 3) stakeholder negotiation — quantifying divergent demands (residential rights, commercial capacity, and public services) through text-mining and spatial modeling, which facilitates consensus building in previously stalled projects. Finally, performance verification: The framework proves effective in converting abstract sustainability goals into actionable regeneration measures. It not only identifies the contradictions between heritage preservation and livability improvement but also offers scalable strategies adaptable to various neighborhood conditions.

[Conclusion] This research demonstrates that integrating international green assessment tools into a general “goal – process” framework provides both conceptual clarity and practical operability for the regeneration of traditional old city neighborhoods. Unlike conventional evaluation systems that emphasize comprehensive but rigid indicators, the proposed approach is open, adaptive, and problem-oriented. By combining systematic indicator mapping with empirical case validation, the framework offers a pathway to balance universal sustainability goals with local specificities. Its contributions are threefold: 1) Advancing theoretical understanding of how assessment systems can be transformed into strategy-oriented frameworks for incremental regeneration; 2) providing a replicable methodological process — diagnosis, prioritization, and adaptation — that can be applied to other historic urban areas; and 3) supporting policy and design decisions with evidence-based, context-sensitive strategies. Overall, the research enriches the toolkit for sustainable neighborhood regeneration in China and offers international relevance by demonstrating how global frameworks can be localized to address the complexities of heritage-based urban regeneration. Looking forward, future research should further integrate carbon accounting, resilience modeling, and digital twin technologies to enhance dynamic evaluation. In doing so, the proposed framework has the potential not only to enrich the global discourse on sustainable urban regeneration but also to inform practical pathways for cities worldwide that face the dual challenge of heritage preservation and green transformation.

[Objective] With the proposal of the national “carbon neutrality” policy, various fields are exploring the mode of green, low-carbon and sustainable development. In the field of landscape architecture, a large amount of practical research has been carried out in the two aspects of enhancing urban resilience and reducing emissions and increasing sinks, both of which mainly focus on the qualitative research on study of the carbon footprints of landscape plants, soils, water bodies, green infrastructures, and green spaces over their entire life cycle. However, there exists less quantitative research on low carbon in the field of landscape engineering, which is mainly based on data from the architectural profession. The construction phase of landscape engineering is the largest part of the carbon footprint of landscape gardening, and pavement is the most carbon-emitting subcomponent of engineering construction. The current quantitative research on pavement is not enough to make a horizontal comparison of carbon emissions between different pavement materials, and there are certain deficiencies in both the parameter setting of pavement material specifications and the construction of the life cycle assessment (LCA) model in the research process, which leads to the inability to accurately judge and select low-carbon materials. Therefore, in order to assess the carbon emissions of garden pavements with different types of surface layers in pavement projects over the life cycle of such pavements, and to provide theoretical basis for the research on low-carbon emission reduction in landscape engineering, this research takes the life cycle of garden pavement projects as the theoretical basis, adopts the carbon emission factor method, constructs a calculation model for carbon emissions of garden pavements, and then calculates and screens out the optimal “carbon-friendly” materials most suitable material for garden pavements in the context of the “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality” strategy, so as to provide the theoretical basis for the low-carbon emission reduction target of landscape architecture.
[Methods] This research selects 25 common garden pavement materials with different surface layers for calculation and evaluation of carbon emission. Firstly, the carbon emission accounting model is constructed based on the life cycle of garden pavement projects: the carbon emission factor method is adopted to calculate carbon emissions in such stages as material production, construction and transportation, maintenance and material recycling of garden pavement projects, during which the specific calculation parameters are mainly derived from the engineering practical experience, national standards and relevant research data. Secondly, after calculating the total amount of carbon emissions released during the life cycle of each type of garden pavement, the data are normalized by “carbon emission per square meter per year”, and the research results are obtained.
[Results] The analysis of the carbon emissions of 25 types of garden pavement materials over their respective life cycle shows that, among the 25 types of garden pavements, the three types with the highest carbon emissions over their life cycle are glued stone pavement, anti-corrosion wood pavement and limestone pavement, and the three types with the lowest emissions are concrete pavement, recycled aggregate concrete pavement and pressure film art flooring. And from the perspective of the unit area and average annual carbon emission of garden pavement, the three types of garden pavements with the highest carbon emission are glued stone pavement, permeable concrete block pavement and sand-based permeable brick pavement, and the three types with the lowest emission are recycled aggregate concrete pavement, pressure film art flooring and concrete pavement. Based on the above results, the garden pavement materials that meet the requirements of low-carbon emission reduction are derived, and the following strategies for low-carbon emission reduction of garden pavements are proposed.
[Conclusions] 1) Enhance the durability of surface materials. The amount of average annual carbon emissions of surface materials over the life cycle of such materials is closely related to their durability. Therefore, enhancing the durability of materials can help prolong the service life and reduce the period of replacement and maintenance, thus achieving better cost performance. 2) Emphasize the use of concrete. Concrete is the basic structure of other pavements, and can be used directly as a pavement surface, but adding ant other surface material on top of concrete may increase carbon emissions. 3) Prioritize the use of high-strength, thin materials for garden pavements. 4) Attach importance to the life span of surface materials. The life span of different surface materials has a greater impact on the average annual carbon emissions of pavements, even greater than the thickness of pavement structure and the average annual carbon emissions of materials themselves. 5) Minimize the use of glued stone pavement. Although glued stone pavement is rich in color and can be put together freely, the carbon emission of epoxy resin binder as a chemical product contained in glued stone pavement is more than 10 times higher than that of ordinary inorganic materials. 6) Maximize the use of granular pavement. Among the 25 types of pavements, granular pavement of graded gravel surface without cementation performs best in environmental adaption, environmental protection and low carbon, and thus can be vigorously promoted for use under appropriate conditions.

[Objective] Urban lake wetlands possess significant regulatory functions and environmental benefits for regional environments. A synergistic layout of water and green spaces can enhance their temperature and humidity effects. In order to maximize the regional environmental effects of urban lake wetlands, it is of great practical significance for the planning and protection of the built environment of urban lake wetlands to strengthen and optimize the construction of green spaces in the surrounding built environment, and to explore the coupling relationship between the morphological composition and layout structure of green spaces in the built environment and the temperature and humidity effects of urban lake wetlands.

[Methods] This research takes Lingjiao Lake and its surrounding 300 m green spaces in the built environment within the main urban area of Wuhan as the research area, which is characterized by dense buildings and a complex composition of the built environment, including green spaces, plazas, commercial areas, and residential zones. In this research, the diurnal air temperature and relative humidity in July 2024 are measured as indicators. Using a combination of transect-based quantitative measurements and land use regression (LUR) models, a comprehensive assessment and data statistics and analysis are conducted to systematically investigate the spatio-temporal characteristics of air temperature and relative humidity effect field of urban lake wetlands.

[Results] This research comprehensively analyzes the factors influencing air temperature and relative humidity in the built environment surrounding urban lake wetlands, in combination with LUR model. The results indicate that: 1) The LUR model based on key influencing variables consists of water area, surrounding green space and built environment factors within a 300 m buffer zone, as well as relevant meteorological factors, and indicators of air temperature and relative humidity are successfully established, with the adjusted R ² of 0.607 and 0.779 for air temperature and relative humidity, respectively, and the adjusted LOOCV R ² of 0.763 and 0.957, respectively. Based on the correlation analysis of LUR model variables, the prediction variables for air temperature are ρ _T100, ρ _T25, D _R, H _B25, and I _{L A}, while ρ _T50, ρ _B25, P _W25, I _{L A}, D _B, and T for relative humidity. 2) The coupling of urban lakes and wetlands with surrounding green spaces has a significant effect on improving temperature and humidity. For air temperature, the combined blue-green effect of the 300 m buffer zone is 0.58 ℃, with a decrease of 0.19 ℃ every 100 m; for relative humidity, the combined blue-green effect of the 300 m buffer zone is 2.11%, with a 0.70% increase in humidity every 100 m. 3) The key influencing factors of air temperature and relative humidity in different buffer zones and surrounding green spaces vary significantly. Within a 50 m buffer zone, ρ _T is the only variable positively correlated with air temperature; regarding relative humidity, the influencing variables are ρ _T, P _W, and P _G. Within a 100 m buffer zone, ρ _B has a significant impact on air temperature, while ρ _T is the most significant variable affecting air temperature and relative humidity; regarding relative humidity, the significant influencing variables include P _W, distance from traffic road (D _R), and ρ _T. Within the buffer zones of 200 m and 300 m, ρ _B, ρ _T, and F _SV (sky view factor) have significant effects on air temperature and relative humidity. In summary, the lower the traffic density, the higher the green space canopy density, and the larger the leaf area index, the more significant the synergistic cooling effect of blue-green space.

[Conclusion] This research, from the perspective of blue-green synergy, examines how urban built environment and land use factors affect temperature and humidity in terms of mechanism, intensity, and scope. Based on the LUR model consisting of blue-green factors, built environment factors, and meteorological factors, the research summarizes the spatio-temporal characteristics of the temperature and humidity effect field of urban lake wetlands, and reveals the associated effects of blue and green spaces and their physical-level spatial interactions, providing support for enhancing the environmental effects of urban lake wetlands. Based on the findings, the following strategies for improving the temperature and humidity regulation of urban blue-green space systems are proposed as follows. 1) Control the proportion of transportation infrastructure around urban water bodies; keep main roads at least 60 m away from water spaces to maximize the regulatory function of blue-green spaces. 2) Protect urban blue lines, green lines, and blue-green space effect lines; limit building density to approximately 0.35 within a 300 m buffer zone. 3) Select plant communities with high leaf area index (I _LA > 2.0), canopy density (ρ _C > 0.77), and large crown width for green spaces around lakes, optimizing green space structures and increasing the proportion of multi-layered vegetation.

[Objective] River defence plays a vital role in the development of the Ming Great Wall’s military defence system. The spatial arrangement of river defence, represented by the Yellow River defence, embodies the ancient practice of adapting to local conditions, optimizing resource utilization, and transforming challenges into the guide of construction. This research takes river as a focal point to investigate the intricate relationship between the water system and military defence system. The analysis of the spatial pattern of river defense can improve the theoretical framework of the Great Wall defense system, thus fully integrating the multiple resource values of the Great Wall and the Yellow River.
[Methods] The quantitative analysis is conducted using the ArcGIS geographic information platform, involving the review of historical documents, the field investigation of existing sites, the utilization of drones for low-altitude image data collection for purpose of generating 3D real scene model, and the integration of historical aerial films and other multi-source data.The specific methodology comprises two key components: Firstly, analyzing the constituent elements of the defense system of river defence space and summarizing their functional attributes based on the theoretical framework of the Ming Great Wall’s military defence; secondly, summarizing the spatial distribution characteristics of river defence elements by incorporating changes in geographic location, hydrology, environment, and other natural factors. Indicators such as elevation, slope, and distribution distance are extracted to analyze the spatial characteristics of river defense under varying conditions. Then, the spatial distribution characteristics of the defense system in different modes were quantified. Ultimately, historical aerial films and real 3D point cloud data are utilized to reproduce the original appearance of defence facilities at river defence nodes.
[Results] Research results are summarized as follows. 1) In terms of the composition of element systems, the military river defense space focuses on strengthening the construction of the border wall system, military settlement, and beacon transmission system within each subsystem of the Ming Great Wall defense system. These systems are combined through points and lines to form a tight defense network of “waterfront warning−border defense−information transmission−reinforcement and response−military command−logistics support” to jointly realize the construction of a military defense pattern in the river defense space. 2) In terms of spatial distribution and site selection, military defense facilities have formed three geographical spatial distribution patterns under the influence of river morphology and specific natural factors. Starting from Laoniuwan, the Yellow River in the research area runs from north to south through Louziying to Hequ, with its southernmost end reaching Shiti Pass. During this process, the Yellow River experiences changes in elevation from high to low and water velocity from fast to slow, forming a geographical spatial change pattern from a curved river valley to an accumulation of shoals. 3) In the development of node facilities, city defense facilities and border wall nodes are tailored to cater to the requirements of river defense. This includes expanding corner ramparts for frontal enemy protection and incorporating passes and water gates on border walls to manage water flow. Using data extracted from historical aerial photos and 3D Real Scene point cloud, the original historical original appearance of Hequying City (a river defense node) and its border walls is restored.
[Conclusion] Driven by the intricate river water environment and military defense demands, a layered military defense network has emerged within the spatial pattern of river defense, and a comprehensive defense layout has been established by fully leveraging the natural terrain. Research results underscore the intrinsic relationship between the Great Wall’s military defense system and the natural river elements, which can promote the value research and comprehensive preservation of the military river defense space in Ming Dynasty. This research is envisioned to interconnect the Yellow River and the Great Wall National Cultural Park networks through river systems, thus contributing to the establishment of a comprehensive national cultural park system and the creation of significant symbols of Chinese culture.

[Objective] As cities enter the stage of stock optimization from expansion, improving urban quality and fostering harmonious coexistence between humans and nature have emerged as pressing priorities. Garden City construction, proposed by the capital, aims to systematically strengthen ecological resilience, improve public space quality, and raise residents’ satisfaction, forming a high-quality model integrating people, urban environment, industry, and green infrastructure. The “triple greening” approach — scientific greening, landscape colorization, and spatial verticalization — provides the technical foundation, driving urban transformation from gray to green spaces, two-dimensional to three-dimensional spaces, and closed to open spaces. Additionally, Garden City initiatives emphasize cross-departmental governance and multi-stakeholder collaboration. However, challenges remain, including limited public space resources with low utilization, unclear spatial ownership with fragmented responsibilities, and weak management and maintenance due to insufficient expertise and funding, all affecting construction quality. Therefore, developing an action framework and construction pathways grounded in the triple greening concept is vital to ensure effective implementation of Garden City projects.

[Methods/process] This research employs a combined approach of policy review and empirical synthesis to systematically analyze national and Beijing municipal policies and practical experiences related to Garden City construction. Focusing on the core questions of “where to construct”, “who constructs” and “how to construct” garden spaces, the research develops an action framework based on the dimensions of space, actor, and function. The spatial dimension challenges the conventional perception of green space as limited to parks, expanding it to include parklands, gray infrastructure, and vertical building spaces as potential sites for garden development. The actor dimension clarifies the roles and collaborative relationships among government bodies, enterprises, communities, and the public across the full lifecycle of planning, construction, and maintenance, emphasizing multi-stakeholder participation. The functional dimension highlights the multifunctional roles of green spaces, including ecological regulation, aesthetic enhancement, public health promotion, and community governance, supported by corresponding technical strategies and institutional mechanisms. Based on this framework, and guided by the “triple greening” technical system, several pathways for Garden City construction are proposed from four dimensions: ecological foundation, city – garden integration, management models, and co-governance mechanisms.

[Results/conclusion] Four pathways for Garden City construction are proposed. 1) Establish a resilient ecological foundation. This pathway prioritizes optimizing ecosystem services and conserving biodiversity by integrating water bodies, green corridors, and urban forests into interconnected ecological networks. The use of native species, low-maintenance practices, and near-natural succession enables diverse urban spaces to support climate-resilient systems. 2) Promote city – garden integration and spatial openness. By enhancing greening quality, spatial verticalization, and colorized urban interfaces, this approach advances the ecological transformation of gray infrastructure. Mechanisms such as “de-fencing” and time-sharing access models enable shared green spaces and equitable access across communities. 3) Improve multi-level collaborative governance. A three-tier governance model, comprising municipal coordination, interdepartmental collaboration, and grassroots implementation, is established to ensure accountability across planning, construction, and maintenance. Digital tools and intelligent management systems are adopted to support full lifecycle governance of green infrastructure. 4) Innovate participatory co-construction mechanisms. A multi-actor engagement model is proposed involving government leadership, enterprise support, community co-building, and public participation. Through adoption programs, ecological education, and digital empowerment platforms, residents are encouraged to become active stewards in sustainable urban greening. The research demonstrates that advancing Garden City construction depends not merely on expanding green space quantitatively but on achieving a systematic transformation integrating shared understanding, coordinated spatial planning, and collaborative governance. Moving forward, Garden City development should be pursued as a comprehensive spatial quality enhancement strategy that extends beyond traditional green spaces to encompass streets, vertical interfaces, and gray infrastructure, embedding and functionally coupling green elements within the urban fabric. Moreover, the focus should shift from an exclusive emphasis on landscape aesthetics toward highlighting the multi-functional value of green spaces in enhancing ecological resilience, mitigating urban risks, and improving public welfare. Through sustained multi-actor collaboration and institutional innovation, Garden City can evolve from conceptual visions to high-quality, scalable realities. The proposed “space – actor – function” framework offers strong theoretical and practical guidance, demonstrating high local adaptability and replicability, and has the potential to significantly advance urban green transformation and contribute to ecological civilization under the new paradigm of sustainable urban development.

[Objective] Rapid urbanization has exacerbated traffic congestion, aggravated air and noise pollution, and limited public spaces, increasing the risk of suffering cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as hypertension and heart disease. Urban green spaces play a vital role in mitigating these risks by promoting mental restoration, reducing stress, encouraging outdoor exercise, improving air quality, and regulating temperature. The current research is identified with the following shortcomings despite the revealment of multiple positive health effects of urban green space. First, the research often focuses on single green exposure type, such as park accessibility or vegetation cover, overlooking the diverse pathways through which different green exposures influence cardiovascular health. Second, using streets or neighborhoods as research units can more comprehensively capture the group effect on health from people’s use of green space, and more specifically reveal the integrated effect of social interaction among residents, group behaviors and community public resources on health. Lastly, street-level analyses allow more precise environmental data integration, such as data on air pollution and temperature, which is often challenging in smaller individual-level units. Therefore, there is a need to conduct research on the influence of urban green exposure on CVDs mortality at the street level.
[Methods] This research uses the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze how different types of green exposure (vegetation cover, park accessibility, street green visibility, and park area per capita) influence cardiovascular disease mortality in 212 communities in Shanghai, China. The model incorporates three key mediating factors: Air pollution (measured by PM_2.5 concentration), extreme high temperature, and physical activity level. Through this approach, the research examines both the direct and indirect effects of vegetation coverage, park accessibility, street greenery, and per capita park area on CVDs mortality. The research draws on diverse data sources to ensure robust analysis: CVDs mortality data provided by the Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, PM_2.5 concentration data retrieved from MODIS satellite imaging, temperature data sourced from Google Earth Engine, and LBS (location based services) data serving as the basis for estimating physical activity levels. This comprehensive dataset allows for an in-depth exploration of the pathways through which green exposure influences cardiovascular health in an urban context.
[Results] The research finds that green exposure primarily influences CVDs mortality through physical activity levels, based on which a pathway of “green exposure − physical activity level − CVDs mortality” is established (pathway coefficient = －0.184, p < 0.05). Notably, direct associations between PM_2.5 levels, extreme heat days, heat waves, and CVDs mortality are not statistically significant. Specifically, visibility of street greenery and vegetation coverage were shown to reduce CVDs mortality by promoting higher levels of physical activity among residents. Residential green spaces, “pocket parks” and street trees — due to their extensive reach, longer boundaries, and greater accessibility — encourage walking, cycling, and other active travel modes. This frequent, natural exposure to green spaces significantly enhances cardiovascular health by increasing both the duration and frequency of interaction with greenery, even surpassing the health benefits of larger centralized parks. The results indicate that smaller green spaces within residential areas and street greenery in densely populated and resource-limited areas are particularly effective in supporting cardiovascular health. In contrast, streets with a higher per capita green space show lower levels of physical activity, a trend attributed to their location on the urban fringe area, where park accessibility, green space quality, and safety are generally lower. Additionally, building density, road density, and land-use mix emerge as direct predictors of CVDs mortality. Building density, in particular, can indirectly influence the influence of green exposure on CVDs mortality by modulating physical activity levels as a mediating factor.
[Conclusion] This research offers an in-depth analysis of the complex mechanisms by which various types of green exposure influence CVDs mortality, with a particular focus on the key mediating role of physical activity. Findings suggest that increasing street greenery, vegetation coverage, and per capita park area can significantly enhance residents’ physical activity levels, which in turn helps lower CVDs mortality. However, the research does not find significant mediating effects of air pollution or heat waves, and the potential of green spaces to improve air quality remains relevant. These findings contribute valuable insights to the theoretical understanding of how green exposure influences chronic non-communicable diseases and provide critical scientific support for urban planning and public health policies. In practice, urban planners should holistically consider the integration of diverse types of green spaces to maximize their benefits for cardiovascular health, thereby supporting the broader well-being of urban populations.

[Objective] The concept of Beijing Garden City is not only a continuous development of the concept of Forest City and Park City, but also an integral part of the construction of Beautiful China. As a mega-city that has entered the era of renewal development and fine governance, Beijing has taken the lead in exploring the path of garden city construction, and attempts to establish a spatial planning framework that fits its positioning as the capital of China, while exploring an innovative path of high-quality urban development driven by green space through the integration of natural landscapes, historical culture and modern urban functions, thereby promoting the integration and mutual promotion of green space and urban functions, and providing theoretical reference and practical guidance for solving the problems of ecological governance, cultural inheritance and spatial quality improvement of megacities.

[Methods] Based on the in-depth interpretation of the connotation and evolution of Garden City and the excellent practical experience of China and foreign countries, this research compares and analyzes the connotative differences among related concepts such as eco-city, Shan-shui city, landscape city, forest city, and park city, and refines the core connotation that garden city focuses on the urban characteristic core and takes the whole domain space as the object to enhance urban livability. Secondly, based on the five value dimensions of construction process, urban positioning, construction characteristics, natural conditions, and ecosystem, this research analyzes the relationship between Beijing’s urban characteristics and the connotation of garden city, clarifies the key directions for Beijing Garden City to respond to the needs of high-quality development, and puts forward development suggestions from the five dimensions of garden city construction resource carrier utilization, urban positioning response, fine spatial construction, climate adaptation methods, and ecosystem efficiency improvement. Furthermore, based on the perspectives of “greenery enhancement”, “greenery integration”, and “greenery governance”, this research proposes a high-quality transformation idea that planning needs to shift from quantitative expansion to quality improvement, from embedding greenery into the city to integrating greenery with the city, and from garden landscape construction to scene construction from the three dimensions of quantity and quality, space and function, and planning and implementation. Additionally, the research constructs a spatial planning framework for the transformation of “characteristic demands – spatial strategies”, forming the Beijing path for garden city construction.

[Results] Five transformation paths are formed to promote the transformation of Beijing from traditional mode to high-quality development. First, lead the pattern and style of Garden City with natural and cultural characteristics: Constructing the foundation and structure of garden city relying on natural landscapes, and building the characteristics of garden city by utilizing historical and cultural elements. Second, guide the spatial priorities of garden city based on the capital positioning: Strengthening the functions of the “four centers”, designating elite demonstration areas of garden city, showcasing the national capital image, and shaping the ceremonial spaces of garden city. Third, create colorful urban landscapes based on Beijing’s seasonal characteristics: Exploring four-season garden city landscapes integrated with urban colors, and probing into the aesthetic values of landscapes under the interaction between seasonal changes and humanistic characteristics. Fourth, deepen the construction methods of garden city based on human-perceived needs: Constructing visual corridors to enhance the observability of garden landscapes; improving greenways to enhance the accessibility of garden spaces; activating boundaries to strengthen the integration of garden elements; revitalizing micro-spaces to achieve the accessibility of garden areas; and shaping scenarios to enhance the permeability of garden concepts. Fifth, improve the ecological efficiency of garden city with the concept of safety and resilience: Emphasizing environmental health efficiency and strengthening climate regulation; focusing on the integration of refined and wild landscapes to enhance biodiversity; and attaching importance to the dual-purpose design for normal and emergency use to improve safety and resilience.

[Conclusion] The construction of Garden City represents a critical pathway for Beijing’s pursuit of high-quality development. Against the backdrop of intertwined historical and cultural heritage and the diverse development needs of a modern metropolis, the concept of garden city has injected new vitality into Beijing’s growth. This research provides practical experience for garden city concepts and related ideas, offering a construction path for promoting high-quality development in super-large high-density cities through the creation of high-quality “gardens” under the context of stock transformation, while presenting new approaches for advancing urban high-quality development through green spaces. The construction methods proposed, including the establishment of visual corridors, improvement of greenways, activation of boundaries, revitalization of micro-spaces, and shaping of scenarios, offer feasible strategies for constructing green spaces based on human-perceived needs. These efforts aim to provide conceptual and methodological guidance for the planning and construction of garden city in China, and inspire other cities to deeply explore their characteristic resources and achieve high-quality urban development through the scientific planning and efficient utilization of green spaces.

[Objective] With the rapid advancement of urbanization and the rising expectations of citizens for high-quality living environments, the Beijing Municipal People’s Government officially promulgated the Special Plan for Beijing Garden City (2023−2035) in May 2024, in response to these emerging needs. This comprehensive urban planning initiative outlines the strategic objective of achieving “overall colorization” centered around the development and enhancement of urban parks. The policy emphasizes the central role of flowers in landscape construction, ecological restoration, and promoting livable, beautiful, and culturally vibrant urban habitats. Beyond their ecological and visual value, flowers also serve as cultural symbols and contribute to residents’ emotional well-being. However, the effectiveness of floral landscape construction depends heavily on public perception, which influences the usage of these green spaces. This research investigates public perceptions of floral landscapes in urban parks across the central urban area of Beijing, with a view to identifying key themes, species, and perception patterns across different park types, thereby offering practical insights for improving landscape planning and supporting the broader goals of garden city development.

[Method] Taking 78 urban parks in the central urban area of Beijing as the research objects, this research uses Python to collect annual reviews for each park from dianping.com in 2023, yielding 13,657 valid entries, and a combination of content analysis (CA), latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic modeling and importance − performance analysis (IPA) is employed to examine and evaluate public perceptions of floral landscapes in urban parks across Beijing. The specific process involves the following steps: Constructing a customized lexicon and segmenting the review data; establishing a flower plant perception corpus and performing CA and word frequency analysis to assess the overall perception of flower plants; applying the LDA model to extract thematic clusters and corresponding keywords, and summarizing the perception themes in alignment with the Garden City planning framework; evaluating the importance and satisfaction levels of the identified perception themes using the IPA method; and finally, categorizing and discussing the findings to propose strategies for enhancing public perception of floral landscapes.

[Result] A list of the top 15 flower plant species based on public perception is compiled, and four flower perception themes are identified. Significant differences are found in public perceptions across different park types. 1) In terms of overall perception, there are considerable differences in the degree of public perception and spatial distribution among various types of parks. Time patterns are clearly defined, with perception levels peaking primarily between March and May and September and November. A wide variety of flower species are employed, with lotus (2,250 mentions), peach blossom (1,376 mentions), and cherry blossom (1,335 mentions) being the most prominently perceived by the public. Additionally, 17 parks host flower-related cultural activities. 2) In terms of perception themes, the multiple functions of flower experiences (63%) are most prominent, followed by the aesthetic use of flower species (19%), the livelihood benefits of floral resources (14%), and the cultural value of floral attractions (4%). Public perception is more focused on functional aspects, such as photography and outings, while cultural values receive less attention. Among the three park types, the aesthetic use of flower species (22%) ranks second in historical parks, but is low in comprehensive and community parks, showing a negative correlation with livelihood benefits. In comprehensive parks, the multiple functions of flower experiences (68%) are more prominent, whereas in community parks, the livelihood benefits of floral resources (39%) are most noticeable. 3) In terms of the perception importance − satisfaction performance, advantageous flowers vary by park type, and the perception performance of various flower plant species is generally good. Lotus and chrysanthemums in historical parks are highly satisfactory, sunflowers in comprehensive parks are recognized, while chinese rose and peach blossom in community parks need to be upgraded. Besides, some flowers are highly rated while failing to attract enough attention, and limited resources need to be optimized. The perception theme performance of different types of parks varies greatly. The perception theme performance of historical famous parks is generally high. For comprehensive parks, the “multiple functions of flower experiences” stand out (68%), but the perception satisfaction is relatively low and in urgent need of enhancement. The overall satisfaction of each perception theme in community parks is relatively low.

[Conclusion] This research clarifies the primary species, thematic dimensions, and public performance evaluations related to floral landscapes across different types of urban parks in Beijing. It demonstrates that floral landscape design must be tailored to park functions, public usage patterns, and seasonal cycles to enhance user satisfaction and fulfill the goals of the Beijing Garden City initiative. The proposed perception evaluation model, not only aids local government and planners in refining floral landscape strategies but also provides a scalable methodological framework for evaluating similar projects in other cities pursuing green and livable urban transformations. Moreover, by highlighting gaps in satisfaction and underutilized floral resources, this research offers targeted recommendations for improving biodiversity, cultural engagement, and ecological value in urban landscape planning.

[Objective] In recent years, global climate change has precipitated frequent extreme weather events, particularly flash floods and urban waterlogging triggered by torrential rainfall. These phenomena have inflicted substantial economic losses and casualties worldwide. Among natural disasters, flooding exerts the most extensive impact and accounts for the most significant losses. The Pajiang River flood storage and detention area is the only flood storage and detention area in the Pearl River Basin. Besides, the Pajiang River flood storage and detention area is highly susceptible to extreme rainfall events during the annual flood season. This susceptibility frequently leads to flood formation, making the area a recurrent disaster hotspot. The Pajiang River flood storage and detention area plays a vital role in ensuring the flood control safety of downstream cities in Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao Greater Bay Area, such as Guangzhou and Foshan. As a critical component of the flood risk mitigation framework, this area modulates flood peaks while retaining excess floodwater volumes. However, the activation of flood storage and detention areas often impacts the local ecological environment and disrupts associated economic activities. Therefore, it is essential to clarify the division mechanism of flood storage and detention areas and master scientific and accurate evaluation methods. This is key to balancing the flood control and disaster reduction responsibilities with ecological and economic development.

[Methods] Based on the ecological – economic perspective, this research takes the Pajiang River flood storage and detention area as an example, integrates the area’s sensitivity to flood disasters, ecosystem resilience and economic loss factors, and construct a three-level indicator system consisting of sensitivity, resilience and pressure. The analytic hierarchy process and entropy method are used to evaluate the spatial pattern characteristics of flood resilience in 2022, and the spatial autocorrelation model is applied to classify the priority areas of flood inundation in the Pajiang River flood storage and detention area, and then the landscape strategy of zoning management is proposed.

[Results] Research results are summarized as follows. 1) The comprehensive evaluation value of sensitivity – resilience – pressure (SRP) in the Paijiang River flood storage and detention area is mainly high and medium resilience, and the spatial distribution shows a clear pattern of “high in the east, and low in the west”. 2) The overall flood resilience exhibits significant spatial clustering, mainly distributed in high – high clustering zones. Most of the high – high clustering zones are concentrated in the southeastern hilly area, which are more susceptible to water retention and have extensive tree cover. A smaller portion of high – high clustering zones is found in the northeastern part of the research area, where the terrain is flat, landscape connectivity is high, and runoff retention capacity is significant. Scattered high – high clustering zones are located in the western part, where human development and construction activities are more intense. A smaller portion of high – high clustering zones is found in the northeastern part, where the terrain is flat, landscape connectivity is high, and runoff retention capacity is significant. Scattered high – high clustering zones are located in the western part, where human development and construction activities are more intense. 3) Based on the Moran’s I results for comprehensive flood resilience, the research area is divided into three types of management zones: Grade Ⅰ submerged zones require forest structure modification to enhance the resilience of forest ecosystems; Grade Ⅱ submerged zones need the establishment of wetland ecosystems; Grade Ⅲ submerged zones should focus on the development of agricultural and fishery industries, and the balance of flood control responsibilities with economic benefits. According to the local ecological status and socio-economic conditions, the priority zones of inundation are delineated, and landscape improvement strategies are put forward from three aspects: forest stand transformation, wetland ecosystem restoration, and development of agricultural and fishery industries.

[Conclusion] Research conclusions are as follows. 1) The developed indicator system is applicable not only to the Pajiang River flood storage and detention area, but also to analogous flood storage areas confronting similar challenges in flood control, ecological vulnerability, and development constraints. This provides methodological references for spatial optimization and flood risk management. 2) Spatial variations in flood resilience within the Pajiang River flood storage and detention area exhibit strong correlations with topographic conditions, vegetation coverage, and land use intensity. These findings substantiate the significant influence of terrain and vegetation structure on flood resilience, providing empirical support for nature-based flood mitigation strategies. 3) The proposed zoning management and structural landscape optimization strategies enhance ecological resilience while reducing economic losses. This delineates practical pathways for precision planning and adaptive management in flood storage and detention areas.

[Objective] China’s urbanization has entered a new phase of connotative development. The concept of “People’s City” is driving the transformation of urban recreational green space (URGS) planning towards “human-oriented demands”. In the post-pandemic era, residents’ leisure behaviors have shown characteristics such as proximity, healthiness, and diversity. AI technology has further given rise to differentiated recreational demands. The current URGS layout is confronted with shortcomings such as emphasizing indicators over demand response in planning, insufficient functional integration, structural imbalance in services, and low system integration. This research, through systematic review and theoretical prospect, innovatively constructs a “theoretical framework for URGS planning that responds to human-oriented demands”, breaking through the limitations of traditional static adaptation, promoting the dynamic coupling of URGS with people’s lifestyle, and supporting the modern governance goals of precision, refinement, depth, intelligence, and excellence. This research may provide theoretical support for resolving the structural mismatch contradiction between URGS layout and diversified demands.

[Methods] The China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Web of Science Core Collection are taken as data sources, journal article is determined as literature type, and the retrieval time is set from January 1st 2000 to December 31th 2024 based on the characteristics of the publication period. The advanced search formula for the subject terms of Chinese AND English literature is TS=(“recreation*” OR “leisure” OR “tour*” OR “entertain*”) AND (“green space*” OR “park*”) AND (“layout” OR “planning” OR “design*”). After eliminating the items irrelevant to the research topic, 687 Chinese and 345 English literature articles are ultimately selected as the research object. CiteSpace 6.2.R6 is utilized to conduct visual analysis of the selected articles, supplemented by traditional literature review methods and inductive comparative analysis. This approach systematically examines the evolutionary stages, research hotspots, and trend characteristics of URGS layout research, aiming to advance a forward-looking layout framework.

[Results] 1) Evolutionary stages: Research on URGS layout in China has progressed from planning control to spatial governance. From 2000 to 2009, it was the period of rough demand identification – initial exploration, with more attention paid to the configuration of recreational functions and scale estimation around the supply side. From 2010 to 2016, it was the period of coarse demand response – fluctuating growth, promoting the transformation of China’s URGS layout towards “social equity – demand response”. From 2017 to 2024, it was the period of refined and rapid development in demand, catering to diverse recreational demands. 2) Research hotspots: Common dimensions encompass human-oriented planning and governance, demand-differentiated green space provision, and recreational experience – health co-benefits. However, Chinese literature research prioritizes macro-level planning and supply-side refinement, while English literature emphasizes meso & micro-scale empirical studies and demand-side drivers. 3) Development trends: While both Chinese and English research converge on green space layout based on socio-spatial and spatiotemporal behavioral differentiation for demand identification, their divergences persist in primary research focus, depth of interdisciplinary integration, and intensity of policy-coupling. 4) Theoretical system: A “theoretical system framework for URGS layout that responds to human-oriented demands” has been constructed, covering a multi-dimensional hierarchical classification system based on the “time – space – demand” principle; based on the principle of “differential justice”, the traditional classification of green spaces has been broken and a “recreational circle” layout system adapting to urban functional spaces has been constructed; an evaluation-optimization system employing digital intelligence technologies for supply-demand matching has been constructed to advance optimally regulated connotative development.

[Conclusion] This research aims to address systemic issues — including extensive URGS system development, insufficient functional integration, low supply – demand matching efficiency, and inadequate open sharing mechanisms — by proposing holistic solutions with reference value for future urban recreational space planning, policy-making, and research. 1) Spatial planning dimension: Promote the statutory institutionalization and systematization of URGS-specific planning, clarify its position within the territorial spatial planning framework, strengthen horizontal coordination and vertical implementation, and guide high-quality development of diversified recreational green spaces. 2) Policy orientation dimension: Focus on diverse public needs to deepen the connotation of “human-oriented demands”. Establish a precision-tailored methodological framework for supply – demand matching, creating a synergistic governance model combining “top-down guidance” and “bottom-up participation” to operationalize differential justice in spatial allocation. 3) Academic research dimension: Construct a three-dimensional theoretical framework integrating recreational systems with resource distribution patterns, spatial ring characteristics and urban functional layouts. This research significantly enhances the precision and depth of population demand identification, considers behavioral traits and visitation preferences, and develops a demand-driven URGS layout adaptation model responsive to distinct urban functional spatial requirements. The accuracy and depth of crowd demand identification have been enhanced, taking into account behavioral characteristics and access preferences. Furthermore, an URGS layout adaptation mode driven by the demands of different urban functional spaces is proposed. This research responds to the people’s demand for a better life and is of great significance for promoting the transformation of URGS layout to a refined supply that responds to the differences in group demands, resolving the structural mismatch contradiction between URGS layout and diverse recreational demands, and ultimately achieving the dual goals of a sense of gain and happiness in green well-being.

[Objective] As urban construction evolves into an era of stock development, Shenzhen has seen an increase in the number of parks to more than 1,320. This growth marks a significant shift from an emphasis on hardware construction to a focus on soft services. However, challenges such as the mismatch between park service supply and the diverse demands of citizens, as well as insufficient management efficiency, have become increasingly evident. To address these issues, strategies such as “scenario-based service optimization” and “data-driven management collaboration” can be adopted. These approaches aim to break the cycle of “emphasizing construction over operation” in parks, thereby promoting high-quality operational services and effective management within Shenzhen’s parks.

[Methods] The research pathway is delineated as “demand analysis – service optimization – management collaboration”. This research utilizes data from the Big Data Survey Report on “Open and Shared Scenarios” of Urban Park Green Spaces in Shenzhen (2023), as well as on-site research data from various parks. A cluster analysis is conducted to identify high-frequency activity scenarios among citizens. By combining functional and spatial analyses of the parks under research, the research proposes a quantitative model to assess the gap in park service demand. This model critically analyzes the discrepancies between the existing layout of park facilities and the actual needs of visitors. To enhance park service efficiency and improve visitor experiences, several factors are taken into account when determining the scale of services. These include park location, functional characteristics, site size, visitor flow, and demographics. The analysis integrates existing supporting service facilities to create a “minimum service unit” calculation model. This model identifies strategically located stations within the parks that provide essential daily services and consumption experiences for citizens. By ensuring these stations cover all main activity areas, the research aims to guarantee that visitors can access necessary services within a reasonable walking distance. This approach facilitates precise configuration and dynamic allocation of service facilities, ultimately enhancing the overall service quality of the parks.

[Results] The core of this research is centered around the strategies for collaborative park service optimization and management. From a hardware perspective, service upgrades are achieved through a combination of layout optimization, scale adjustments, and elastic supply strategies for service facilities. On the software side, three primary strategies are proposed, focusing on the perspectives of construction management departments, users, and operational service institutions. These strategies include enhancing data governance levels, optimizing the management of activity scenarios, and innovating policy mechanisms. These strategies can help establish a closed-loop linkage among public demand, service supply, and management response.

[Conclusion] As parks serve as the core carriers of urban public space, it is essential for them to respond proactively to citizens’ needs. This can be achieved through the deep integration of service scenarios with intelligent management systems. By employing the strategies for collaborative improvement of service management, a bridge can be constructed among the public, the market, and the government. This approach not only improves the efficiency and quality of park services but also alleviates financial pressures on government bodies. Moreover, leveraging market-oriented innovations to improve service quality can provide both theoretical support and practical models for the sustainable development of parks in Shenzhen and other high-density cities. This transition encourages the upgrading of parks from merely “space supply” to a model of “value co-creation”. In this context, parks can evolve into dynamic spaces that not only fulfill recreational needs but also serve as integral components of urban life that promote social interaction, environmental sustainability, and community well-being. By aligning the interests of various stakeholders, including citizens, local businesses, and governmental agencies, we can foster a collaborative ecosystem that enhances the overall quality of urban life. To facilitate this transition, continuous feedback mechanisms must be established. Regular surveys and data collection can help park managers stay attuned to the changing needs and preferences of visitors, and this ongoing dialogue between the two will ensure that parks remain relevant and responsive to the community they serve. In conclusion, the development of parks in Shenzhen requires a multifaceted approach that embraces both technological advancements and community engagement. By prioritizing service optimization and effective management collaboration, we can create parks that not only meet current demands but also anticipate future needs. This proactive stance will help ensure that parks in Shenzhen thrive not only as green spaces but also as vibrant hubs of social and cultural activities, ultimately contributing to the city’s long-term sustainability and livability. Through these efforts, we can redefine the role of urban parks, transforming them into essential elements that contribute positively to the urban fabric, thus fostering a sense of community and enhancing the quality of life for all citizens.

[Objective] Influenced by natural environmental changes and human activities, habitat fragmentation has become a widespread phenomenon in protected areas. Constructing ecological corridors is an effective measure to mitigate habitat fragmentation. However, the current construction of ecological corridors faces challenges, such as not being able to adapt to future environmental changes, not being able to correspond to the multi-layered structure of ecosystems, and not being able to clarify the specific content of construction control. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the ecological corridor system of national parks that can adapt to future environmental changes, correspond to the multi-level attributes of ecosystems, and implement differentiated construction control.
[Methods] This research establishes a framework for the construction of a multi-level ecological corridor system. Taking Nanling National Park as an example, this research first sets the overall goal of improving the connectivity of habitats within Nanling National Park and the spatial continuity of ecosystem service functions between Nanling National Park and peripheral areas outside the park at a larger scale. Based on the overall objective, the proposed levels are determined to be the ecosystem level corresponding to the region where the national park is located (regional level) and the community level corresponding to the park (park level). At the regional level, ecological source areas are identified based on the importance of ecosystem service functions, and resistance surfaces are created using factors that hinder the flow of ecological materials. Ecological corridors are extracted based on the circuit theory model. At the park level, ecological source areas are identified based on species habitat suitability. The method of future scenario simulation is introduced in the identification of ecological source areas, and the future environmental data are obtained through two climate models (ssp126 and ssp585) and related plans. Based on the current environmental data and future environmental data, the MaxEnt model is used to identify the ecological source areas. Next, the research uses the GeoDetector for spatial stratified heterogeneity analysis to identify the ecological background characteristics that affect the generation of ecological source areas. The width of ecological corridors is determined based on these characteristics, and ecological corridors are integrated and organized. Then, ecological stepping-stones are used to connect the ecological corridors at different levels. Finally, based on the ecological background characteristics, the landscape heterogeneity between the ecological corridors and the ecological source areas is analyzed, and based on the principle of reducing the difference between the ecological corridors and the ecological source areas, zoning is implemented for construction management and control of ecological corridors, and the specific contents of construction management and control are formulated.
[Results] In the ecological corridor system of Nanling National Park, 392 ecological source areas and 990 ecological corridors are identified at the regional level; 85 ecological source areas and 154 ecological corridors are identified at the park level. The system connects the regional level and the park level through 52 ecological corridors and 13 ecological stepping stones. Based on landscape heterogeneity between ecological source areas and corridors within the park, the research area is divided into three types of construction management and control zones, for which 12 specific measures for differentiated construction management and control are adopted. The specifics of construction management and control correspond to the forestry unit, which defines the spatial scope of the implementation of ecological corridors. Ultimately, the natural succession area covers 633 units with an area of 116.35 km², accounting for 37.45% of the total ecological corridor area; the artificially promoted natural succession area involves 431 units with an area of 70.15 km², accounting for 22.58% of the total ecological corridor area; and the artificially repaired area covers 1,203 units with an area of 124.21 km², accounting for 39.98% of the total ecological corridor area. According to statistics, more than half of the ecological corridor area entails the introduction of manual intervention into construction management and control, indicating the importance of manual intervention for ecological corridors.
[Conclusion] This research proposes a framework for constructing a multi-level ecological corridor system for national parks, and establishes such a system for Nanling National Park. The research simulates the distribution of ecological source areas under different future scenarios, delineates construction management and control zones, and formulates specific implementation measures. Based on this, the research concludes that establishing a multi-level ecological corridor system can enhance the ecological connectivity between national parks and their surrounding areas, improve the adaptability of ecological corridors to future environmental changes, effectively support the construction and implementation of ecological corridors, fully leverage the ecological radiation role of national parks, and further strengthen the central role of national parks in the protected area system.

[Objective] With the rapid advancement of urbanization and the growing public demand for accessible, high-quality green spaces, urban parks have become critical components of urban ecological infrastructure, social equity, and cultural identity. However, financial sustainability remains a persistent and widespread challenge in park operations worldwide. While parks are expected to fulfill ecological, recreational, and social functions, they often face budgetary constraints, limited revenue channels, and growing public expectations. Against this backdrop, this research aims to conduct a systematic comparative analysis of urban parks in China and the United States, focusing on their revenue structures, expenditure patterns, and governance models. The objective is to identify key operational differences and propose practical optimization strategies that can support more diversified and resilient park management in China.

[Methods] This research adopts a mixed-methods approach that integrates quantitative financial analysis with institutional and policy comparison. A total of 23 representative urban parks are selected for analysis, including 19 parks from four major Chinese cities — Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu — and 4 U.S. cases: Bryant Park, the High Line, Central Park, and Miami Beach Park System, which encompasses 43 sub-parks. Data are derived from publicly available financial reports, budget documents, and official park websites from 2020 to 2023. Revenue streams are categorized into government appropriations, service income (e.g., ticketing), commercial revenue, private donations, and investment returns. Expenditures are classified into expenditures for sanitation and maintenance, cultural heritage protection, infrastructure upgrades, and programmatic activities. To ensure comparability across varying park sizes and administrative models, financial indicators are normalized using per-square-meter values and proportional allocations. The governance structures are also examined to distinguish between public-sector-dominant models and hybrid public − nonprofit partnerships. Based on the above, a comprehensive dataset is formed, which allows for multi-dimensional comparisons and the identification of systemic differences between Chinese and American park operations.

[Results] The findings reveal three significant differences between the two countries in terms of operational structure and financial resilience of parks. 1) Chinese urban parks are predominantly reliant on government appropriations, which account for 60% − 90% of total revenue. Since these parks generate limited service income through ticketing and venue rental, their commercial revenue remains minimal. In contrast, U.S. parks demonstrate highly diversified income streams. For example, over 75% of Bryant Park’s revenue comes from commercial activities such as seasonal markets, concessions, and events, while Central Park and the High Line derive up to 90% of their revenue from private donations and long-term investment returns, showcasing a more market-oriented and autonomous financial model. 2) Expenditure priorities: In China, park spending is mainly directed toward basic urban services, especially sanitation and infrastructure maintenance, with limited budget allocated to cultural programming, community engagement, or visitor services. Conversely, U.S. parks allocate significant portions of their budgets to experiential services and cultural programming. The High Line, for instance, invests more than 30% of its annual expenditure in arts, education, and visitor engagement, reinforcing its role as a multifunctional public space. 3) All the 19 Chinese parks operate as publicly administered Category II nonprofit institutions, with limited managerial autonomy and constrained capacity for external fundraising. In contrast, several leading U.S. parks are managed through collaborative governance models involving nonprofit organizations such as the Central Park Conservancy and Friends of the High Line. These organizations play a pivotal role in fundraising, volunteer coordination, and program development. The Miami Beach Park System represents a more traditional, tax-funded model, with limited civic or private-sector engagement, relying primarily on local government revenue and property taxes.

[Conclusion] While Chinese urban parks benefit from stable fiscal support and strong public-service orientation, they face challenges related to limited revenue diversity, insufficient market integration, and low financial resilience. In response, this research proposes four optimization pathways: 1) Establish a compensation system for ecological resource occupation, whereby offset funds are directed into dedicated park funds to support ecological restoration, facility maintenance, and public service enhancement; 2) introduce concession-based financing models, in line with the Administrative Measures for Franchise in Infrastructure and Public Utilities, to enable private sector participation in non-core park operations while safeguarding public interests; 3) promote a differentiated governance approach based on park typology; historical and ecologically sensitive parks should remain government-led, while comprehensive urban parks can explore hybrid governance models that combine public oversight with private sector expertise; 4) encourage the establishment of reinvestment mechanisms, and leverage tools such as green bonds or social impact investments to channel surplus funds into long-term development and systemic risk mitigation. By drawing from international best practices and aligning with China’s evolving urban green governance agenda, these strategies can help transition Chinese urban parks from subsidy-dependent units toward diversified, resilient, and sustainable public space systems.

[Objective] With the advancement of information technology and regional integration, urban networks are more vulnerable to various disaster disturbances, posing serious challenges to population mobility, information transmission, industrial collaboration and innovative cooperation. Urban network resilience is an important issue in regional resilience research. The term reflects the ability of urban network systems to develop, strengthen, resist, and recover quickly from disaster disturbances, through the collaboration of urban networks. The current research on urban network resilience primarily focuses on network structure and network function, seldom considering systematic review of evaluation methods for urban network resilience. Therefore, this research comprehensively summarizes the evaluation methods for urban network resilience from the perspective of network elements.

[Methods] Based on the bibliometric method, this research analyzes the previous research on urban network resilience, revealing the research hotspots and evolution trends in this field. By following the workflow of network types – network characteristics – evaluation methods, the research constructs an evaluation framework of urban network resilience based on network elements.

[Results] More and more scholars pay attention to the evaluation methods for urban network resilience. Firstly, the characteristics of multiple urban networks and their disaster application scenarios are quite different. The transportation network focuses on the mobility of population flow and accessibility of infrastructure. The information network considers the promptness and diversity of disaster risk information transmission. The economic network focuses on the self-sufficiency and scale of capital supply. The innovation network emphasizes the asymmetry and mediation of knowledge cooperation. Natural disasters, public health events and accidents often restrict population mobility. In this research, the transportation network is selected for resilience evaluation. Economic and innovation networks are selected to reflect the stability of industrial cooperation and technological exchange in the face of long-term disasters, such as the economic crisis, the COVID-19 epidemic, and socio-economic pressures. The information network is selected for exploring the risk perception of urban residents to various disaster disturbances. Secondly, the evaluation methods for urban network resilience based on four network elements have different advantages. The evaluation method for urban network resilience based on network node can identify the key nodes with positive influence or negative disaster transmission ability in urban networks. The evaluation method for urban network resilience based on network connection can assess the connection strength and dependency relationships between different nodes. The evaluation method for urban network resilience based on network structure can explore the urban networks with different morphological characteristics and topological structures. The evaluation method for urban network resilience based on network function can realize the function assessment by simulating multiple disaster disturbance scenarios. Thirdly, this research proposes an evaluation framework for urban network resilience based on network elements, aiming to achieve a breakthrough in network resilience evaluation from “single network evaluation” to “multiple network evaluation”. This evaluation framework involves three stages. In the first stage, when selecting the type of urban network, the intensity of disaster disturbances on urban network is considered. The urban networks include transportation networks, information networks, economic networks and innovation networks. In the second stage, the influence path of disaster disturbances on urban network characteristics is considered, and appropriate urban network characteristics are selected. In the third stage, the evaluation methods focus on four network elements, including network node, network connection, network structure and network function. When choosing the evaluation methods for urban network resilience, the types, attributes and characteristics of urban networks are considered. However, the research on urban network resilience faces limitations. 1) Little attention has been paid to the disaster propagation ability of network nodes, and the diffusion mechanism of disaster disturbances needs to be further analyzed. 2) The complex effects of connection type, connection direction and topological feature on spatial effects need to be explored. 3) Social network analysis is the main evaluation method for network structure. A scientific and unified evaluation framework has not yet formed. 4) The simulation results of network function cannot sufficiently represent the disaster disturbances in the real world.

[Conclusion] There exists a large amount of research on urban network resilience to resist single disaster disturbance. The research fields include urban planning, geography, disaster science, etc.. Some research directions need to be deepened. 1) Evaluation method based on network node. Network propagation model, agent-based model and other model methods need to be emphasized in future research, in order to simulate the dynamic diffusion process of information, virus, and population. The important nodes in urban network that have both resource control function and disaster adaptation ability should be identified. 2) Evaluation method based on network connection. The evaluation method of spatial effect of network connection should be improved by combining the centrality, agglomeration, transmission and other topological indicators. 3) Evaluation method based on network structure. It is necessary to integrate macro-scale and micro-scale evaluation methods, so as to effectively compare the evaluation results at different scales. 4) Evaluation method based on network function. Deep learning methods such as recurrent neural network model and long short-term memory network model should be adopted. It is necessary to establish a network function simulation model under multi-disaster scenarios to improve the accuracy of research results.

[Objective] As an important part of the rural human settlement environment, public space is a place for the daily social activities of the elderly left behind in the countryside, and it also provides emotional support for these elderly people. In the process of long-term human − land interaction, the less mobile left-behind elderly have formed a stronger attachment to these spaces and environments. However, under the influence of rapid urbanization and tourism, the countryside has experienced rapid transformation and restructuring, facing the double crisis of the demise of the physical environment and the weakening of cultural connotations. Besides, the problems of homogenization and modeling of rural public space are prominent, making the left-behind elderly unable to retrieve their original sense of belonging and identity, and the relationship between people and place is very tense and acute. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the relationship between rural public space and place attachment and its influence mechanism to cope with aging scientifically and enhance the happiness of the left-behind elderly.

[Methods] Taking four villages in Beijing as the research object, this research evaluates the characteristics of rural public space based on deep learning, MATLAB software, social network analysis, questionnaire survey, etc., carries out spatial visualization analysis of the place attachment of the left-behind elderly in the villages through the public participation geographic information system (PPGIS), and finally explores the influence mechanism of the characteristics of rural public space on the place attachment of the left-behind elderly through the construction of a multiple linear regression analysis model.

[Results] The results indicate that the top three sites with the highest average place attachment scores in Nanjiao Village are the Goddess Temple Square (4.32), the Village Committee Square (4.18), and the Xuandi Temple (3.83). In Heilongguan Village, the highest scores are recorded for the Dayue Platform (4.19), the Open Space in Front of Houses (3.98), and the Dragon God Temple Square (3.87). In Shuiyu Village, the top sites include the Goddess Temple Square (4.23), the Ancient Sophora Tree (4.12), the Grand Stage (3.78), and the East Street Gate Tower (3.78). Finally, in Liulinshui Village, the highest scores are associated with the Area Around the Vegetable Plots (4.13), the Big Millstone Alley (3.93), and the Opera Stage (3.91). In terms of the spatial distribution characteristics of the strength of local attachment, the local attachment of the left-behind elderly shows the “multi-center” distribution characteristics of strong intermittency and high local concentration, and the high value areas of local attachment are mainly concentrated in the spiritual and cultural spaces with rich connotation and daily life spaces that are convenient and easy to reach. Regarding the influence mechanism of rural public space characteristics on the place attachment of the left-behind elderly, on the whole, the cultural and spatial characteristics of rural public space constitute the core dimensions of place dependence and place identity, followed by the influence of artificial characteristics, while the influence of natural characteristics on the place attachment of the left-behind elderly is relatively limited, and only the greening coverage positively contributes to the place dependence by enhancing the ecological comfort of public space, but has no direct influence on the place identity. In terms of specific characteristic indicators, a total of 10 public space characteristic factors significantly affect the place dependence of the left-behind elderly, among which accessibility, activity participation, vegetation coverage and building density are the key factors positively affecting the place dependence of the left-behind elderly, while the negative interference index and the degree of spatial enclosure are the key factors negatively affecting the place dependence of the left-behind elderly. There are eight influencing factors of place identity, among which the degree of neighborhood affinity, the degree of preservation of historical relics, the degree of participation in activities and building density have a greater positive influence on place identity, and the degree of colorfulness has a significant negative influence on place identity.

[Conclusion] Based on the influence mechanism of rural public space characteristics on place attachment, this research proposes four optimization strategies for rural public spaces. 1) Construct an elderly-friendly spatial network to promote neighborhood social interaction. Specifically, we should create a barrier-free rural public space network integrated with “memory anchor points” to encourage left-behind elderly residents to spontaneously organize traditional festival activities and demonstrations of traditional skills. This approach transforms public spaces into dual carriers of neighborhood collaboration and cultural activities, enhances the participation of the left-behind elderly in activities, and thereby strengthens their sense of place dependence. 2) Safeguard carriers of local memory to reinforce historical identity and emotional connection. Specifically, we should restore and revitalize traditional spiritual and cultural spaces by converting historical memories into perceptible cultural narratives through methods such as displaying old photographs, exhibiting agricultural tools, and screening videos, and at the same time establish rural color management guidelines to preserve the authenticity of the rural human settlement environment. 3) Rationalize control of building density to reduce interference from modern elements. Specifically, we should optimize the architectural layout around public spaces to form a hierarchical transition between “architecture − space − nature”, and appropriately regulate the placement and quantity of modern facilities such as billboards and signages to ensure their style harmonizes with the surrounding environment, thereby minimizing the impact of modern elements on the daily lives and production activities of left-behind elderly residents. 4) Enhance ecological comfort to strengthen the foundation for human − landscape interaction. Specifically, we should focus on increasing green coverage rates to improve the microclimate environment in rural areas and enhance the ecological comfort of public spaces. In addition, we should create diversified elderly-friendly scenarios incorporating natural elements such as water systems and vegetable gardens to foster continuous interaction between left-behind elderly residents and the natural environment. The results of the research can provide scientific guidelines and case studies for building an age-friendly rural human settlement environment.

[Objective] Urban ecosystem services play an irreplaceable role in maintaining life support and environmental dynamic balance. Urban green spaces, as an important component of urban ecosystems, are the only element that directly increases carbon sinks and indirectly reduces carbon emissions in cities. While beautifying the environment, they play an extremely important role in ecological benefits and carbon sequestration. Quantifying the carbon sequestration capacity of urban green spaces is of great significance for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals and addressing climate change.
[Methods] Based on Carnegie-Ames-Stanford approach (CASA) model, Landsat 8 TM remote sensing data and meteorological data from 2014, 2017, and 2020 are used to estimate the net primary productivity (NPP) and carbon sequestration capacity of parks in the central urban area of Beijing, and explore the spatial and temporal distribution pattern and change characteristics of carbon sequestration capacity of parks in the central urban area of Beijing. Pearson correlation analysis is used to study the driving relationship between the carbon sequestration capacity of park green space, vegetation index, climate environment and landscape pattern. Additionally, the biomass allometry equation method is used to measure the actual carbon sequestration of 33 typical plant communities in Beijing, in order to verify the accuracy of remote sensing model estimation.
[Results] The results show that the area of park green space in the central urban area of Beijing increased year by year from 2014 to 2020, with a 10.89% increase in the area of park green space in 2020 compared to 2014. Varying significantly in spatial distribution, park green spaces in the central urban area of Beijing are mostly distributed in Haidian District and Chaoyang District. Due to regional limitations, the area of park green spaces in core areas such as Dongcheng District and Xicheng District is relatively small. The total carbon sequestration capacity of park green spaces in the central urban area of Beijing in 2014, 2017 and 2020 was 5.23×10⁴ tC, 7.09×10⁴ tC, and 7.45×10⁴ tC, respectively. Accordingly, the annual average carbon sequestration capacity per unit area was 2.46 tC/hm², 3.19 tC/hm², and 3.29 tC/hm², respectively, showing an increasing trend year by year. 82.15% of park green spaces have significantly improved their carbon sequestration capacity. There are significant differences in the spatial distribution of carbon sequestration capacity in park green spaces, showing a pattern of “high at the edge area and low in the center area overall”. Haidian District, Chaoyang District and Shijingshan District have higher carbon sequestration capacity. In 2014, park green spaces were mainly characterized by medium to high carbon sequestration capacity, while in 2017 and 2020, they shifted to medium to high carbon sequestration capacity and high carbon sequestration capacity, with large green patches playing an important role in achieving high carbon sequestration capacity. The carbon sequestration capacity of park green spaces is significantly positively correlated (p<0.01) with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), leaf area index (LAI), and rainfall, and significantly negatively correlated (p<0.05) with temperature, while having little correlation with wind speed. The carbon sequestration capacity of park green spaces is significantly positively correlated (p<0.01) with patch area (PA), largest patch index (LPI), percentage of like adjacency (PLADJ), patch cohesion index (COHESION), and aggregation index (AI), and significantly negatively correlated (p<0.01) with landscape shape index (LSI), mean perimeter-area ratio (MPAR), and mean patch fractal dimension (MPFD). To verify accuracy of the remote sensing model adopted, the measured and simulated values of carbon sequestration capacity were compared. Specifically, the relative error between the measured and simulated values is 5.64%, the mean square error is less than 0.1, and the fitting accuracy is 0.7314. The estimated result is good, basically meeting the accuracy requirements.
[Conclusion] The carbon sequestration capacity of urban park green spaces in Beijing significantly improved from 2014 to 2020. The higher the carbon sequestration capacity of green spaces, the higher their vegetation coverage and LAI, and the better their cooling effect. The higher PA, the higher AI, and the simpler the patch shape of park green space patches, the stronger the carbon sequestration capacity to a certain extent. This research may provide ideas for scientific assessment and improvement of the carbon sequestration capacity of urban green space, formulation of climate change response measures, and lay a foundation for assessment of the carbon balance of urban green space ecosystem. The research results can directly support the whole process of planning, construction and management of urban green space, and provide a scientific basis for the optimization and regulation of the layout of urban park green space.

[Objective] As one of the major open spaces, urban streets not only carry the transportation function, but also promote social interaction and economic growth, while displaying the aesthetic, cultural and historical characteristics of the city. However, many new or regenrated streets have gradually lost their identity due to the compromise of large-scale construction and short-term delivery. It is important to explore ways to protect and optimize the locality of streetscape since street constituents the most direct impression of a city, which not only forms the identity of a city together with architecture, historical and cultural heritage, geographical characteristics and social life, but also serves as an independent carrier of local expression. The identification and optimization of streetscape locality can help protect the uniqueness of landscape, enhance urban identity and construct urban image, especially for historical and cultural preservation areas in modern cities, and can also work as an important step to retain urban memory and enhance residents’ sense of belonging.
[Methods] This research first establishes a theoretic framework for streetscape locality through a discussion based on literature reviewed. The research proposes that streetscape locality should include the physical, social, historical and aesthetic aspects, with relevant indicators being identified for the four aspects respectively. These indicators are then compared with streetscape characteristics that can be measured by current image analysis technologies. On this basis, a framework for identification of streetscape locality is constructed. Taking Shanghai Hengfu Historic and Cultural Preservation Area (hereinafter referred to as the “Area”) as an example, the research adopts the semantic segmentation method and an AI-based evaluation model to analyze the locality of the Area, with the specific process being visualized using the Geographic Information System (GIS). The current spatial expression of streetscape locality characteristics in the Area is then discussed considering factors such as land use on both sides of a street, architectural styles, and traffic hierarchies.
[Results] Results suggest that in the aspect of physical locality, the indicators of enclosing degree, green visibility and sky visibility are consistent in spatial distribution. Specifically, the distribution of sky visibility is basically opposite to green visibility, while enclosing degree is similarly distributed with sky visibility. In general, the enclosing degree of the Area is rated moderate, while the green visibility and sky visibility of streetscape are rated at a medium to low level. Streetscape in the northern and western parts of the Area is relatively open compared with other parts and the highest green visibility is observed in streets around Xujiahui Park located in the southwestern part of the Area. In the social aspect, safety is rated good overall, but the human scale is rated moderate and the imageability level is low. Streetscape with appropriate human scale is safer than others, which may be due to the fact that both the two human scale and safety characteristics can positively influence the comfort of perception. Overall, safety and human scale characteristics are poor in the central part of the Area around Shanghai Conservatory of Music, the intersection betwwen Huaihai Middle Road and Fuxing Middle Road, as well as Yan’an Middle Road in the north and Chongqing South Road in the east of the Area. Besides, the streetscape imageability of the Area is only rated high where unique landmarks exist. In the historic aspect, legibility of the Area appears to be better in the southern part while rated poorest in the central part and western boundary of the Area, especially in Jiangsu Road and Nanchang Road close to the north side of the Fuxing Park. Among the characteristics in relation to aesthetic aspect, visual diversity, coherence and permeability show no direct or indirect correlation with each other in spatial distribution. The visual diversity and coherence of streetscape are rated good in the research area, but the permeability of streetscape is less satisfied. The visual diversity of streetscape at the intersection between Changshu Road and Huaihai Middle Road and along Jianguo West Road in the south is poor, and the permeability is also quite poor. In addition, the roads with low traffic hierarchy such as branches and alleys are generally rated better than those with high traffic hierarchy in terms of human scale, coherence and permeability.
[Conclusion] This research may provide a reference for subsequent protection, optimization and development of urban streetscape locality, and may also inspire more large-scale analysis of landscape concepts derived from sociology, anthropology and other disciplines in the future. Constrained by the accuracy of the algorithm model adopted and the availability of the streetscape image data collected, there may exist slight error in the analysis results. However, the research in general has succeeded in quantitatively measuring and mapping the locality of streetscape within the research area.