Spatial patterns of historical and cultural blocks based on multisource data and protection and development strategies within the context of urban renewal: a case study of Xi’an, China

Abstract

As global urbanisation accelerates, historical and cultural blocks, the treasures of cultural heritage, hold great significance for urban development. Previous studies mainly focused on spatial patterns of such blocks through space syntax, street accessibility, and local memory. A greater focus on quantitative spatial patterns and tailored preservation and development strategies is needed, especially in northwestern Chinese cities. This study focused on Xi’an, China’s ancient capital, using global Moran’s I, kernel density analysis, standard deviation ellipse and other methods to reveal the spatial distribution of historical and cultural blocks. The findings indicated a northeast- and southwest-trending clustered distribution with varying density, a central core, and multiple nodes. To maintain the integrity of Xi’an’s historical and cultural blocks, scholars recommended critical commercialisation assessment, cultural identity reinforcement, infrastructure enhancement, and harmonisation with the surrounding landscape. The results provide novel strategies for the sustainable development of Xi’an and serve as crucial references for protecting similar districts worldwide.

Keywords:

• Historical and cultural blocks
• multisource data
• protection and development
• urban renewal

Acknowledgements

I extend my gratitude to the anonymous reviewers for their generously detailed comments, which were instrumental in shaping the final version of this work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflicts of interest are reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data used in this study are publicly available. The statistical data used were mainly text data to determine the names of historical and cultural blocks in Xi’an, and the data were obtained from the Protection Plan of Xi’an Historical and Cultural Cities (2020-2035) (http://www.xa.gov.cn/).

Additional information

Funding

No funding was received for this study.

Notes on contributors

Jing Fan

Jing Fan is currently a PhD candidate at the School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Her research focuses on landscape design and heritage conservation.

Nor Zarifah Maliki

Nor Zarifah Maliki is a senior lecturer in the School of Housing, Building and Planning at Universiti Sains Malaysia. She holds a PhD in Landscape Architecture from Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.

Nor Arbina Zainal Abidin

Nor Arbina Zainal Abidin is a senior lecturer in the School of Housing, Building and Planning at Universiti Sains Malaysia. She holds a PhD in Landscape Architecture from Queensland University of Technology, Australia.