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Land
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Integrating Post-Industrial Landscape Design Approaches with Climate Adaptation and Social...
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Integrating Post-Industrial Landscape Design Approaches with Climate Adaptation and Social Equity

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land Planning and Landscape Architecture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2026 | Viewed by 6798

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Niall Kirkwood

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Guest Editor
Harvard Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Interests: technology in landscape architecture; brownfield remediation; design theory
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Luca Maria Francesco Fabris

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Architecture and Urban Studies, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
Interests: post-manufactuing site rehabilitation and regeneration; environmental design; technology of architecture; architectural design; sustainable design; landscape architecture
Dr. Quanchuan ‘Cara’ Fu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Urban and Rural Planning, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
Interests: brownfields post-mining China and redevelopment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues

The abandonment or underutilization of former industrial lands and their ongoing reconsideration for use as landscape sites for recovery and regeneration has resulted in a need for new modes of both applied research and design approaches. Added to this are two major directions recently identified in landscape architecture education and practice—specifically, climate adaptation and the need for social equity in the shaping of all types of landscapes internationally. This Special Issue of Land will gather a range of original essays, reviews, and commentaries on landscape case studies, interdisciplinary practices and tools, scientific and geographic data, and the advancement and integration of community organizations, with design professionals, that address a range of creative, interdisciplinary and resilient landscape design approaches. Of particular need at this time, in the landscape field, is an understanding of the integration of climate adaptation to heat islands, sea level rise, air quality, and social equity practices at a range of landscape scales from larger, resource-exhausted cities, ex-urban extraction industries, and manufacturing and waste lands, to the residues of smaller neighborhood scales with infill factories, recycling centers, printing works, waterfronts, and railway corridors. The editors are interested in receiving contributions on a wide range of countries, geographic areas, types of design approaches and lessons for advancing contemporary landscape design in step with these critical environmental and social changes.

The goal of this Special Issue is to collect papers (original research articles, case studies and review papers) to give insight about this emerging area of landscape architectural research and design practice, as well as to indicate promising future directions of this field or work. In addition, we are looking for studies discussing ways in which the landscape field can collaborate and integrate research and work with specialists in other, parallel fields of study including ecology, environmental engineering, community development, and climate studies.

This Special Issue will welcome manuscripts that link the following themes:

  • creativity in landscape design and regeneration of land;
  • aligning climate scientific data with spatial solutions;
  • environmental justice and landscape planning and design.

We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.

Prof. Dr. Niall Kirkwood
Prof. Dr. Luca Maria Francesco Fabris
Dr. Quanchuan ‘Cara’ Fu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • post-industrial landscape
  • social equity and public space
  • climate adaptation
  • interdisciplinary landscape planning and design
  • landscape remediation approaches
  • environmental justice

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

31 pages, 6227 KB  
Article
Between Heritage, Public Space and Gentrification: Rethinking Post-Industrial Urban Renewal in Shanghai’s Xuhui Waterfront
by Qian Du, Bowen Qiu, Wei Zhao and Tris Kee
Land 2026, 15(1), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15010059 - 29 Dec 2025
Viewed by 1853
Abstract
Post-industrial waterfronts have become key arenas of urban transformation, where heritage, public space and social equity intersect. This study examined the Xuhui Waterfront in Shanghai under the ‘One River, One Creek’ initiative, which converted former industrial land into a continuous riverfront corridor of [...] Read more.
Post-industrial waterfronts have become key arenas of urban transformation, where heritage, public space and social equity intersect. This study examined the Xuhui Waterfront in Shanghai under the ‘One River, One Creek’ initiative, which converted former industrial land into a continuous riverfront corridor of parks and cultural venues. The research aimed to evaluate whether this large-scale renewal enhanced social equity or produced new forms of exclusion. A tripartite analytical framework of distributive, procedural and recognitional justice was applied, combining spatial mapping, remote-sensing analysis of vegetation and heat exposure, housing price-to-income ratio assessment, and policy review from 2015 to 2024. The results showed that the continuity of the riverfront, increased greenery and adaptive reuse of industrial structures improved accessibility, environmental quality and cultural enjoyment. However, housing affordability became increasingly polarised, indicating emerging gentrification and generational inequality. This study concluded that this dual outcome reflected the fiscal dependency of state-led renewal on land-lease revenues and high-end development. It suggested that future waterfront projects could adopt financially sustainable yet inclusive models, such as incremental phasing, public–private partnerships and guided self-renewal, to better reconcile heritage conservation, public-space creation and social fairness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Post-Industrial Landscape Design Approaches with Climate Adaptation and Social Equity)
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26 pages, 30051 KB  
Article
Environmental Justice in the Green Transition of Rural Post-Industrial Waterfronts: A Villagers’ Perspective—A Case Study of the Waterfront Area in Jiangsu Province, China
by Meng Guo, Yujia Zhong, Li Tan, Xin Li, Jiayu Wang and Haitao Jin
Land 2025, 14(11), 2204; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14112204 - 6 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1229
Abstract
The construction of post-industrial landscapes is increasingly regarded as an important pathway for promoting urban sustainability. However, limited attention has been given to the interconnections between post-industrial landscapes and local villagers in rural contexts. From the perspective of environmental justice, the ecological and [...] Read more.
The construction of post-industrial landscapes is increasingly regarded as an important pathway for promoting urban sustainability. However, limited attention has been given to the interconnections between post-industrial landscapes and local villagers in rural contexts. From the perspective of environmental justice, the ecological and cultural-tourism goals of post-industrial landscapes may be mismatched with villagers’ place-based needs. This study examines a typical rural post-industrial waterfront area in China to analyze villagers’ environmental justice. Representative project photographs were collected, and villagers’ perceptions were obtained through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, yielding 98 valid responses (95% response rate). Quantitative measurements of landscape characteristics were combined with pairwise preference evaluations, and the analysis applied the framework of recognition, participatory, and distributive justice. A discrete choice model (DCM) and spatial analysis were then employed to explore the relationships. Quantitative analysis showed that natural vegetation, plazas, industrial heritage, and pedestrian paths had negative effects on villagers’ recognition (β = −0.36 to −0.18), whereas hardscape had a strong positive effect (β = 0.94). Moreover, spatial analysis indicated localized patterns of environmental injustice, highlighting uneven distribution of landscape benefits across the site. Semi-structured interviews revealed villagers’ priorities across landscape design, amenities, local livelihoods, and project implementation, highlighting the importance of safer, more functional, and well-managed spaces. Collectively, these findings underscore the importance of inclusive planning and design strategies that integrate ecological, cultural, and recreational considerations, thereby supporting the sustainable renewal of rural post-industrial waterfronts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Post-Industrial Landscape Design Approaches with Climate Adaptation and Social Equity)
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22 pages, 10065 KB  
Article
Spatial Vitality Assessment of Urban Post-Industrial Landscapes Using Multi-Source Data: A Case Study of Beijing Shougang Park
by Rongting Li, Xinyi Liu and Mengyixin Li
Land 2025, 14(9), 1859; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14091859 - 11 Sep 2025
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2390
Abstract
Transforming the global legacy of abandoned industrial landscapes into vibrant, sustainable urban assets presents a critical yet complex opportunity, requiring solutions that simultaneously honor heritage and meet evolving urban demands. As multifunctional public spaces, their vitality significantly affects spatial quality and user engagement. [...] Read more.
Transforming the global legacy of abandoned industrial landscapes into vibrant, sustainable urban assets presents a critical yet complex opportunity, requiring solutions that simultaneously honor heritage and meet evolving urban demands. As multifunctional public spaces, their vitality significantly affects spatial quality and user engagement. We investigate the spatial vitality of post-industrial landscapes through a multi-source data framework, using Beijing’s Shougang Park as a case study. Integrating spatial syntax, point-of-interest (POI) analysis, and Baidu Heat Map data, the research constructs a comprehensive evaluation model encompassing spatial accessibility, functional diversity, heritage openness, and crowd dynamics. The findings reveal a marked spatial imbalance in accessibility, with global integration values ranging from 0.09 to 0.29 and a low intelligibility coefficient of 0.09, underscoring a mismatch between spatial structures and modern functional demands. The study identifies dynamic openness of heritage spaces and integrated community functions as key drivers for revitalization. Optimization simulations demonstrate that restructuring road networks significantly enhances spatial integration, increasing the global integration range to 0.10–0.87. This research contributes a replicable, data-driven framework for assessing and guiding the renewal of legacy industrial sites, offering valuable insights for post-industrial urban regeneration and heritage-based development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Post-Industrial Landscape Design Approaches with Climate Adaptation and Social Equity)
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