Search Results (284)

Coupled grey and green infrastructure (CGGI) offers a promising pathway toward sustainable stormwater management in historic urban environments. This study compares CGGI and conventional grey infrastructure (GREI)-only strategies across four degrees of layout centralization (0%, 33.3%, 66.7%, and 100%) in the Quanzhou West Street Historic Reserve, China. Using a multi-objective optimization framework integrating SWMM simulations, life-cycle cost (LCC) modeling, and resilience metrics, we found that the decentralized CGGI layouts reduced the total LCC by up to 29.6% and required 60.7% less green infrastructure (GI) area than centralized schemes. Under nine extreme rainfall scenarios, the GREI-only systems showed slightly higher technical resilience (Tech-R: max 99.6%) than CGGI (Tech-R: max 99.1%). However, the CGGI systems outperformed GREI in operational resilience (Oper-R), reducing overflow volume by up to 22.6% under 50% network failure. These findings demonstrate that decentralized CGGI provides a more resilient and cost-effective drainage solution, well-suited for heritage districts with spatial and cultural constraints. Full article

During the transition of culture-featured district planning from static conservation to innovation-driven models, existing research remains constrained by mechanistic paradigms, reducing districts to functional containers and neglecting human perceptual interactions and meaning-production mechanisms. This study explores and quantifies the generative mechanisms of spatial communicability and cultural dissemination efficacy within human-centered frameworks. Grounded in humanistic urbanism, we analyze Harbin Central Street as a case study integrating historical heritage with contemporary vitality, developing a tripartite communicability assessment framework comprising perceptual experience, infrastructure utility, and behavioral dynamics. Machine learning-based threshold analysis reveals that spatial encoding elements govern communicability through significant nonlinear mechanisms. The conclusion shows synergies between street view-quantified greenery visibility and pedestrian accessibility establish critical human-centered design thresholds. Spatial data analysis integrating physiologically sensed emotional experiences and topologically analyzed spatial morphology resolves metric fragmentation while examining spatial encoding’s impact on interaction efficacy. This research provides data-driven decision support for sustainable urban renewal and enhanced cultural dissemination, advancing heritage sustainability. Full article

Existing research predominantly focuses on the preservation or renewal models of the physical forms of historic cultural districts, with limited exploration of their roles in stimulating tourists’ cognitive, affective resonance, and behavioral interactions. This study addresses historic cultural districts by evaluating the space quality and its impact on tourist experiences through the “cognition-affect-behavior” framework, integrating GIS, street view semantic segmentation, VR eye-tracking, and web crawling technologies. The findings reveal significant multidimensional differences in how space quality influences tourist experiences: the impact intensities of functional diversity, sky visibility, road network accessibility, green visibility, interface openness, and public facility convenience decrease sequentially, with path coefficients of 0.261, 0.206, 0.205, 0.204, 0.201, and 0.155, respectively. Additionally, space quality exerts an indirect effect on tourist experiences through the mediating roles of cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions, with a path coefficient of 0.143. This research provides theoretical support and practical insights for empowering cultural heritage space governance with digital technologies in the context of cultural and tourism integration. Full article

Nomadic heritage villages constitute significant material cultural heritage. Under China’s cultural revitalization and rural development strategies, these villages face spatial degradation driven by tourism and urbanization. Current research predominantly employs isolated analytical approaches—space syntax often overlooks social dynamics while social network analysis (SNA) overlooks physical interfaces—hindering the development of holistic solutions for socio-spatial resilience. This study proposes a multi-scale integrated assessment framework combining social network analysis (SNA) and space syntax to systematically evaluate public space structures in traditional nomadic villages of Xinjiang. The framework provides scientific evidence for optimizing public space design in these villages, facilitating harmonious coexistence between spatial functionality and cultural values. Focusing on three heritage villages—representing compact, linear, and dispersed morphologies—the research employs a hierarchical “village-street-node” analytical model to dissect spatial configurations and their socio-functional dynamics. Key findings include the following: Compact villages exhibit high central clustering but excessive concentration, necessitating strategies to enhance network resilience and peripheral connectivity. Linear villages demonstrate weak systemic linkages, requiring “segment-connection point supplementation” interventions to mitigate structural elongation. Dispersed villages maintain moderate network density but face challenges in visual integration and centrality, demanding targeted activation of key intersections to improve regional cohesion. By merging SNA’s social attributes with space syntax’s geometric precision, this framework bridges a methodological gap, offering comprehensive spatial optimization solutions. Practical recommendations include culturally embedded placemaking, adaptive reuse of transitional spaces, and thematic zoning to balance heritage conservation with tourism needs. Analyzing Xinjiang’s unique spatial–social interactions provides innovative insights for sustainable heritage village planning and replicable solutions for comparable global cases. Full article

This study assessed microbiological contamination in street-sold meat products, focusing on Enterobacterales and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) species and their antibiotic resistance. Chicken and mutton street foods like shawarma and brochettes were tested for bacterial load, species distribution. and resistance profiles. The results showed significant contamination, with Enterobacter cloacae (5.38 Log 10 CFU/g). Staphylococcus lentus and Staphylococcus xylosus were also common, reaching 6.23 Log 10 CFU/g in some samples. Contamination levels varied significantly by food type, with chicken shawarma showing the highest risk. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed high multidrug resistance, particularly among E. cloacae and Staphylococcus species. Biofilm formation an indicator of resistance was observed mainly in staphylococci and enhanced under fed-batch culture. These findings highlight public health concerns tied to poor hygiene and undercooking in street food environments. The study emphasizes the need for improved hygiene practices, standardized cooking methods, and systematic food safety monitoring to reduce contamination and antibiotic resistance risks. Full article

In June 2025, a two-year-old female brown bear (Ursus arctos) appeared in the streets of Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania. This sparked significant public, institutional, and media responses. This paper analyzes the event through ecological, social, and symbolic lenses to explore how large carnivores are perceived and managed at the wildland–urban interface. Through an examination of media reports, policy responses, and theoretical perspectives from environmental sociology and narrative studies, we explore how the bear’s presence became a public safety concern and a culturally significant symbol. Public discourse revealed tensions between institutional authority and local ethical values, as evidenced by hunters’ refusal to carry out a kill permit. This case also illustrates the growing use of technology, such as drones, in urban wildlife management. The bear’s peaceful departure reinforced the effectiveness of nonlethal conflict resolution. This case underscores the importance of integrating ecological realities with social perceptions, media framing, and symbolic interpretations in large carnivore conservation. It emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary approaches that address the emotional and cultural aspects of human–wildlife interactions in rapidly urbanizing areas. Full article

This article traces the historical evolution of mural painting as a medium of cultural expression from prehistoric cave art to contemporary street interventions. Adopting a diachronic and interdisciplinary approach, it investigates how muralism has developed across civilizations in relation to techniques, symbolic systems, social function, and its embeddedness in architectural and urban contexts. The analysis is structured around key historical periods using emblematic case studies to examine the interplay between materiality, iconography, and socio-political meaning. From sacred enclosures and civic monuments to post-industrial walls and digital projections, murals reflect shifting cultural paradigms and spatial dynamics. This study emphasizes how mural painting, once integrated into sacred and imperial architecture, has become a tool for public participation, protests, and urban storytelling. Particular attention is paid to the evolving relationship between wall painting and the spaces it inhabits, highlighting the transition from permanence to ephemerality and from monumentality to immediacy. This article contributes to mural studies by offering a comprehensive framework for understanding the technical and symbolic transformations of the medium while proposing new directions for research in the context of digital urbanism and cultural memory. Full article

This study examines how international mega-events have adapted to post-pandemic conditions, with a focus on sustainability, resilience, and the integration of public health. Employing a qualitative comparative case study design, the analysis spans events such as the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, Lollapalooza, and NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race. Drawing on numerous secondary sources, the study explores shifts in infrastructure planning, socio-cultural engagement, marketing strategies, and environmental practices. The findings reveal a pivot toward modular infrastructure, hybrid formats, and community-centered governance. The research contributes to event management theory by highlighting emergent adaptive strategies and offering a framework for more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable mega-event planning. Full article

The integration of shared autonomous vehicles into historic urban areas presents both opportunities and challenges. In heritage-rich environments like very old Asian (such as Suzhou old town, which serves as a use case example) or European (especially Mediterranean coastal cities) areas—characterized by narrow alleys, dense development, and sensitive cultural landscapes—shared autonomous vehicle adoption raises critical spatial and social questions. This study employs a qualitative, user-centered approach based on the ripple model to examine residents’ perceptions across four dimensions: residential patterns, parking land use, regional accessibility, and street-level infrastructure. Semi-structured interviews with 27 participants reveal five key findings: (1) public trust depends on transparent decision-making and safety guarantees; (2) shared autonomous vehicles may reshape generational residential clustering; (3) the short-term parking demand remains stable, but the long-term reuse of space is feasible; (4) shared autonomous vehicles could enhance accessibility in historic cores; (5) transport systems may evolve toward intelligent, human-centered designs. Based on these insights, the study proposes three strategies: (1) transparent risk assessment using explainable artificial intelligence and digital twins; (2) polycentric development to diversify land use; (3) hierarchical street retrofitting to balance mobility and preservation. While this study is limited by its qualitative scope and absence of simulation, it offers a framework for culturally sensitive, small-scale interventions supporting sustainable mobility transitions in historic urban contexts. Full article

Urban food markets are increasingly being recognized not only as centres of cultural identity and tourism but also as pivotal spaces for promoting urban sustainability. This study explores the role of urban markets in advancing sustainable cultural tourism, using Obor Market in Bucharest as a case study. As a historic marketplace and cultural landmark, Obor Market embodies Bucharest’s traditional commercial practices and community-oriented values. Through a mixed-methods approach, combining Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping and systematic surveys, we evaluate the location of markets, cultural authenticity, and visitor satisfaction. The quantitative findings reveal meaningful correlations between demographic factors (particularly nationality and age) and visitor perceptions, highlighting the market’s appeal through its authentic culinary offerings and immersive sensory experience. However, this study also identifies shortcomings in current promotional strategies employed by local stakeholders. The results suggest that urban food markets can serve as sustainable urban assets, fostering cross-cultural integration, supporting local economies, and encouraging environmentally conscious tourism behaviours. We argue for data-informed urban cultural policies that enhance the visibility, accessibility, and sustainability of such spaces, reinforcing their dual role as economic drivers and cultural touchstones. Full article

In the context of cultural tourism integration, tourists’ spatial perception intention is an important carrier of spatial evaluation. In historic cultural districts represented by Jinan Mingfu City, tourists’ perceptual depth remains underexplored, leading to a misalignment between cultural tourism development and spatial quality needs. Taking Jinan Mingfu City as a representative case of a historic cultural district, while the living heritage model has revitalized local economies, the absence of a tourist perspective has resulted in misalignment between cultural tourism development and spatial quality requirements. This study establishes a technical framework encompassing “data crawling-factor aggregation-human-machine collaborative optimization”. It integrates Python web crawlers, SnowNLP sentiment analysis, and TF-IDF text mining technologies to extract physical elements; constructs a three-dimensional evaluation framework of “visual perception-spatial comfort-cultural experience” through SPSS principal component analysis; and quantifies physical element indicators such as green vision rate and signboard clutter index through street view semantic segmentation (OneFormer framework). A synergistic mechanism of machine scoring and manual double-blind scoring is adopted for correlation analysis to determine the impact degree of indicators and optimization strategies. This study identified that indicators such as green vision rate, shading facility coverage, and street enclosure ratio significantly influence tourist evaluations, with a severe deficiency in cultural spaces. Accordingly, it proposes targeted strategies, including visual landscape optimization, facility layout adjustment, and cultural scenario implementation. By breaking away from traditional qualitative evaluation paradigms, this study provides data-based support for the spatial quality enhancement of historic districts, thereby enabling the transformation of these areas from experience-oriented protection to data-driven intelligent renewal and promoting the sustainable development of cultural tourism. Full article

The article analyzes the meanings embedded in street art in Florence that portrays women, likely created by female artists. Between 18 May and 27 May 2024, during the Communities and Artistic Participation in Hybrid Environment (CAPHE) project, we observed a significant number of feminist street art pieces in Florence’s historic center. Using qualitative content analysis based on Gillian Rose’s methodology (2016), we interpreted the collected visual materials through semiotic and socio-cultural lenses. The findings revealed the deliberately interventionist nature of the analyzed works, addressing themes such as gender inequality, human rights, violence against women, and cultural stereotypes. This street art serves as a social manifesto and a means of activating both the local community and tourists, aligning with global feminist discourse while addressing Florence’s local issues. We conclude that Florence’s street art provides a space for visual resistance, education, and the promotion of gender equality and women’s emancipation in the context of contemporary social challenges. Full article

Territorial tourism has brought new development opportunities for historic and cultural neighborhoods. However, an insufficient understanding of the spatial distribution and influencing mechanisms of neighborhood vitality continues to constrain effective revitalization strategies. This study takes the Shuitingmen Historical and Cultural Neighborhood in Quzhou, China, as a case study and develops a multi-dimensional vitality evaluation framework incorporating point-of-interest (POI) data, location-based service (LBS) heatmaps, street network data, historical resources, and environmental perception indicators. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is applied to assign indicator weights and calculate composite vitality scores across 19 streets. The results reveal that (1) comprehensive evaluation corrects the bias of single indicators and highlights the value of integrated assessment; (2) vitality is higher on rest days than on weekdays, with clear temporal patterns and two types of daily fluctuation trends—similar and differential; and (3) vitality levels are spatially uneven, with higher vitality in central and western areas and lower performance in the southeast, often related to low accessibility and functional monotony. This study confirms a strong positive correlation between street vitality and objective spatial factors, offering strategic insights for the micro-scale renewal and sustainable revitalization of historic neighborhoods. Full article

This study examines culture-led urban regeneration as a strategy for revitalizing Meezan Chowk, a historically significant yet deteriorating public space in Quetta, Pakistan. Once a central site of social and commercial exchange, the area suffered from infrastructural decline, overcrowding, and the erosion of its architectural identity. The research proposes a design intervention to restore the site’s heritage value while enhancing its functional and social relevance. A qualitative approach is adopted, incorporating surveys, focus group discussions, and site observations to assess user needs and spatial dynamics. A SWOT analysis serves as the analytical framework to identify the site’s internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats. By utilizing the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and OpenStreetMap data, further information can enhance understanding of the site’s urban morphology. The proposed design integrates vernacular elements, such as arched facades, shaded corridors, and communal courtyards, with contemporary features, including cafes, local artisan shops, and accessible public amenities. Full article

The Seven Masters of the Quanzhen 全真七子 sect served as central figures during the founding phase of Quanzhen Daoism and played key roles in the sect’s early development. Originally positioned as the “Northern Seven Perfected Ones” (Bei Qi Zhen 北七真), they were instrumental in propelling the prosperity and expansion of Quanzhen Daoism. Over time, their images subsequently proliferated across various media—including portrayals in stone inscription, painting, biography, and novel, undergoing transformations through inscriptions, paintings, biographies, and novels—transforming transmission channels from Daoist temples to stage performances and from street corners to modern screens. In the Jin and Yuan 金元 periods, Daoist biographies and inscriptions portrayed the Seven Masters as exemplary figures of Daoist practice. In folk novels and precious scrolls (Baojuan 宝卷) in the Ming 明 and Qing 清 dynasties, they were presented as legendary, divine immortals and distant ancestors available for narrative appropriation. In modern times—particularly due to the popularity of Jin Yong 金庸’s martial art novels—they completed their universalization as Daoist cultural resources blending chivalric ethos and entertainment value. Examining the evolution of the Seven Masters’ imagery, two fundamental implications emerge: First, this transformation was jointly shaped by the power structures, functional needs, and media forms of each era. Second, beneath the fluid representations from sacred patriarchs of the Jin–Yuan period to modern entertainment symbols, there is an enduring thread of Daoist transcendental consciousness. Full article