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Historic districts play an important role in urban planning and protection. While previous research on soundscapes has focused on acoustic comfort or preferences in these districts, the aspect of authenticity has been somewhat overlooked. Therefore, this study proposes a methodology for constructing soundscapes that enhance the authenticity of such districts. Using the grounded theory approach, we identified four key components for enhancing authenticity via soundscapes: the aim of soundscape design, physical and cultural characteristics of soundscapes, the effects of soundscapes, and the influence of spatial characteristics on soundscapes. A theoretical framework was developed to illustrate the enhancement of authenticity in historic districts via soundscapes. To verify the applicability and advancement of the proposed framework, it was compared with methodologies and steps obtained from previous soundscape research in historic districts. This study underscores the significance of soundscape design in creating authenticity in historic districts, thereby contributing to the development of soundscape design in historic districts and offering sustainable solutions for the protection and renewal of urban cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The constant development of internet technology in the digital age has changed the way people interact with space. To explore whether and what changes have occurred in the public's spatial perception of the street during the shift from the traditional to the digital age, this paper compares the public's spatial perception characteristics in the two contexts through a classical theory review and empirical coding analysis with the Xiaolouxiang historic district as an empirical case. The frameworks of public spatial perception characteristics are similar in both contexts, with a focus on the three dimensions of objects, buildings and spaces, and activities. However, compared with that in the traditional context, the public's spatial perception of the street in the digital context of Xiaolouxiang has undergone new changes in three aspects: from focusing on the three-dimensional experience of space to focusing on the two-dimensional visual aesthetics of space, from emphasizing spatial totality to focusing on spatial details, and from focusing on the use of space to emphasizing the cultural characteristics of space. Research emphasizes that, within the context of digitalization, spatial design should place greater emphasis on visual aesthetics, detail processing, and cultural expression to better meet the needs and expectations of the public. This work identifies new features of the public's perception of urban street space in the context of digitalization and accordingly provides suggestions for the future design of urban street space. The findings of this study not only enrich the foundational research content of spatial perception theory but also offer new perspectives for designers and planners in the practice of urban block renovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some water distribution pipe networks were constructed several decades ago and have been damaged. The old pipe network has experienced many leaks and should be rehabilitated. In old cities like Jakarta, with high leak rates (1.6 leaks/km/year), pipeline network managers must frequently repair leaks or perform reactive maintenance. Far too many pipes need to be rehabilitated compared to the available budget. This research will develop an optimization model for selecting rehabilitated pipes under reactive maintenance conditions, which has never been performed before. The selection of pipe segments to be rehabilitated must be optimal to obtain maximum benefits using minimum costs. The variables that influence rehabilitation costs and benefits and the relationship between these variables need to be known to optimize the selection. The influencing variables and their model structure were obtained from literature reviews and surveys of respondents with sufficient experience in water pipe network management. These influential variables have varying characteristics. Data processing and analysis uses the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) method with a formative–formative measurement model. In total, 22 variables were found to be valid and significantly influenced the cost and benefits of rehabilitation. The analysis results are a structural model of the relationship between variables that influence the costs and benefits of rehabilitation in reactive maintenance with a limited budget, which can be used to optimize rehabilitation models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To evaluate the accuracy of artificial intelligence (AI)-based technology in recognizing tessellated fundus in students aged 7–14 years. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to collect consecutive fundus photographs for visual function screening of students aged 7–14 years old in Haikou City from June 2018 to May 2019, and 1907 cases were included in the study. Among them, 949 cases were male and 958cases were female. The results were manually analyzed by two attending ophthalmologists to ensure the accuracy of the results. In case of discrepancies between the results analyzed by the two methods, the manual results were used as the standard. To assess the sensitivity and specificity of AI in recognizing tessellated fundus, a Kappa consistency test was performed comparing the results of manual recognition with those of AI recognition. Results: Among 1907 cases, 1782 cases, or 93.4%, were completely consistent with the recognition results of manual and AI; 125 cases, or 6.6%, were analyzed with differences. The diagnostic rates of manual and AI for tessellated fundus were 26.1% and 26.4%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and area of the ROC curve (AUC) of AI for recognizing tessellated fundus in students aged 7–14 years were 88.0%, 95.4% and 0.917, respectively. The results of test showed that that the manual and AI identification results were highly consistent (κ = 0.831, P = 0.000). Conclusion: AI analysis has high specificity and sensitivity for tessellated fundus identification in students aged 7–14 years, and it is feasible to apply artificial intelligence to visual function screening in students aged 7–14 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, Indian power distribution companies (PDCs) are implementing smart distribution networks. Older cities are becoming smarter as per the recent government’s policy. Existing overhead distribution lines are being replaced by underground cables as an essential criterion of a smart city. One of the main problems arising in this process is the overheating of the neutral grounding resistor (NGR) in 11 kV distribution systems, even in normal conditions. NGRs, placed inside the substations, are overloading the air conditioning and exhaust systems of the substation. Sometimes failure of the NGR occurs due to overheating. In this paper, a comprehensive investigation has been carried out to reach the roots of this problem. It is observed that long underground cables have a higher ground capacitance than overhead distribution lines. Due to the higher cable capacitance, the third harmonic current circulates through neutral, which overheats the NGR even in normal conditions. The situation becomes worse when the substation runs on diesel generators (DGs) in an isolated state under main grid failure, as a higher amount of third-harmonic current circulates depending on the type of winding and pitch factor of the DGs. Different solutions are proposed, and their advantages and disadvantages are analyzed. Finally, the rating of the NGR is modified, and louvers-cooling fan arrangement is preferred for the running substation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historic street layouts are integral to historic districts’ tangible cultural heritage and are intricately linked to the residents’ daily lives; however, existing studies have only examined their spatial aspects, primarily using quantitative methods. Conversely, studies on tangible cultural heritage’s impact on residents’ lives have principally employed qualitative methods. Therefore, this study bridges qualitative and quantitative approaches to propose a layout – daily life model, which explains the relationship between the layout of Xi’an, China’s Sanxue Street historic and cultural district, and its residents’ daily lives. A combination of space syntax and geographic information system-based land-use analyses revealed that eating, shopping, calligraphy, and transportation were the main activities of residents. Questionnaire responses from 335 participants validated the proposed model and confirmed its feasibility. When certain types of facilities are widely distributed in streets with high choice and integration, residents’ daily lives tend to involve the functions represented by them. Furthermore, calligraphy is an important part of most residents’ daily lives, regardless of the transportation mode used. This study contributes to the understanding of the effect of tangible cultural heritage, particularly street layouts, on residents’ daily lives in historic districts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the selection of three neighbourhoods in the municipality of Madrid with different characteristics: a middle-class neighbourhood, a central historic district undergoing change and a vulnerable neighbourhood, this study analyses the diversity and complexity of ties and attachments in the local space using qualitative methodology. The differential characteristics of each of these neighborhoods allow the various manifestations of the sense of belonging and the way in which residents develop meaningful connections with their local environment to be examined. Special attention is paid to the dynamics of social interaction, local support, neighbourhood solidarity, the practices through which individuals build their identity and find stability based on these ties and also to the way in which female leadership affects these processes. This analysis allows us to better understand how people, despite increasing individualisation and changes in traditional social structures, and in a context of permanent change and uncertainty, still value community ties of varying intensity that provide them with a certain sense of anchorage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public participation is a requirement for contemporary urban governance in China, especially in the protection planning of historic districts. In the rapid development stage, many historic districts have lost their functional positioning in cities and are gradually disappearing due to outdated facilities and services. Previous studies have pointed out that protecting historic and cultural districts requires the joint efforts of multiple stakeholders. Integrating multiple stakeholders' interests and needs is a complex problem in related research fields and planning practices. The traditional forms of public participation, such as questionnaire surveys, interviews, and symposiums, have the problem of high time costs for collection and analysis. At the same time, the information has been translated multiple times, making it challenging to avoid misunderstandings and errors. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an alternative platform for public participation in the renewal of China's historic districts. Taking Houzaimen Street in Jinan City as an example, this paper uses the Bayesian network to establish a spatial evaluation model of historic districts. Our aims are to translate natural semantics into the design semantics of the architectural field, accurately locate the spatial problems of the historic district, and provide targeted improvement measures. In this paper, a public feedback channel for Houzaimen Street is established to provide a reference for the renewal of the historic district and the advancement of public participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban historical heritage areas serve as vital repositories of urban culture and history, playing a crucial role in cultural inheritance and the promotion of urban development. The protection and development of these heritage areas are essential for preserving the cultural characteristics and architectural styles of cities. Despite the growing body of research, a comprehensive review of the dynamic evolution, research frontiers, and future trajectories in this field remains absent. To bridge this gap, this study draws on the Web of Science Core Collection database, selecting 828 papers published between 2000 and 2024 that focus on urban historical heritage conservation and development. By employing Python programming and network analysis tools, this study conducted a systematic analysis of research structures and trends over the past 25 years. The results indicate that countries such as China and Italy, along with their respective research institutions, are at the forefront of global research in this area. Furthermore, this study identified research hotspots, including historic districts, sustainable urban development, urban regeneration, risk assessment, 3D modeling, digital documentation, and cultural tourism. This research not only discusses the challenges faced in the field but also explores future development trends, providing new theoretical perspectives and practical guidance for subsequent studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming and urban heat island effects negatively impact the development of urban thermal environments, making them very uncomfortable to live in. Green space plays an essential role in controlling and improving air pollution, regulating the microclimate, and enforcing compliance with public health requirements. Therefore, this study explored the relationship between green space and thermal comfort in the historical neighborhood of Dazhalan in Beijing through questionnaires, observational interviews, and numerical simulations. The current situation of the microclimate environment in the green space of the block was observed first. Then, the microclimate environment was simulated by the ENVI-met 5.6 software. The thermal comfort of the three types of space, such as enclosed space, strip space, and corner space, was also evaluated to explore the coupling relationship between different green space elements and microclimate evaluation factors. It was found that the thermal comfort PET had a positive correlation with the sky openness SVF. The green space morphology was quantitatively measured, and it was found that the thermal comfort PET had a negative correlation with the three-dimensional green quantity of green space. The paper developed managing strategies for optimizing the layout and construction mode of the green space. The ultimate goal was to rationally match the greening planting, improve the pavement of the underlying surface of the block, and optimize the design of the internal space topography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Research in Developmental Social Work is the property of Beni Suef University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As organisms that live and interact in groups, humans are social beings and have social needs such as communication, socialization/interaction, participation in groups, and belonging to a community and place. However, as metropolitan cities have become more crowded, society has started to lose its ties with each other. This is the current state of neighborhoods, which are defined as the essence of the city. In today's society, where public life has collapsed, it has become necessary to create common grounds where people can come together for the 'reconstruction of the public person'. Open public events and rituals, which are seen as a community-building tool, give people reasons to come to a place and use it again; they enable them to meet on a common ground and purpose, and play a role in creating a community spirit. In this respect, the study aims to first analyze international guides for public events and then offer suggestions for the content of a conceptual event and organization guide for the Şişli/Kurtuluş district of Istanbul. The study examines events and organizations from a socio-spatial perspective and is important in terms of providing recommendations for the 'Kurtuluş' district, which has been selected as a sample area and is a district with both historical and cultural authenticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community residents are important stakeholders in preserving historic districts. This paper introduces the extended theory of planned behavior to explore the intentions of residents to participate in heritage preservation, and further explains the influencing factors. Seven historic districts in Tianjin are selected as case studies. The results show that the residents' intentions to preserve heritage are positively influenced by three subjective perception factors of heritage preservation attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, as well as two objective situational factors of environmental quality of historic district and policy guidance for heritage preservation. Furthermore, the objective situational factors indirectly influence heritage preservation intentions through the subjective perception factors. Based on these findings, this paper puts forward corresponding suggestions to enhance the heritage preservation intentions of community residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historic neighborhood of Smokey Hollow was the center of a vibrant Black community in Tallahassee, Florida. While it was the site of the city dump and gasification plant, it had its own bustling circulations and flows. In this paper, we examine how the State of Florida and the City of Tallahassee mobilized conceptions of race, value, and circulation to categorize Smokey Hollow as blighted. We draw on archival documents and oral histories to illustrate how governing authorities linked white mobility with value and Blackness to stagnancy and waste. They used these discourses to forward urban renewal efforts that erased Black place and its circulations to make way for transportation infrastructure that better connected white suburban spaces to the Tallahassee Capitol Center, and later, greens-pace. Examining five moments in the historic transformation of Smokey Hollow—from Black place to greenspace—shows how relations of race, value, and circulation inform the production of urban space. We argue that logics of circulation and stagnancy need to be brought into conversation with critical analysis of racial capitalism and valuation to better understand urban renewal and how the destruction of Black place is rationalized in the U.S. South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte is the property of Cuadernos de Psicologia del Deporte and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A highly vibrant living space is the cornerstone of sustainable urban development, profoundly influencing a city's spatial configuration. Community-level Small-Scale Commerce stands as a vital indicator, reflecting the overall vitality of urban spaces. This research centers on the dynamic living areas of the Macao Peninsula, specifically examining active centers during the period from 2014 to 2020. It focuses on four key districts: the Ruins of St. Paul, Inner Harbor, Lower Ring Region, and Horta e Costa Region, utilizing space syntax analysis to conduct a comprehensive quantitative investigation. Through a resident-centric lens, this study integrates existing traffic networks to unravel the structural intricacies governing urban transportation optimization. Simultaneously, it explores the spatial arrangements of internal streets within these districts and delves into the distribution patterns of commercial enterprises. The research also investigates the underlying principles dictating local-level network dynamics. The outcome is a wealth of insights, offering invaluable reference points and index parameters to enhance daily life spaces within Macao's historic districts. Furthermore, it seeks to invigorate street vitality. By comprehensively understanding the spatial dynamics and connectivity of these urban spaces, this study contributes to the discourse surrounding urban development. It addresses a significant gap in the literature by unraveling the intricate interplay between spatial parameters, Small-Scale Commerce, and urban vitality. These findings provide a fresh perspective on optimizing urban spaces and serve as a practical guide for urban planners and policymakers. As we look to the future, potential research avenues could explore the nuanced dynamics of historic districts in diverse cultural and geographical contexts. Analyzing the impact of digital technologies, sustainability considerations, and evolving urban lifestyles on these spaces would provide a comprehensive understanding of urban development in the twenty-first century. Ultimately, this study sets the stage for innovative thinking about urban living and underscores the pivotal role of Small-Scale Commerce in shaping vibrant, sustainable, and thriving urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the global urbanization process is further accelerating, the number of urban people is also steadily increasing. With the continuous growth of the urban population, the use of various functional facilities in the city is gradually becoming saturated, which seriously restricts the development of the city. Therefore, real-time perception and prediction of the operational status of various functional urban facilities, as well as environmental safety monitoring in the city, are of great significance for improving the functionality and livability of the city. In complex urban environments, multi-source data is interrelated, and the noise reduction of multi-source data and the integration of this correlation still face great challenges. At the same time, how to apply urban intelligent monitoring in the reconstruction of old cities is rarely mentioned. Based on the above problems, this paper proposes a data noise reduction model based on a wavelet algorithm and combines it with the Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram (MFD) multi-source data fusion structure proposed in this paper to provide a theoretical basis for the construction of an urban intelligent monitoring model. Then, the author constructed a data-driven urban safety environment monitoring model and a multi-source data-based urban congestion monitoring model, which have good experimental results and certain practical value. At the end of the paper, the author briefly discussed the application of the smart city monitoring model in the reconstruction of old cities, hoping to provide certain guidance for further integration in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nurturing cultural atmosphere and making such atmosphere perceivable are critical for revitalizing historic districts and attracting tourists. However, lacking understanding of and measurement tools for cultural atmosphere impedes both research and managerial practices. To fill the gaps, the present study adopted a mixed-method approach developing a scale of perceived cultural atmosphere in the context of a historic district, Yongqing Fang. Using UGC content and 30 interview data, the qualitative part served for initial item generation. Through two questionnaire surveys with 513 participants, the quantitative part completed scale refinement and validation. A 13-item, four-dimension structure was suggested, including architectural setting, interior decoration, traditional activity, and shared affects. Theoretically, the present study improves the understanding of cultural atmosphere and provides a measurement tool for future studies. Pragmatically, destination managers may apply the scale in cultivating and maintaining a sense of culturalness in historic districts or other heritage sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The revitalization of historic districts is crucial for the sustainable development of cities, with street corner spaces being a vital component of the public space in these districts. However, street corner spaces have been largely overlooked in previous research on crowd dynamics within historic districts. This study investigates the key factors influencing crowd dynamics in street corner spaces within historic districts. First, a hierarchical model of vitality-influencing factors was developed based on prior research. Potential factors influencing the vitality of street corners were quantified using multi-source data collection methods, including deep learning algorithms, and crowd vitality within these spaces was assessed through multidimensional measurements. The impact of each element on crowd vitality was then analyzed through a multivariate linear regression model. The findings revealed that eight factors—corner building historicity, first-floor functional communality, transparency, openness, density of functional facilities, greenness, functional variety of buildings, and walkability—significantly influence the vitality of corner spaces, collectively explaining 77.5% of the vitality of these spaces. These conclusions offer new perspectives and scientific evidence for the revitalization and conservation of historic districts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the environmental colors of the Historic Center of Macau, seeking pathways to develop an urban color system to construct a high-quality urban aesthetic environment and enhance the overall visual image of the city. Based on Lenclos's color geography and Shingo Yoshida's environmental color planning method, this study conducted on-site color measurement, extraction, photographic documentation, numerical analysis, and color cataloging of the architecture, plazas, landscapes, and primary public facilities in Macau's historical district. Through comprehensive environmental color investigation and analyses, the study aimed to construct a color system for Macau's historical district, finally identifying 60 characteristic colors emblematic of the area. This study also uncovered issues, such as the lack of a unified management mechanism for environmental colors, insufficient coherence and correlation among regional colors, or the scarcity of striking colors. Ultimately, the proposed systematic approach to urban color can offer effective concepts for planning, design, and management, facilitating the creation of color expressions that align with Macau's unique characteristics and thereby elevating the city's overall visual image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban street space is a significant component of urban public spaces and an important aspect of people's perceptions of a city. Jinan Old City exemplifies the balance between the supply of and demand for green spaces in urban streets. The sense of comfort and the demand level of street spaces are measured via the space demand index. Open platform data, such as those from Baidu Maps and Amap, are evaluated using methods including ArcGIS network analysis and Segnet semantic segmentation. The results obtained from such evaluations indicate that, in terms of the green space supply, the overall level for Shangxin Street in Jinan is not high. Only 24% of the selected sites have an adequate green space supply. The level on Wenhua West Road is higher than that on Shangxin Street. The block on the western side of Shangxin Street has the highest green space demand, with a decreasing trend from west to east. There are several higher selection points in the middle section of Shangxin Street. The demand is lowest in the middle of Wenhua East Road. Shangxin Street's demand is higher than that of Wenhua West Road. The supply and demand are highly matched on Wenhua West Road and poorly matched on Shangxin Street, with 44.12% of the area in the "low supply, high demand" quadrant. This study proposes targeted optimization strategies based on supply and demand, thereby providing research ideas and methods for urban renewal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural heritage has educational value because it provides children with a realistic learning environment and a wealth of educational resources. This study intends to fill a gap in academic research by evaluating the efficiency of utilizing cultural heritage in children's education. This study uses the Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) method to create a comprehensive evaluation index system. Through research and analysis of six key elements—inheritance of historical context, improvement in environmental quality, completion of infrastructure, achievement of educational goals, participation in children in activities, and sustainable development—it was discovered that rational utilization of cultural heritage space significantly improves the educational experience and promotes cultural heritage transmission. This study is significant since it provides an empirical foundation for educational practice and serves as a valuable guide for innovative heritage transmission and policy creation. Our findings emphasize the necessity of incorporating educational goals into preserving and revitalizing cultural heritage, advocating for a forward-thinking approach that honors the past while fostering learning and progress for future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Planning Education & Research is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Urban construction is confronted with increasingly complex challenges as social and economic development progresses. Urban regeneration has become an inevitable choice for promoting high-quality urban development in the new era. Historical and cultural districts, with historic buildings as spatial carriers, are microcosms of a city's development and a testimony to the lives of local people. It is necessary to define their development position, role in the city, and functions to revitalize them commercially. The best way to achieve these goals is to clarify consumer preferences and identify the key factors that influence target groups' behavioral preferences in similar shopping areas. Only then will we be able to truly preserve the character and value of heritage districts while promoting their commercial development. This paper focuses on heritage districts. Through a combination of online and offline questionnaires, the authors learned about the current situation of young consumer behavioral preferences for urban commercial revitalization projects. A theory of planned behavior model was then built to empirically analyze the factors influencing consumer behavioral preferences in these projects. Based on the results of our analysis, we propose goals and suggestions for the government, property developers, and citizens involved in revitalization projects to support urban commercial revitalization and promote consumers' consumption intentions. Governments emphasize the importance of culture and give more directions to maintain historical elements. From the perspective of property developers, a business format combining culture and the market is necessary. The participation of citizens in the process of urbanization leads to a people-oriented and sustainable strategy that is beneficial for future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing social stress threatens people's mental health. Travelling can effectively relieve mental stress, so the role of tourism experiences in mental restoration is gaining increasing attention. However, no research has examined the mechanism of the embodied effect of tourism experiences on tourists' mental restoration from a multisensory perspective. Based on sensory marketing theory, a model of multisensory tourism experiences and mental restoration is established, and the boundary conditions and configuration of the former on the latter are considered. Two complementary studies are conducted in the context of historical and cultural districts using structural equation modelling (SEM) and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). The following conclusions are drawn. First, tourists' multisensory tourism experience in historical and cultural blocks indirectly improves their mental restoration through the two intermediary psychological processing functions of place attachment and a perceived restorative environment. Second, tourist involvement plays a positive moderating role between multisensory tourism experiences and both place attachment and a perceived restorative environment. Finally, there are no necessary sensory and psychological conditions for high mental restoration, but there are four types of multisensory tourism experience configurations, all of which enable tourists to obtain mental restoration in historical and cultural blocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With advancements in sustainable urban development, research on urban functional areas has garnered significant attention. In recent years, Point-of-Interest, with their large volume of information and ease of acquisition, have been widely applied in research on urban functional domains. However, scholars currently focus on the identification of urban functional areas, usually relying on data from a single period, whereas research on the prediction of functional areas has not yet been well validated. Therefore, in this study, we propose a new method based on several years of POI data to predict urban functional areas. Taking Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, as an example, we first identified the functional area distribution of the old city of Nanjing over several years using POI data and then designed multiple sets of experiments to explore the CA–Markov model's ability to predict functional areas from various aspects, including model overall accuracy, robustness, and comparison analysis between predictions and actual situations. The results show that (1) for mixed or single functional areas, the model's predictions over several years tend to be stable, and the accuracy of the predictions over many years indicates the robustness of the model in predicting urban functional areas. (2) For mixed functional areas in cities, model predictions largely rely on the distribution of the base years used for prediction, leading to inaccurate results; thus, it is still not applicable for simulating and predicting mixed functional areas. (3) For single functional areas in cities or primary functions within an area, the model's predicted degree of change was close to the actual degree of change, making the results referable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban street vitality has been a perennial focus within the domain of urban planning. This study examined spatial patterns of street vitality in the old city of Nanjing during working days and weekends using real-time user datasets (RTUDs). A spatial autoregressive model (SAM) and a multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model were employed to quantitatively assess the impact of various factors on street vitality and their spatial heterogeneity. This study revealed the following: (1) the distribution of street vitality in the old city of Nanjing exhibited a structure centered around Xinjiekou, with greater regularity and predictability in street vitality on working days than on weekends; (2) eight variables, such as traffic location, road density, and functional density, are positively associated with street vitality, whereas the green view index is negatively associated with street vitality, and commercial location benefits street vitality at weekends but detracts from street vitality on working days; and (3) the influence of variables such as traffic location and functional density on street vitality is contingent on their spatial position. Based on these results, this study provides new strategies to enhance the street vitality of old cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid urban expansion, historic districts face challenges such as declining vitality and deteriorating spatial quality. Using the streets of Xi'an's historical and cultural district as examples, this research utilizes multisource data, including points of interest (POIs), street view images, and Baidu heatmaps, alongside analytical techniques such as machine learning. This study explores the determinants of street vitality from the dual perspectives of its external manifestation and spatial carriers. A quantitative framework for measuring street vitality in historic districts is established, thoroughly examining the driving factors behind street vitality. Additionally, the relationship between built environment indicators and street vitality is elucidated through statistical analysis methods. The findings reveal significant, time-varying influences of these spatial carriers on human vitality, with distinct spatial distribution patterns of human activity across different times, and the significance of the influence of external representations of human vitality and various types of spatial carriers varies over time. Based on these insights, this paper proposes strategies for enhancing the vitality of historic streets, aiming to rejuvenate and sustain the diverse and dynamic energy of these districts. It provides a foundation for revitalizing the vigor of cultural heritage zones and offers strategies applicable to similar urban contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the design and utilization of shared streets in the Jiefangbei Business District of Chongqing through the lens of geographical semiotics. Employing photo content analysis, video observation, and questionnaire surveys, this research delves into visual semiotics, place semiotics, and users' interaction order, including social interactions and traffic experiences within these shared spaces. The findings reveal that two distinct systems guide pedestrians and vehicles on Jiefangbei's shared streets, ensuring safety and cultural expression. Paving is identified as the most important method for realizing the sharing of space between people and vehicles. Street furniture emphasizes multifunctional composite use and reflects Jiefangbei's eclectic style since its era as a financial center of the Republic of China, responding to cultural resources and functional positioning. The study also indicates that social functions and public space attributes need enhancement, recommending more greenery and leisure facilities. Interaction order analysis shows that participants' perception of street sharing does not affect their sense of safety and effectiveness. Thus, future practice should base decisions on specific traffic conditions and urban functions. A limitation of this study is the inability to accurately sample the population structure of the Jiefangbei commercial district, preventing more adaptable conclusions. The authors suggest viewing shared space as an evolving process and recommend future research on long-term effects and cross-cultural comparative studies to provide valuable insights into global shared-street design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When profit-driven renewal is difficult to implement, many historic districts in China become "frozen" under protection. In the recent social context of "building cities for the people", public value-oriented renewal of urban historic areas has become crucial in city transformation. This study investigates strategies for historic district regeneration in China by integrating spatial form, urban governance, and public value. We propose a novel framework to analyze the regeneration of historic districts, using Taiyuan's Bell Tower Street as a case study. The framework distinguishes between two dimensions: spatial and economic–social. In the spatial dimension, we focus on the transformation of spatial form to regenerate public value, emphasizing the attribute of "publicness" as central to urban regeneration efforts. This involves a tiered approach to excavating and upgrading historic districts at macro, meso, and micro levels. The economic–social dimension explores urban governance to enhance public value through collaboration between government, market, and societal actors. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, including document reviews, interviews, field observations, and statistical data analysis. The analysis highlights that a public value-oriented approach to heritage regeneration can balance historical preservation with contemporary urban needs, offering a sustainable model for other cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the impact of landscape planning on visual and spatial perception is particularly significant for historical district tourism. The existing literature offers limited insight into which historical landscapes most effectively influence tourists' visual and spatial perceptions. Our study investigates this relationship within the cultural heritage context of Laomendong, a historical district in Nanjing, China. Utilizing the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) theoretical framework, this research explored how the stylistic, symbolic, and spatial dimensions of historical landscapes influence tourists' visual and spatial perceptions. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test hypotheses concerning the relationships between historical landscapes, visual perception, spatial perception, and individual predispositions. The findings revealed that stylistic factors (material, color, and ornament), symbolic factors (landmark, relic, and sign), and spatial factors (openness, scale, and layout) significantly enhance visual perception and subsequently spatial perception. Visual perception plays a mediating role in the influence of historical landscapes on spatial perception. Individual predispositions, like sensation-seeking, intensify spatial perception, while destination familiarity surprisingly shows a negative effect, suggesting that over-familiarity might diminish the novelty and excitement of a spatial experience. These insights provide practical implications for the sustainable development of landscape planning in historical district tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Beijing University of Civil Engineering & Architecture is the property of Journal of Beijing University of Civil Engineering & Architecture Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In recent years, the conflict between human activities and the natural environment has led to global warming and the emergence of extreme weather events, prompting reflection on the climate adaptability of buildings. Historical and cultural districts often reflect the design and construction strategies of their era, which were shaped by the prevailing social environments and natural conditions, so they typically embody construction techniques tailored to address local climatic characteristics. Consequently, in this paper, we focus on 33 historic and cultural districts within Beijing's old city, along with seven proposed historic and cultural districts, to retrieve land surface temperatures (LST) using Landsat remote sensing data and radiative transfer equations. A spatiotemporal analysis was conducted to investigate the variations in LST distribution across different historic and cultural districts and to characterize the internal temperature features within the historic and cultural districts of Beijing's old city. Research indicates the following: (1) The Dashilan area boasts the highest average LST, while the Huangcheng area records the lowest. (2) Over the past six years, most historic and cultural districts have experienced a decline in LST. Notably, the most significant reductions in average LST have been observed in the areas west of Xinjiekou, Dongsi South, and from the 3rd to the 8th Street in Dongsi. (3) Within the historic and cultural districts, hot spots of LST are primarily concentrated in the residential areas with one-story traditional houses, while cold spots are predominantly found around water, cultural relics, and modern architectural structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tourism Tribune / Lvyou Xuekan is the property of Tourism Institute of Beijing Union University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Qatar witnessed its first urban expansion era following economic prosperity amid the discovery and production of oil and its exportation in the early 1950s. However, the capital city of Qatar, Doha, beheld numerous challenges following the rapid growth that resulted in unsystematic urban sprawl in the city. Therefore, the country developed national expansion plans and policies for the geographical city change process by encouraging sustainable and regenerative approaches. Studies concentrating on urban regeneration in rapidly growing cities offer prospects by evaluating existing settings and proposing regeneration solutions. This research aims to assess the urban environment of an old neighborhood in Doha, called Fareej Al Ghanim by examining the existing conditions and providing recommendations for its regeneration. A qualitative research methodology is applied in this study to identify proper solutions for urban regeneration in Fareej Al Ghanim. The latter is an important case to analyze, study and recommend an appropriate regeneration strategy, which can be used as an example of best practice for other historic neighborhoods in Qatar, the Gulf and elsewhere. Namely, the urban regeneration of Old Al Ghanim neighborhood in Doha was studied through physical analysis of (A) urban settings (B) land uses and (C) current building conditions. The information was collected through data collection, site visits, walking tour assessments and map analyses. The findings identified the following; (1) poor infrastructure of the neighborhood, (2) multiple abandoned buildings in a deteriorating state, (3) lack of parking spaces and over congestion, (4) absence of cycling paths and pavements and (5) inexistence of open areas where people can sit and relax. Thus, the proposed recommendations for urban regeneration are based on (A) enhancing the physical environment of the area through land-use changes and (B) rehabilitating the surviving historic buildings and reconstructing the deteriorating ones. The findings offer policymakers, city planners, and designers an opportunity to improve old districts in Qatar, the Gulf and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical city centers are one of the reasons that give cities their identity, memory, and sense of belonging. The commercial areas within these centers are particularly important, as they contribute significantly to the vitality of the urban environment. However, due to rapid developments in recent times, many of these historic commercial streets have lost their significance and fallen victim to informal usage, resulting in the erosion of their historic identity. Consequently, it becomes imperative to renovate these historic commercial streets to preserve the community's identity. The proposed methodology aims to foster local culture by revitalizing these streets and emphasizing the principles and criteria of heritage preservation that not only preserve the community's identity but also serve as vibrant and inclusive spaces for residents and visitors alike to fulfill the concept of vitality and livability. In this context, the focus is on protecting historical areas and ensuring their ongoing relevance and benefits, extending not only to street users but also to the entire community. To achieve this, a series of steps are suggested for the renovation of historic commercial streets within city centers, accompanied by a reliable set of criteria that preserve their visual identity rooted in history. To demonstrate the application of these criteria, a case study was conducted for the proposed renovation of Mahmud Al-Banna Street, a historic commercial street in downtown Tanta, Egypt. The objective of the study was to develop strategies that would effectively address various aspects, including urban, visual, environmental, and economic issues. As a result, the research concluded that the proposed regeneration strategies, if implemented, could enhance the vitality and livability of the historic commercial districts for other urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The post-war era was a period of rapid change in New Jersey’s municipalities. Older cities like Newark, Jersey City, and Trenton suffered through the loss of population, jobs, and capital while new suburban communities experienced rapid growth. By the 1970s, crime, inflation, and unemployment had exacerbated the inequalities between cities and suburbs, giving rise to the “urban crisis,” a phenomenon that historians continue to study closely. This article provides the insider’s perspective of James Wunsch, who served as staffer for the Assembly Municipal Government Committee during the late Seventies. Wunsch’s account shows that the state government made strides towards addressing inequalities in housing and education that compared favorably with its peers. Nevertheless, in the absence of strong regional planning, New Jersey’s fragmented municipalities proved inequal to the task of tackling the urban crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourist preferences for public spaces in historic districts can reflect whether renovated spaces and functional structures meet tourism demands. However, conventional big data lack the spatio-temporal accuracy needed to support a refined, dynamic study of small-scale public spaces inside historic districts. This paper, therefore, proposes using a Wi-Fi probe to evaluate the spatio-temporal dynamics of tourists' spatial preferences in historic districts. We conducted a one-week measurement in the Xiaohe Street Historic Block in Hangzhou, China. Three indicators—visit time preference, aggregation preference, and stay preference—were used to examine the dynamic change in tourists' spatial preferences, with 15 min as the time unit and public spaces with a radius of 25 m as the spatial unit. Our research demonstrates that, compared with conventional big data, the Wi-Fi probe offers a more reasonable and accurate method to measure tourists' spatial preferences in historic districts at a smaller time and spatial granularity. The research findings can be applied to evaluate the effectiveness of spatial regeneration and diagnose renewal-related issues in historic districts. It can also serve as a foundation for more precise planning of public spaces in historic districts, as well as the modification of functional structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broadband is not equally accessible among students despite its increasing importance to education. We investigate the relationship between broadband and housing policy by joining two measures of broadband access with Depression-era redlining maps that classified neighborhoods based in part on racist and classist beliefs. We find that despite internet service provider self-reports of similar technological availability, broadband access generally decreases in tandem with historic neighborhood classification, with further heterogeneity by race/ethnicity and income. Our findings demonstrate how past federally-developed housing policies connect to the digital divide and should be considered in educational policies that require broadband for success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social equity/inequity and equal/unequal rights to the city extend beyond the distribution of urban parks and green spaces, necessitating research on equitable accessibility to encompass a broader range of public spaces. However, previous research has predominantly focused on green spaces, neglecting other types of public spaces. To address this gap, the present study takes the public space pattern of Nanjing Old City as the research object, employing the minimum distance method, the gravity potential method, and bivariate local Moran's I to evaluate the matching relationship between the demand of socially vulnerable groups and the supply of public spaces, as well as its temporal–spatial evolution from 2010 to 2020. The results reveal spatial heterogeneity in the accessibility of public spaces for vulnerable groups at the block level, with 28.1% of the total number of blocks and 22.1% of the total area of blocks experiencing a supply–demand imbalance in 2010. From 2010 to 2020, under the rapid urban development, construction of public spaces, and the general decline in population density and proportion of vulnerable populations, the supply–demand imbalance has exacerbated the distribution of public spaces at both individual and aggregate levels. This imbalance is reflected in the deteriorated accessibility of public spaces for vulnerable groups. This study reveals the mismatches between development, population movement, and public space construction in the old city of Nanjing over the past decade, providing decision-making suggestions and foundations for the future optimization of public spaces, thereby offering an effective tool for assessing and improving the accessibility and equitable distribution of public spaces based on the needs of vulnerable groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization in the Songhua River Basin (SRB), a crucial ecological barrier in China and Northeast Asia, has led to the degradation of ecosystem service functions and a decline in their value, thereby posing a significant threat to regional ecological security. Clarifying the complex coupling coordination relationship between urbanization and ecosystem services (ESs) and identifying the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of their interactions will facilitate the high-quality and coordinated development of urbanization and ESs in the SRB. This study employed a systems approach, treating urbanization and ESs as overarching systems and delineating different aspects of urbanization and ecosystem service functions as subsystems within these systems. The spatiotemporal characteristics of urbanization and the ecosystem service value (ESV) in the SRB from 1985 to 2021 were revealed. The coupling coordination relationship and the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the interactions between urbanization and ESs in the SRB at both the system and subsystem levels were analyzed using the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model and the spatiotemporal geographically weighted regression (GTWR) model. The findings indicated that during the study period: (1) The urbanization index of SRB rose from 0.09 to 0.34, while the ESV experienced a decrease from 2091.42 × 107 CNY to 2002.44 × 107 CNY. (2) The coupling coordination degree (CCD) between urbanization and ESs in the SRB at both the system and subsystem levels increased significantly, generally transitioning from the moderately unbalanced to the basically balanced stage. Areas with high CCD values were mainly distributed in ecological function areas and low-level urbanized areas, while areas with low CCD values were mainly distributed in grassland ecological degradation areas, ecologically fragile areas, resource-dependent old industrial cities, and highly urbanized areas. (3) The subsystems of urbanization had an overall negative impact on Ess, with varying trends, but the spatial distribution pattern of the interactions remained relatively stable. Conversely, the subsystems of ESs all exhibited a trend of initially strengthening and then weakening their negative impacts on urbanization, and the spatial distribution pattern was highly correlated with the spatial distribution pattern of ESV in the SRB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]