Page 89 - JCAU-6-2

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Residential urban heritage space study

single-faceted, lacking integration of both aspects and occupied spaces, spanning from architecture to settlements,
neglecting exploration into the correlation between spatial cities, and landscapes. It delves into studying the intricate
topology and material structure. relationship between spatial organization and human society.
When it comes to methodological approaches, the theory First introduced in the 1970s by Bill Hillier and his colleagues
of space syntax, a technique for analyzing urban spatial at the University of London, the core concept of this theory
connectivity based on road networks, has significantly is “Spatial Configuration,” which refers to the topological
advanced the quantification and scientific understanding of logic between various spatial elements within a spatial system
topological relationships within urban heritage spaces. This (Hillier & Julienne, 1984). Space syntax posits that the spatial
theory is applicable to multi-scalar spatial analysis, ranging topology of urban transportation networks significantly
from individual heritage buildings to large-scale urban influences the operational dynamics and development of
heritage sites. Particularly in the dissection of urban spatial urban spaces by affecting the mobility patterns of space
topological relationships, space syntax offers a plethora users. This methodology facilitates the exploration of the
of analytical metrics and interpretive methodologies. relationship between residential urban heritage spaces and
For example, studies have explored the connectivity and residents’ mobility behaviors, as well as their position and
improvement strategies of public spaces in traditional interrelations within the broader urban context. Consequently,
villages (Sun et al., 2017), as well as investigated the it deepens our understanding of the topological significance
correlation between spatial morphology and connectivity of residential urban heritage spaces within cities.
in Nanjing’s Xuanwu historical district (Zhao et al., 2017). 2.2.2. Spatial entropy: Revealing the probabilistic
Concurrently, the burgeoning theory of spatial entropy composition of urban material structure spaces
has also been employed in the analysis of urban spatial Spatial entropy, a concept derived from information
information (Liu et al., 2021). A series of studies have theory, is employed to quantify the levels of uncertainty
emerged, focusing on urban spatial expansion patterns, and disorder within urban spatial structures (Tiesdell
such as those utilizing spatial entropy models to measure et al., 1996). In the realm of urban planning, spatial
the primary driving forces in urban spatial expansion (Li entropy serves as a valuable tool for comprehending the
et al., 2016), and research identifying modes of urban distribution patterns of various elements within the city and
expansion based on localized changes in spatial entropy their interrelationships. From an information-theoretical
(Zeng et al., 2018). Notably, there is a paucity of studies standpoint, high spatial entropy suggests a more dispersed
that concurrently engage in both topological analysis of and diverse distribution of elements within urban spaces,
urban spatial structures and spatial entropy analysis. whereas low spatial entropy indicates a more concentrated
In summary, this study focuses on residential urban and uniform distribution (Chen, 2012).
heritage spaces within the broader context of urban In urban planning, spatial entropy can be calculated
heritage. By integrating space syntax theory and spatial by assessing the distribution ratios of specific types of
entropy theory, this research undertook a quantitative spatial constituents within different spatial units, such
analysis of these residential urban heritage spaces from both as neighborhoods or building clusters. Specifically, the
topological and material structural perspectives. Building formula for information entropy can be employed to
on this groundwork, this study interprets the constitutive compute spatial entropy:
paradigms and characteristics of residential urban heritage
spaces, offering a classification and evaluation that lays HX( ) px()log( ) (I)
px
the theoretical groundwork for further exploration of i i i
the heritage potential of such spaces in future urban In this context, p(x ) represents the distribution ratio
i
development endeavors. In addition, the study conducted of a particular type of spatial composition within a given
a comparative analysis of similar residential urban heritage spatial unit. By averaging the information entropy across
space paradigms in Japan, investigating the similarities all spatial units, we can obtain the entropy value for the
and differences in the constitutive paradigms of residential overall space.
urban heritage spaces across varying regional conditions.
3. Research design
2.2. Terminology explanation 3.1. Case subjects
2.2.1. Space syntax: Deciphering the topological In constructing models for comparative research, we have
relationship system of urban spaces selected Suzhou’s Pingjiang District in Jiangsu, China,

Space syntax is a theoretical and methodological approach and Uji City in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, as case studies
aimed at quantitatively describing the structure of human- (Figure 1C).

Volume 6 Issue 2 (2024) 3 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.1732