Page 83 - JCAU-6-4

Journal of Chinese

Architecture and Urbanism

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Evaluation of spatial form and activation

strategies of traditional villages using spatial
information technology

†
Yuan Zhou * , Jianpeng Cao † , Linlu Tian , Yushu Luo , and Shunbin Ning
Department of Landscape Architecture, School of Architecture, Southwest Minzu University,
Chengdu, Sichuan, China

Abstract

Traditional villages are important carriers of regional cultural inheritance. The
challenge of utilizing spatial information technology to protect and preserve
the architectural spatial patterns and regional context of traditional villages has
attracted significant attention. This study focuses on Biasha Miao village in Guizhou
province, China, as the case study. Digital information technology was used to
evaluate the architectural spatial texture and typical street space characteristics
of different villages. Using the DepthMap model of space syntax and parameters
such as integration, average depth value, and connectivity, the article examines the
† These authors contributed equally
to this work. spatial form of traditional villages across three aspects: overall space, street space,
and point-like public space. In the end, a spatial activation optimization strategy was
*Corresponding author:
Yuan Zhou proposed. The results showed that the spatial layout of buildings in different villages
(21900104@swun.edu.cn) is closely related to the distribution characteristics of landscape elements such as
Citation: Zhou, Y., Cao, J., Tian, landform, water system, and farmland, as well as residents’ production, lifestyle,
L., Luo, Y., & Ning, S. (2024). and regional culture. Da village and Zaige new village are well-connected to the
Evaluation of spatial form and main traffic roads connecting them to the outside world, resulting in high spatial
activation strategies of traditional
villages using spatial information permeability and a more extroverted spatial development. Most public spaces are
technology. Journal of Chinese located near the main village road, offering good accessibility, or at the geometric
Architecture and Urbanism, center of the village, where they serve critical roles in cultural display and distribution.
6(4), 2502.
https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.2502 This study proposes targeted activation strategies focusing on road traffic, street
layout, and spatial nodes to optimize and enhance the spatial quality of traditional
Received: December 31, 2023 villages, improve residents’ living environments, and provide practical guidance for
Accepted: February 22, 2024 the sustainable development of traditional village spaces.
Published Online: October 15, 2024
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s). Keywords: Digital spatial information technology; Spatial form evaluation; Spatial syntax;
This is an open-access article Traditional village; Activation strategy
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution-
Non-Commercial 4.0 International
(CC BY-NC 4.0), which permits all
non-commercial use, distribution, 1. Introduction
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is Traditional villages, as an important part of human cultural heritage, not only
properly cited. possess unique regional features and profound cultural deposits but also reflect the
Publisher’s Note: AccScience continuous progress of Chinese agricultural civilization. However, with the continuous
Publishing remains neutral with urbanization in China, many rural inhabitants are relocating, leading to the hollowing
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional out of traditional residential buildings. Urbanization and rural tourism have further
affiliations. eroded the original features of these villages, causing them to gradually lose their

Volume 6 Issue 4 (2024) 1 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.2502