Modular Landscape Interventions for Resilient Urban Renewal in Historic Districts: A Study of Erdao Street, Yan'an
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: China's urbanization has transitioned into a phase characterized by stock revitalization and quality enhancement, wherein the concept of "urban regeneration and ecological restoration" (dual rehabilitation) serves as a pivotal strategy for mitigating accumulated urban challenges. As this paradigm evolves, conventional "demolition-led" renewal models prove increasingly inadequate for historic districts, failing to accommodate their intrinsic spatial heterogeneity and cultural continuity requirements. Consequently, the exploration of innovative revitalization approaches has become an urgent imperative. Such districts universally confront multifaceted issues including severe shortages of public spaces, fragmented cultural legacies, and significantly diminished socioeconomic vitality. To address these systemic deficiencies, this study proposes enhancing the resilience of historic districts through three critical dimensions: spatial restructuring, functional reprogramming, and temporal adaptability. By innovatively integrating "modular intervention" methodology with "resilient urban renewal" frameworks, the research establishes an adaptive, low-intervention, and self-sustaining revitalization pathway. This approach specifically synthesizes resilient urban development theory with modular landscape facility design principles, aligning with dual-repair objectives. Empirical validation via the Erdao Street case study in Yan'an demonstrates the superior contextual adaptability of modular systems - which employ prefabricated, reconfigurable units to minimize site disturbance while activating underutilized spaces. The resultant revitalization model demonstrated enhanced community engagement and measurable vitality recovery during implementation. This integrated framework advances a replicable theoretical-practical paradigm for reconciling heritage conservation with contemporary urban resilience demands.
Source: Urban and Regional Planning
Authors: Zhang Yilin, Wu Gaozhao, Liu DeJia
Institution: Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Urban Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7077072380