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How Commercial Adaptive Reuse Shapes Perceived Urban Regeneration Value: The Mediating Roles of Place Attachment and Behavioral Intention

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Adaptive reuse of industrial heritage has become an important approach for extending building life cycles, preserving cultural identity, and promoting urban regeneration. However, limited research has examined how users’ perceptions of regenerated industrial spaces relate to broader evaluations of adaptive reuse outcomes. This study investigates ZhiYin 1953, a commercially reused former textile factory complex in Shijiazhuang, China. Using an extended Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework, we analyzed data from 396 valid on-site questionnaires using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The results show that industrial heritage perception, spatial environmental quality, and commercial vitality are positively associated with place attachment (PA). PA is positively related to both behavioral intention (BI) and perceived human settlement value (PHSV), while BI is also positively associated with PHSV. Mediation analysis suggests that PA and BI represent important indirect pathways linking site-related perceptions with users’ evaluations of adaptive reuse outcomes. By contrast, commercial–industrial culture coordination does not significantly predict PA, suggesting that symbolic coordination between commercial functions and industrial cultural elements may not be sufficient to strengthen users’ emotional connections. These findings highlight the importance of evaluating industrial heritage adaptive reuse beyond physical conservation and functional transformation by considering users’ perceptions of heritage meaning, spatial quality, public life, and continued engagement. Sustainable regeneration strategies should therefore integrate heritage-sensitive design, accessible public spaces, balanced commercial activation, and meaningful cultural interpretation.

Source: Buildings

DOI: 10.3390/buildings16173487

Authors: Zhenzhen Ren, Shaohua Liu, Norngainy Binti Mohd Tawil

Institutions: National University of Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Hebei Academy of Fine Arts

Language: English

Topic: Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation

Subfield: Archeology

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137