Exploring the spatial pattern of historic Chinese towns and cities:A syntactical approach

摘要

This study explores the spatial pattern of Historic Chinese Towns and Cities(HCTC)by using a syntactic approach.The HCTC is an important element of the built environment and exhibits a variety of unique spatial characteristics.Although previous research has been focused on qualitative analysis,a quantitative approach to exploring this issue is scarce,leading to insufficient understanding of the spatial characteristics of HCTC.This study presents a quantitative approach to analyzing the spatial pattern of HCTC by utilizing the space syntax method.Four well-preserved historic towns were selected as case studies,each representing a typical spatial type of historic town in China.A series of mathematical measures from space syntax were used to explore the spatial characteristics of HCTC,facilitating expanded interpretation of traditional Chinese ideologies.Results contribute to a more critical understanding of the spatial pattern of HCTC.