Identifying and Prioritising Public Space Demands in Historic Districts: Perspectives from Tourists and Local Residents in Yangzhou

Jizhou Chen, Xiaobin Li, Jialing Chen, Lijun Xu, Hao Feng and Rong Zhu ()
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Jizhou Chen: School of Design, Jiangnan University, Lihudadao, Wuxi 214122, China
Xiaobin Li: School of Design, Jiangnan University, Lihudadao, Wuxi 214122, China
Jialing Chen: School of Design, Jiangnan University, Lihudadao, Wuxi 214122, China
Lijun Xu: Yangzhou City Land Use Planning Research Centre, Yangzhou Natural Resources and Planning Bureau, Guanchao Road, Yangzhou 321000, China
Hao Feng: School of Design, Jiangnan University, Lihudadao, Wuxi 214122, China
Rong Zhu: School of Design, Jiangnan University, Lihudadao, Wuxi 214122, China

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-49

Abstract: With the ongoing advancement of urban renewal and cultural tourism, public spaces within historic cultural districts face dual challenges of structural complexity and diverse user demands. There is an urgent need to establish a scientific, user-oriented evaluation system to enhance spatial quality and user satisfaction. This study takes the Nanhesha Historic and Cultural Quarter in Yangzhou as a case study, focusing on two primary user groups: tourists and local residents. Employing semi-structured interviews and grounded theory, it distils a demand evaluation framework comprising four dimensions—spatial structure, environmental perception, socio-cultural aspects, and facility systems—with a total of 21 indicators. Subsequently, employing the Delphi method, experts were invited to refine the indicators through two rounds of deliberation. The Kano model was then applied to classify the demand attributes of different groups, identifying five common demands and sixteen differentiated demands. These were categorised into three sensitivity levels. Further integrating the Satisfaction Increment Index (SII), Dissatisfaction Decrement Index (DDI), and sensitivity values, a two-dimensional prioritisation model was constructed. This yielded a unified three-tier priority system alongside independent ranking frameworks for each user group. Findings reveal that visitors prioritise immediate experiential attributes such as spatial accessibility, appropriate scale, and environmental cleanliness, whereas residents favour long-term usage-oriented aspects including cultural expression, convenient facilities, and climate adaptability. This research not only enriches the theoretical framework for studying public space perception in historic cultural districts but also provides actionable evaluation criteria and practical pathways for multi-stakeholder spatial optimisation design. It offers guidance for the high-quality, refined development of public spaces within historic quarters.

Keywords: historic cultural districts; public spaces; demand perception; multi-stakeholder perspective; design strategies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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