Exploring Connectivity Dynamics in Historical Districts of Mountain City: A Case Study of Construction and Road Networks in Guiyang, Southwest China

Zhixin Lin, Zongsheng Huang (hzsxjh@126.com), Huiwen Xiang, Shaowei Lu, Yuanduo Chen and Jiachuan Yang
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Zhixin Lin: College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Zongsheng Huang: College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Huiwen Xiang: Division of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Shaowei Lu: PowerChina Guiyang Engineering Co., Ltd., Guiyang 550081, China
Yuanduo Chen: College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Jiachuan Yang: College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-20

Abstract: As urbanization accelerates globally, preserving and developing historical cultural districts is increasingly critical, especially in areas with unique historical and cultural value. To understand the development of urban construction and the diachronic and spatial patterns of development, this paper focuses on Guiyang, a key transportation hub in Southwest China connected to Southeast Asia. It examines the historical districts from four representative periods: the early Ming Dynasty (1413–1420), the early Qing Dynasty (1616–1626), the Republican era (1912–1949), and the 1980s (1980–1990). Employing complex network analysis, the study investigates the changes in the connectivity characteristics of construction land and road networks. Key findings reveal: (1) Stability: The construction land networks stability decreased steadily from the early Ming period to the 1980s, whereas the road network density exhibited a wave-like decline. (2) Centrality: The construction land networks centrality decreased linearly, and the road network density exhibited a wave-like decrease. (3) Vulnerability: Both networks showed increased vulnerability, with fluctuations in the road network during the early Qing period, but generally reduced vulnerability. The analysis also indicates that changes in the connectivity of Guiyang’s historical district construction land and road networks are influenced by shifts in social structures, improvements in productivity, and the physical geography of the area. In mountainous cities with limited terrain, urban forms have transitioned from single-center aggregation to multi-center aggregation, and areas where administrative expansion is not feasible have adopted compact spatial development strategies. The application of complex network analysis has proven effective in urban spatial studies, revealing that changes in construction land and road networks reflect multifaceted internal transformations in society, politics, economy, military, and culture, significantly impacting the formation of a diverse yet unified national identity. Based on these findings, this paper offers recommendations for the planning and development of mountainous cities globally.

Keywords: construction land; road; network connectivity; historical districts; evolution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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