With large-scale urban demolition, the spatial pattern of the urban area in many cities has been destroyed, leading to the loss of urban regional identity; therefore, these urban spaces need to be urgently studied and protected. Previous studies on the spatial pattern of urban areas focused on spatial morphology or urban texture. However, due to difficulties in obtaining field survey data, such studies cannot comprehensively analyze the space; thus, the proposed conservation strategies are also more one-sided. In order to study the urban space more scientifically and systematically, and to propose a more operable spatial conservation strategy, this paper conducts a new urban space analysis method based on space syntax and the geographic information system using multisource data. With the help of software such as Depthmap and ArcGIS, as well as theories and methods such as space syntax and regression analysis, this article conducted a visual and quantitative analysis of the spatial information data such as integration of urban road networks, building height, architectural style, points of interest, number of lanes, and maximum road speed. Taking the old city of Wuxi as an example, the method’s feasibility was verified. The regression model analysis revealed that, when the integration of the area was higher, the buildings distributed around were multilane, fast lane, modern buildings, taller buildings, commercial buildings, and vice versa, which gives a scientific basis for the proposed strategy of creating regional characteristics of urban space. This new analysis method of urban space is of great significance for the study of urban problems, the exploration of urban characteristics, and the proposal of urban strategies.

Old community renovation is now gradually receiving attention in China's urban construction development, and how to make its public space sustainable has become a research topic. This paper conducts a study of the current situation of public space in old communities from the surface to the deep through field research methods. This paper has summarized four spatial characteristics of public space in old communities, including the increase of boundary space; spatial function is polarized between context-specific user groups and complex but sustainable symbiotic systems. Based on these findings, this paper proposes three sustainable renovation considerations and strategies, which include respecting the rationales of the original space, stimulating the cooperation of stakeholders, and recreating the daily life of residents.

An increasing number of old communities are experiencing deterioration in their living environments, which negatively affects the sustainability of the urban environment. Many cities have tried to solve the above problems through reconstruction or micro-renovation, but the result is unsatisfactory. Social change has led to a shift in the meaning of community, so the space transformation of the old community cannot be carried out simply by increasing the function and beautifying the environment. To achieve sustainable development of the old community, we should recreate the contemporary meaning of the old community. This paper aims to innovate urban design approaches and promote sustainable urban development in its environmental, ecological, and cultural dimensions through the reinvention of vitality and contemporary values of built community spaces. Based on the theory of meaning change, this paper constructs a conceptual framework for the reinvention of space in the old community. In the case study of a block in Rongxiang, Wuxi, we verify the framework’s effectiveness and build spaces more in line with people’s lifestyles in the new era. Based on the study, we conclude that meaning change is the key to achieving sustainable development of old community spaces. The framework can provide a new reference for solving the social problems of aging urban space and achieving sustainable development of the urban environment.

The complications and sequelae of COVID-19 have jeopardized the well-being of residents, hindering community sustainability. Experiencing positive emotions can mitigate or counteract the negative effects of some diseases, but modern residential facades cannot effectively stimulate positive emotions among residents. Traditional culture influences people’s emotional responses. However, it is unclear what the result would be if traditional architectural patterns, one of the symbols of traditional culture, were redecorated as modern residential facades. Therefore, this paper used questionnaire research to collect data from residents of the Zhouxinyuan community in Wuxi on different types of traditional architectural patterns in assessing architectural aesthetics (N = 365) and health benefits (N = 154), using the Wilcoxon signed rank test to analyze the data for variance. The results indicate that modern residential facades decorated with traditional architectural patterns were more consistent with residents’ visual preferences and more likely to stimulate positive emotions than existing residential facades. Most importantly, modern residential facades decorated with traditional architectural patterns showed higher health benefits, especially in calming emotions (mean = 5, SD = 1.033). Based on these findings and the theory of positive experience, this paper constructs a conceptual framework for modern community public space renovation that contributes to improving the health benefits of modern communities. The framework can mitigate or counteract the complications or sequelae of the pandemic, contributing to the sustainable development of modern community public space environmental systems.

Urbanization and continued population growth have had a major impact on the urban environment. Many buildings lack close regional and biomimetic characteristics during the rapid generation process, making it impossible to achieve ecological sustainability. This article took the rehabilitation center of Jinghong Dai Cultural Park in Yunnan as an example for research, intending to highlight regional characteristics and change the current severely homogenized urban style. Visual on-site environmental analysis was performed through Arc GIS, CFD-phoenics, and sketchup, and the site form planning of ecological buildings from the perspective of “regional characteristics” was explored. Morphological data of local buildings and regional plants were collected, plant growth patterns were analyzed in Grasshopper software, and skins were generated from the perspective of “biomimetic properties”, and we combined the planning form with the skin to form the overall regional architectural design. The design approach of multi-parameter software combinations brings a richer expression morphologically and distinguishes the more homogeneous stereotypical image of the city, which is of great significance and value in expanding the form of architectural design. The spatial form of the site layout and the phenology of the native plants respect the original natural environment and create a symbiosis between man and nature.