In China, traditional food is a significant element of culture that affects human behaviors. The point of interest (POI) of traditional food restaurants’ location and their volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions affect the urban ecology. Rather than examine potential urban development patch (PUDP) based on land use data, the perspective of this paper is to examine the PUDP, air quality, and food culture in urban ecology in Chengdu, China. Methods: First, the research identifies three types of PUDP models (open PUDP, landscape PUDP, and conflict PUDP) with the weighted overlay of land use data, then uses machine learning to examine the relationship between PUDP, POI of traditional food restaurant, and VOCs. Results: The study generates three types of PUDP which are open PUDP, landscape PUDP, and conflict PUDP. VOCs and POI of traditional restaurant have a strong correlation, and both have a significant negative correlation with open PUDP. However, the landscape PUDP and conflict PUDP do not show an obvious relationship with food POI and VOCs. Conclusion: The results indicate that the future urban ecology should consider restaurant location, VOCs from restaurants, and their relationship to urban land use data as they have a strong relationship.

The role of technology in landscape architecture (TLA) has significantly evolved since the 19th century, increasingly integrating with digital tools and technologies in the 21st century. Despite its growing importance, there is a notable deficiency in the scholarly literature regarding the progression of TLA trends and their interplay with the core domains and research themes within landscape research. The influence of TLA on landscape research remains ambiguous, especially concerning its ability to generate new knowledge and impact design and sustainability practices. Furthermore, there is a critical need to delineate how TLA differs from allied general digital technology tools and to identify specific specializations that are emerging within the TLA field. To explore the above gaps, this study utilized a mixed methods approach involving secondary data from peer-reviewed publications, primary data from the archival research of winning projects, and expert interviews based on the two major research types of “Research through Design (RTD)” and “Research for Design (RFD)” to explore the TLA’s contribution. This research is significant as it: (1) identified the trend of TLA; (2) conceptualized the TLA, and (3) identified its role in relation to the core domains and research themes of landscape research.