A large amount of industrial heritage has been preserved owing to the wide recognition of its value as part of urban renewal and rural revitalization. Shaanxi’s industrial heritage is unique because of its rich historical resources. However, research on Shaanxi’s industrial heritage has been of point and piecemeal form rather than systematic. In this study, through the collection of historical data and study of the academic literature, we analyzed 385 industrial heritage sites in Shaanxi in time and space from 1840 to 1978 using a geographic information system (GIS) to reveal their evolution patterns. We comprehensively examined the influence of factors such as natural resources, traditional ancient industry inheritance, transportation conditions, and historical policies, and found that the distribution of industrial heritage in Shaanxi resulted from the interaction of these factors. We have constructed the first ever level categorized and quantified multilevel industrial heritage atlas of Shaanxi in the form of a Sankey diagram using GIS spatial maps, which provides a traceable historical record for each industrial heritage site. We not only reveal the spatial evolution law of industrial heritage in Shaanxi but also provide an overall view of the practice of industrial heritage protection and renewal, thus helping avoid the homogenization of future design. Our findings are also of academic and practical significance for the study and protection of industrial heritage.

The historical authenticity of historic urban areas has been compromised, and community cohesion has declined, necessitating comprehensive methods to systematically identify spatial textures and socio-cultural transformation characteristics. This study investigates the Jianxi Historic Urban Area in Luoyang from a Historic Urban Landscape perspective, integrating GIS, sDNA tools, and semi-structured interviews to analyze material spatial evolution and socio-cultural shifts. The findings reveal stable street network structures enhanced by road expansions, functional intensification marked by rising residential density and tertiary sector growth, and high replacement rates of 1950s–1960s buildings that improved the area’s physical quality but disrupted historical continuity and heritage integrity. Material transformations fragmented collective memory and reshaped residents’ sense of place identity. This research proposes sustainable renewal strategies, emphasizing refined gradient control models, community identity revitalization, and participatory decision-making, offering actionable insights for regenerating historic urban areas.

This study investigates 101 hospital heritage sites in Shaanxi (1889–1992). It addresses the lack of a standardized definition and fragmented research on Chinese hospital heritage. Data were collected from Shaanxi local records, hospital architectural documents, and satellite imagery. These were supplemented by interviews with 33 stakeholders directly involved in or associated with hospital heritage conservation to assess heritage values. GIS analysis revealed four distinct spatiotemporal stages: Introduction of Western medicine (1889–1936), Medical care in time of war (1937–1949), The healthcare system after the establishment of PRC (1950–1978), and Healthcare reform in the context of economic transition (1979–1992). Significant regional disparities were observed across these stages. Spatiotemporal analysis of historical and contemporary satellite imagery revealed three conservation patterns of original sites. To assess multidimensional values, grounded theory analysis identified nine main dimensions (including emotional significance, cluster value, and technological heritage) with 31 initial categories exhibiting complex interdependencies. Collectively, the findings highlight systemic challenges in Shaanxi’s hospital heritage conservation, particularly neglect and incompatible reuse, underscoring urgent protection needs. This framework provides theoretical underpinnings for optimizing hospital heritage resource allocation and implementing sustainable conservation strategies.