Objectively and accurately identifying the spatial structure and protection scope of intangible cultural heritage and constructing intangible cultural heritage corridors are crucial for the comprehensive systematic protection of intangible cultural heritage and the synergistic development of the region. However, the current research on intangible cultural heritage is limited to the protection and development of intangible cultural heritage in specific locations or specific areas. Thus, systematic and holistic research perspectives are relatively limited. Therefore, this study employs geographic information system spatial analysis and the minimum cumulative resistance model to construct an intangible cultural heritage corridor in the Yellow River Basin. This study aims to establish a systematic protection method and framework for intangible cultural heritage. The results show the following: (1) The intangible cultural heritage in the Yellow River Basin has a large-scale centralized distribution and small-scale scattered distribution, which provides an important spatial basis for the construction of intangible cultural heritage corridors. (2) Overall, intangible cultural heritage corridors can be more effectively constructed in the eastern region of the Yellow River Basin than in the western region, with 84.6% of the area being suitable and 15.4% being unsuitable. (3) Based on the suitability analysis, the "18 + N" corridor system of intangible cultural heritage in the Yellow River Basin, distributed across the eastern, central and southern regions, is constructed. The major corridor has a suitable width of 60–100 km, a total length of 11,935 km, and an area of 625,976 km²–919,942 km², and can connect 634–711 intangible cultural heritage sites in series. On this basis, this study proposes a multilevel construction system for intangible cultural heritage corridors in the Yellow River Basin that integrates the "network structure–spatial scope" and "element–axis–region" levels. This approach culminates in a pattern of intangible cultural heritage protection and development in the Yellow River Basin characterized by "connecting points into lines, distributing in groups, and linking regions." This study reveals that combining geographic information system spatial analysis tools with a minimum cumulative resistance model effectively identifies potential heritage corridor networks and clarifies the hierarchical relationships of heritage element protection in the study area. This approach provides a reference model for the comprehensive protection and systematic development of intangible cultural heritage in the Yellow River Basin. Furthermore, the effectiveness and universality of this framework make it applicable to the protection and development of other similar international heritage areas.

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.

With the advancement of refined urban governance and the construction of high-quality public spaces, street furniture design and usage face multiple challenges, including insufficient public participation and a neglect of actual user experience. These issues highlight the urgent need to establish a scientifically grounded user evaluation framework to inform design practices. This study focuses on Yangzhou Ecological Science and Technology New Town and, drawing on field investigation, grounded theory, and the Delphi method, develops a street furniture design evaluation framework encompassing three core dimensions: planning and configuration, environmental coordination, and operational management. Building on this framework, the Analytic Hierarchy Process and Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation method are employed to conduct a holistic assessment of the street furniture and to identify critical design deficiencies. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework effectively identifies the strengths and weaknesses of street furniture and provides robust support for formulating targeted optimization strategies. The results reveal significant variations in the perceived importance of design factors among different user groups. Residents primarily emphasize practicality and convenience in daily use. Tourists value aesthetic expression and cultural resonance, whereas government officials focus on construction standardization and maintenance efficiency. In terms of satisfaction, all three groups reported relatively low scores, with the ranking as follows: “planning and configuration” > “management and operations” > “environmental coordination.” Based on these findings, the study proposes targeted design guidelines for future practice. The evaluation framework has been adopted by local authorities, incorporated into official street furniture design guidelines, and implemented in pilot projects—demonstrating its practical applicability and value. This research contributes to the theoretical advancement of street furniture design and provides empirical and methodological support for applications in other emerging urban areas and new town developments.

With the acceleration of global urbanisation, the pace of evolution in urban waterfront areas has intensified, consequently hastening the renewal rate of their constituent public spaces. Compared to the macro-level planning and regulation of traditional port and coastal waterfronts, balancing the historical preservation of urban heritage waterfront public spaces with contemporary demands has emerged as a critical issue in urban regeneration. This study examines the historical waterfront area of the Xiaoqinhuai River in Yangzhou, establishing a public space perception evaluation framework encompassing five dimensions: spatial structure, landscape elements, environmental perception, socio-cultural context, and facility systems. This framework comprises 33 secondary indicators. The perception assessment system was developed through a literature review, field research, and expert interviews, refined using the Delphi method, and weighted via the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Finally, cloud modelling was employed to evaluate perceptions among residents and visitors. Findings indicate that spatial structure and socio-cultural dimensions received high perception ratings, highlighting historical layout and cultural identity as strengths of the Xiaoqinhuai Riverfront public space, while significant shortcomings were noted in terms of landscape elements, environmental perception, and facilities. These deficiencies manifest primarily in limited vegetation diversity, inadequate hard paving and surface materials, insufficient landscape node design, poor thermal comfort, suboptimal air quality and olfactory perception, uncomfortable resting facilities, limited activity diversity, and inadequate slip-resistant surfaces. Further analysis reveals perceptual differences between residents and visitors: the former prioritise daily living needs, while the latter emphasise cultural experiences and recreational facilities. Based on these findings, this paper proposes targeted optimisation strategies emphasising the continuity of historical context and enhancement of spatial inclusivity. It recommends improving public space quality through multi-dimensional measures including environmental perception enhancement, landscape system restructuring, and the tiered provision of facilities. This research offers an actionable theoretical framework and practical pathway for the protective renewal, public space reconstruction, and optimisation of contemporary urban historic waterfront areas, demonstrating broad transferability and applicability.

Urbanization's swift advance has positioned outdoor advertising as a vital medium in defining city image, highlighting the urgent need for an aesthetic perception evaluation system for city outdoor advertising. This research aims to develop such a system, providing actionable insights to guide the enhancement of the aesthetic experience of city outdoor advertising. To this end, we identified the factors affecting the aesthetic perception of outdoor advertising in cities through literature, interviews, and questionnaires. We then explored the commonalities and differences in perception judgments between residents and tourists, as well as their priorities for improving the aesthetic perception of city outdoor advertising, using the Kano model and the two-dimensional quadrant analysis of the Satisfaction Increment Index (SII) - Dissatisfaction Decrement Index (DDI). The result reveals that residents and tourists hold distinct perceptions regarding "clear and understandable information" and "offer multilingual support" However, there is a consensus between the two groups on other factors influencing aesthetic perception. Additionally, the research highlights disparities in their priorities for improvement. For residents, "clear and understandable information," "engaging and entertaining," "cultural adaptability," "environmental adaptability," and "provide social service information" are of greater importance. In contrast, tourists place a higher value on "rapid responsiveness." These findings provide theoretical support and practical guidance for urban planners and outdoor advertising designers.

As the development of “smart villages” and “sustainable rural tourism” increasingly becomes a focal point on the global policy agenda, tourism-oriented villages are experiencing a growing demand for digital infrastructure transformation. Against this backdrop, smart outdoor furniture emerges as a noteworthy intervention. However, existing designs for smart outdoor furniture predominantly originate from urban contexts, often failing to align with the distinct preferences, behavioural patterns, and cultural identity of rural users. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining Q-methodology with an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), to explore rural users’ technology acceptance pathways. Through Q-sorting, four typical attitude structures were identified: Pragmatic Function-Oriented, Cultural Concern-Oriented, Smart Enhancement-Oriented, and Technology Anxiety-Oriented. These qualitative insights were integrated into an extended TAM framework and validated through a structured survey (n = 319) using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings confirm that Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use remain the strongest predictors of user attitude and behavioural intention. Among contextual factors, Function Configuration exerts significant positive influence on both PU and PEOU; Cultural Adaptation significantly enhances PU; Social Influence primarily affects PEOU; Smart Features moderately influence both dimensions; and Perceived Cost Structure affects only PU. This research extends the applicability of the TAM model within rural socio-technical contexts. It provides empirical reference for inclusive and sustainable digital infrastructure design in tourism-oriented villages, while offering practical insights and dissemination pathways for smart design strategies in public spaces within similar socio-cultural environments.