Pedestrian accessibility of public space is a crucial basis for ensuring public equality in sharing resources and enhancing spatial vitality and utilization efficiency. This research applied complex network theory to examine pedestrian accessibility in industrial heritage renovated public spaces, integrating the node efficiency model with an improved gravity model to propose the node accessibility model. By taking Xi’an Banpo International Art District as a case study, 13 public spaces were selected and categorized into categories to identify the current characteristics and key deficiencies. The results showed that public space pedestrian accessibility shows a positive correlation with the quality of the spaces, though individual nodes may deviate due to network effects. Correlation analyses indicated that an appropriate road setting in public spaces contributed to positive pedestrian accessibility of the whole district; however, poor spatial environment and lack of arts and cultural atmosphere were key reasons for low pedestrian accessibility. In response, four strategies for improving the pedestrian accessibility of public spaces in industrial heritage renovated districts were proposed, which included industrialization of public transport space, peripheral space integration, entrance space transition, and internal space enhancement. This study provides scientific methodology and theoretical guidance for the optimization of public space in industrial heritage renovated projects and contributes new insights into industrial heritage preservation and urban space renewal.

Conventional spatial network analysis relies on topological metrics that neglect visitor behavioral dimensions, leading to systematic mismatches between structural centrality and actual spatial vitality. This study proposed a revised node efficiency model that incorporated three visitor-centric parameters: space attractiveness, quantified by the type, frequency, and duration of on-site activities; a visitor inflow coefficient reflecting dynamic crowd aggregation; and path attraction impedance, accounting for the flow-retention effects along pedestrian routes. The model was validated using field observation data from 20 public space nodes at Xi’an Banpo International Art District. Comparative analysis against conventional node efficiency and degree centrality metrics revealed substantial discrepancies between topologically critical nodes and those that actually sustain visitor vitality. Two distinct types of supply-demand mismatches were identified, namely network-oriented potential spaces and activity-oriented potential spaces, and differentiated intervention strategies were proposed. These findings demonstrate that incorporating visitor activity characteristics reshapes the assessment of node importance, offering a human-centered diagnostic lens for public space analysis. This approach provides a methodological framework for evidence-based spatial intervention, with empirical validation in the context of industrial heritage renewal, and suggests promising directions for further testing in other urban public space typologies.