Assessment of the Remains in Historic Urban Area Based on Spatial Prototype: Case Study on JingMen City, China

Like most historic and cultural cities in China, the historic urban area of JingMen city is facing a typical spatial problem of fragmentation and fuzzification. This study is focused on exploring a method for evaluating the existing values of historic urban area based on spatial prototype. As the spatial elements and built-up relationship of historic city, spatial prototype has habitual structural characteristics and formal modulus. It is the inherent logic and order rules behind the scattered historic environment, providing a clue to understand the spatial characteristics and a basis for guiding the construction and conservation in historic urban areas. Three criteria, the resolution of historical elements, the integrity of historical structure and the renewal potential of associated land, were selected to construct the assessment system. These three dimensions are linked to the spatial prototype and its constituent elements, as well as the transformation relationship in ancient and present day. The results showed that historic urban areas have changed from a holistic city to different existing types dominated by their historic structure elements. Finally, a constructive-conservation strategy should be adopted to enhance the integrity of historic urban area based on the trace of spatial prototype and evaluation results.