Spatial Morphological Characteristics and Evolution of Traditional Villages in the Mountainous Area of Southwest Zhejiang

Abstract

National-level traditional villages in Liandu District and Qingyuan County, Lishui City, in the southwestern mountainous area of Zhejiang Province serve as research objects in our exploration of the external representation and deep spatial structure changes in traditional village spatial forms from a synchronic and diachronic perspective. We use morphological indices, space syntax, city image surveys, and other analysis methods to reveal the formation and evolution of these forms. We find that: (1) Traditional village boundaries in the mountainous area of southwest Zhejiang are mainly clusters and bands, which are restricted by geographical conditions and tend to expand in the direction of rivers and roads. (2) The original spatial forms of settlements effectively organize the travel activities of local residents and external visitors, while the corresponding two fabric centers basically coincide. However, with the continuous evolution of settlements and the intervention of modern construction projects, the centers have shifted slightly. (3) Factors such as the natural environment, clan consanguinity, and economic and technological conditions jointly act on spatial forms manifesting as “stability maintenance” and “sudden change” games; thus, the forms show overlapping and integration across multiple temporal and spatial points.