Study on the adaptability of traditional architecture in agricultural heritage sites after tourism intervention—a case study of Huzhou Digang Food Street in China

Abstract

Traditional architecture in agricultural heritage sites (AHSs) embodies the livelihood of local communities and residents, which is an important part of the AHS. However, with the intervention of tourism, some of the traditional architecture in AHSs has gradually transformed into simple use for tourism, without reflecting the cultural connotations of agricultural heritage systems, as well as the farming wisdom of the AHS. This paper takes Digang Food Street in Huzhou, China as an example, which is in the core protection area of the Huzhou mulberry-dyke and fish-pond system, combining comparative analysis and geographical system analysis to explore the adaptive transformation in decoration, structure, spatial layout and functional form of buildings after the development of the tourism industry. The dynamic relationship among traditional architecture, sustainable development of tourism and conservation of agriculture heritage is also analysed, expecting to provide some experience and reference for the conservation of other AHSs.