Traditional religious space, urban streetscape, and leisure activities: a case study in Tainan City, Taiwan

Abstract

Tainan City, as the convention city in Taiwan, has accumulated many traditional cultural resources indebted to the traditional religion. These cultural artefacts and landscape have made Tainan City the core of cultural tourism in Taiwan. The cultural landscape also has played an important role in the configuration of Tainan’s modern streetscape and community life. This paper aims to explore the role of traditional religious space in both placemaking and creating a pedestrian-friendly environment in Tainan City. We analyse the changes introduced into the street system since the Ching Dynasty and the relationship of the streetscape to the everyday lives of Tainan citizens. We find that cultural landscape formed by traditional religion gives the streets centrality, which is a key design principle for developing a sense of community and constructing a pedestrian-friendly environment. We provide some suggestions for a pedestrian-friendly environment that consider the roles and functions of the cultural landscape.