Industrial Heritage Research Articles

Optimization of building thermal environment in industrial heritage landscape regeneration design simulation based on image visual visualization

With the increasing attention paid to the regeneration design of industrial heritage landscape, how to effectively improve the thermal energy environment in these areas has become a research hotspot. The thermal efficiency of buildings not only affects the energy consumption, but also relates to the comfort of users and the sustainable development of the region. This study aims to explore the optimization method of building thermal energy environment based on image visual visualization, so as to achieve efficient regeneration of industrial heritage landscape, and improve the thermal energy performance and environmental adaptability of buildings through scientific design and simulation means. Through the use of computer aided design (CAD) and building information modeling (BIM) techniques, combined with heat flow simulation and visual image analysis, a detailed thermal environment assessment is carried out for selected industrial heritage buildings. Through data collection and analysis, we take into account factors such as sunlight, ventilation and heat loss in the building to develop an optimization plan. The simulation results show that the energy consumption of buildings with optimized thermal environment design is significantly reduced and the indoor thermal comfort is greatly improved. Visual tools effectively help the design team identify problem areas and provide intuitive data support for all parties during the design process. The optimization method of building thermal energy environment based on image visual visualization provides a new idea for the regeneration design of industrial heritage landscape, which helps to realize the dual goals of protecting the historical value and meeting the needs of modern environmental protection.

Design of China's Modern Parks in Post-industrial Territories: Project Approaches in the Processing of Industrial Heritage

The transformation of industrial heritage is an essential issue in the urban development process in China. Currently, most of China’s industrial heritage has undergone numerous changes. Such territories, where industrial buildings are stored, have undergone adaptive changes for recreational use. Therefore, the purpose of the research was to establish project approaches to the processing of industrial heritage and the formation of modern Chinese parks in post-industrial territories. Research methods. Achieving the goal of this work involves studying the object and identifying various types of connections that exist in it, which determines the use of a systemic approach. In the process of conducting the research, both the comparative-historical method and the morphological and compositional methods were used. Their inclusion in the research procedure made it possible to consider the park environment as a complex compositional structure characterised by the interrelationship between functional and morphological solutions and the artistic characteristics of park environment design. Scientific novelty. For the first time, the work systematises material on the usage of industrial heritage objects in the design of modern parks created on post-industrial territories. Project approaches to its development have been established. Conclusions. The contem porary approach in the processes of renewal of industrial heritage is characterised by the transition from only adaptive reuse to the creation of urban cultural landscapes. This is due to combining the original industrial texture with the new design, which forms a landscape with unique characteristics. Scale is the most characteristic feature of industrial heritage. This scale marks industrial buildings and individual equipment that characterises a particular territory. The following project approaches have been established in the processing of buildings: exposing the frameworks of industrial buildings while preserving their authentic appearance, when the brutal textures of building materials of industrial buildings act as carriers of memory; another approach – frame structures in the environment of the park landscape are solved as expressive accents thanks to bright painting, lighting, wrapping with a glass shell. Also, an expressive object of industrial heritage is the equipment that ensured the production process in each production. Depending on the type of this equipment, several approaches are distinguished in its processing: large-sized objects retain their original appearance, are brightly painted, and play the role of visual anchors in the park environment, marking the identity of the area; as for small individual elements of production equipment, they become art objects, organising specific areas of the park.

Design and Test of a Multi-Media Web Platform Prototype Based on People’s Preferences to Increase Cultural Heritage Awareness

Cultural heritage significantly influences the transmission of history from the past to the present and future. The core of protecting cultural heritage is inheritance, making sure the heritages can be sustainable forever. Various ICT methods facilitate the dissemination and preservation of cultural heritage information. However, traditional ICT platforms often focus on official authority perspectives, neglecting users’ preferences for retrieving cultural heritage information. To address this, a hypothetical media platform was developed to collect people’s preferences for cultural heritage content and media types through a questionnaire, leading to the creation of a new multi-media platform. For demonstration purposes, Strijp-S, an industrial cultural heritage site in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, was used as a case study. A questionnaire was administered to test the prototype’s effectiveness and compare it with a comprehensive search engine like Google. Independent and paired-samples t-tests were conducted to analyze the results, demonstrating that the dedicated multi-media platform prototype was more effective than Google in raising awareness of Strijp-S. These findings indicate that a platform designed based on users’ preferences can enhance public awareness of cultural heritage. This approach can assist policymakers in developing platforms to promote local cultural heritage effectively.

Spatial Remodeling of Industrial Heritage from the Perspective of Urban Renewal: A Case Study of Coal Mine Site in Jiaozuo City

Resource-oriented cities are faced with the problems of the decline of traditional industries, exhaustion of resources, and wastage of space. Faced with these problems, urban renewal has become an important role and is widely used in the reuse of old and abandoned spaces. As a historical witness of the industrial revolution and urbanization process, coal mine industrial heritage not only has the value of material heritage but also carries rich historical and cultural information. However, with the adjustment of industrial structure, much coal mine industrial heritage has gradually lost its original production function and become neglected idle space in cities, and industrial buildings and equipment in these spaces have been abandoned or dismantled. The study takes the Wangfeng Mine site in Jiaozuo City, Henan Province as an example, combined with the urban development history and current situation of Jiaozuo city, it discusses the remodeling strategy of industrial heritage space from the perspective of urban renewal. Firstly, through case analysis, historical data sorting, and field research, the study integrated the historical development context of the Jiaozuo coal mine site and its impact on the urban spatial pattern, secondly, discussed the practical problems in the reuse process of industrial sites, and finally proposed specific spatial remodeling strategies based on the conjugation theory. This included determining how to deal with the three pairs of conjugated relations between protection and development, function and ecology, and history and modernity so as to make the spatial remodeling strategy of industrial sites more scientific and sustainable. To promote the sustainable and healthy development of urban industrial heritage space.

Understanding community perspective on the heritage of locality: memory map methodology

PurposeCommunity involvement in heritage preservation requires appropriate approaches. Sanciai (in Lithuanian: Šanciai) historic district in Kaunas (Lithuania) has long-lasting military and industrial heritage, valuable urban structure and connections to the natural frame of the city. Sanciai residents’ willingness to participate in heritage preservation and urban planning prompted the aim of this research – to develop, test and present the mapping methodology, that would be applicable in the process of community involvement into heritage identification, preservation, interpretation and creation process.Design/methodology/approachThe methods of research included analysis of literature and theoretical research, development and testing of the methodology for the community involvement in heritage identification, preservation, interpretation and creation process. The workshop methodology and interactive online map are presented in this research. The memory map methodology developed and presented in this research includes the elements of mental mapping, design thinking and citizen science.FindingsThe methodology was tested in spring of 2021 in two-day online workshops with the students of pro-gymnasium located in Sanciai. Workshop participants together with workshop coordinator and moderators created different layers of the mental map, collected stories from the members of community and gathered the data for online interactive Sanciai memory map. The evaluation of the methodology and workshop results allowed concluding that memory map methodology is a functioning participant, community and research-oriented approach that can be applied in diverse heritage and community related circumstances.Originality/valueThe originality of the research is determined by the synergistic nature of developed memory map methodology which complements traditional mental mapping with creative hands-on techniques, empathy-oriented tasks and interactive online tool. Moreover, the research reveals the importance of local-global connections in urban studies as active local community became the stimulus for memory map methodology. The two-fold aim of the methodology – community cohesion and empowerment as well as research data collection – contributes to the originality of the research as well.

Ghosts in the coalfields: the spectral geographies of post-industrial spaces in Sunderland

The social and material landscapes of post-industrialisation in the North East of England are replete with the ghosts of past. It is important to consider and examine the area’s demolished buildings, buried identities, people lost and ideas forgotten because they are important in contextualising contemporary issues of social inequality, economic disparity with the rest of the UK and lack of infrastructure that persists in the region. Transformed uses of colliery spaces, visually serve to re-ruralise the spaces between colliery towns, however, the spectral legacy of industrial heritage remains in economic, historical and ideological imaginings of place. This short essay offers a literary walk through Elemore Park and Herrington Country Park, sites Former colliery sites situated in the Coalfields area of the City of Sunderland. I walk through the present landscape, but imagine, in italicised interpolations, the ‘ghosts’ of people, ideas, ideologies, actions that still haunt the contemporary endeavour to renovate. I address the unease that remains in re-ruralised post-industrial spaces in a literary style that seeks to perform that spectrality.

Implementing an adaptive reuse on industrial buildings: a proposal for transforming Erbil’s Silo in Kurdistan-Iraq into a hotel

Industrial buildings, serving as markers of cultural heritage, connect our cultural identity from the past through the present and into the future. Unfortunately, many of these buildings lose their identity when they are converted into another function. Through the case study analysis (the Silo of Erbil City), a qualitative method is employed to examine design strategies and spatial transformations in recent adaptive reuse projects of existing structures. Through the literature review, this research investigates the importance of adaptive reuse and heritage buildings, underscoring their historical and theoretical underpinnings, and subsequently examines contemporary approaches to architectural criteria towards habitation for existing structures in the public, creative, and cultural domains. The study findings identify common fundamental elements of industrial heritage adaptive reuse and innovative design strategies applied in recent adaptive reuse projects, highlighting the potential to transform neglected or vacant abandoned buildings into urban open spaces. The study uses a comprehensive methodology involving case study analyses and diverse data collection techniques. The case study properties are the structural systems, natural lighting, and the surrounding open spaces. As a result, a hotel with a multipurpose hall, and a museum dedicated to the history of the Silo have been proposed, aiming at conserving the valuable heritage in this industrial area as well as providing an alternative perspective for the adaptive reuse of industrial structures in Erbil city. Finally, the implications of the research for the economic and social dimensions of urban development lie in understanding and promoting sustainable preservation strategies. This work is considered the first step for future research in Iraq, specifically in Kurdistan Region. The research concludes that the Silo of Erbil is one of the successful examples of the process of reusing buildings. It also concludes that less intervention in reusing a building can protect the building identity.

Adaptive practices of working with industrial heritage in a historical settlement

Examples of industrial heritage located in a historical urban environment that have partially or completely lost their original function are considered. An analysis of world and domestic practices in working with similar objects is carried out, the possibility of their adaptation to use in the conditions of the historical settlement of the city of Samara is assessed. Based on the conducted research, a number of techniques have been identified that make it possible to competently adapt industrial facilities and industrial territories to modern use, while revealing their architectural, construction, historical and cultural potential. The above practices of working with industrial heritage objects can be applied when developing a strategy for the renovation of partially used or lost their original function historical objects of industrial architecture in the historical settlement of Samara and in a number of historical settlements with similar characteristics.

The Influence of Environmental Factors, Perception, and Participation on Industrial Heritage Tourism Satisfaction—A Study Based on Multiple Heritages in Shanghai

With the increasing public awareness and strength of industrial heritage protection, industrial heritage plays an increasingly important role in tourism after transformation and upgrading. The influence of built environment factors and visitors’ participation on satisfaction has been fully confirmed, but the primary and secondary relationships between the two variables remain unclear. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships between the built environment, tourist participation, and tourism satisfaction, and compare the actual loads of different routes to find the dominant variable. The data of this study came from three industrial heritage renovation projects in Shanghai with remarkable transformation results. Field investigations and questionnaire surveys were conducted on them, and a total of 362 valid samples were received. Descriptive statistical analysis and structural equation models were used to analyze the data. Two paths of “built environment–tourism satisfaction” and “tourist participation–tourism satisfaction” are compared and demonstrated. The path coefficient of the former is 0.63, while that of the latter is 0.77, and the influence of the latter is more significant than that of the former. The study creatively found the audience orientation of both sexes for different types of experience activities, confirmed the mediating effect of subjective perception, and provided the following suggestions for managers of built industrial cultural heritage. Interactive experiences and guided tours deepen visitors’ understanding of the historical and cultural value of industrial heritage. Virtual reality and augmented reality technologies can be introduced to provide an immersive visit experience and attract a wider audience to participate, effectively enhancing the attractiveness of and satisfaction with industrial heritage tourism.

Application and renovation evaluation of Dalian's industrial architectural heritage based on AHP and AIGC.

This paper takes the example of industrial architectural heritage in Dalian to explore design scheme generation methods based on generative artificial intelligence (AIGC). The study compares the design effects of three different tools using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). It first establishes the key indicator weights for the renovation of industrial architectural heritage, with the criterion layer weights as follows: building renovation 0.230, environmental landscape 0.223, economic benefits 0.190, and socio-cultural value 0.356. Among the goal layer weights, the highest weight is for the improvement of living quality at 0.129, followed by resident satisfaction at 0.096, and educational and display functions at 0.088, while the lowest is for renovation costs at only 0.035. The design schemes are generated using Stable Diffusion, Mid Journey, and Adobe Firefly tools, and evaluated using a weighted scoring method. The results show that Stable Diffusion excels in overall image control, Mid Journey demonstrates strong artistic effects, while Adobe Firefly stands out in generation efficiency and ease of use. In the overall score, Stable Diffusion leads the other two tools with scores of 6.1 and 6.3, respectively. Compared to traditional design processes, these tools significantly shorten the design workflow and cycle, improving design quality and efficiency while also providing rich creative inspiration. Overall, although current generative artificial intelligence tools still have limitations in understanding human emotions and cultural differences, with continuous technological iteration, this method is expected to play a larger role in the design field, offering more innovative solutions for the renovation of industrial architectural heritage.

Sustainability Performance Differences of Industrial Heritage Regeneration Implementation Modes

In high-density cities around the world, the contradiction of sustaining development and limited resources has become more evident. Transforming historic industrial buildings, through both functional and spatial adjustments, has emerged as a key strategy to manage these challenges effectively. There is a significant demand for the quick regeneration of industrial heritage districts, resulting in the emergence of various implementation modes (IMs). While the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have gained widespread acceptance, the integration of sustainability principles into urban regeneration practices has strengthened globally. However, in many regions, approaches to achieving sustainable regeneration are still unclear, with a lack of evaluation and adjustment of sustainability performance (SP). This paper combines qualitative analysis and a quantitative assessment of indicators to compare three representative case studies with different IMs. It explores whether there is a connection between the chosen IM and SP, examines the mechanisms of impact, and discusses how to select the most suitable IM for industrial heritage regeneration. The study confirms the practicality of an SP evaluation system and identifies key factors within IMs that affect SP. Future research is expected to produce tools that support the promotion of sustainability in industrial heritage regeneration efforts.

Intangible cultural heritage transmission: empowering generations through Emirati handicrafts at Turath center

PurposeIn order to preserve and honor authentic Bedouin Emirati heritage history, the Turath Centre for Traditional Handicrafts, which operates under the supervision of the Art authority of Dubai culture, which is essential. The center aims and its strategy for cultural preservation, then the effects of its operations on community development are all explored in this article.Design/methodology/approachThe goals and strategies employed by the Turath Centre to promote traditional Emirati crafts are analyzed in this study using the qualitative methodology that blends historical analysis and ethnographical research. It also examines the effects of the center's training programs and workshops. This study reveals the methods the Turath Centre uses to disseminate cultural heritage through a thorough analysis of the supporting documentation and on-site observations.FindingsAccording to the research, the Turath Center effectively instructs community people in a variety of craft areas, such as traditional weaving, silversmith work, and burqa sewing and intangible facets of Emirati history though Al Talli and Al Sadu Weave. This study highlights the value of the Turath Centre's contribution to community development and preservation of Emirati heritage though younger generations.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough this study offers insightful information, there are certain limitations. Specifically, more research is required to evaluate the efforts of the Turath Center's adaptability and impact over time.Practical implicationsThe results highlighted the consideration to these educational programs and their capacity to foster heritage industries, increase cultural tourism, and promote Emirati culture internationally.Social implicationsBy enhancing Bedouin heritage culture and encouraging pride and identity among community members, the Turath Center's activities support unity in society.Originality/valueThis research offers valuable insights into the Turath Centre's role in preserving Bedouin Emirati heritage and fostering community development, the center symbolizes Dubai's aim for cultural growth and makes a significant contribution to cultural preservation.

Research on Spatial Morphological Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Industrial Heritage: A Case Study of Nine Industrial Heritages in Guizhou Province

Industrial heritage, recognized as a significant aspect of historical and cultural heritage, has garnered considerable attention from scholars globally. To elucidate the spatial morphological characteristics and the underlying influencing factors of industrial heritage within karst regions, this study employs methods such as the interstice index, fractal dimension analysis, and spatial syntax. It conducts research on the spatial morphological characteristics of nine typical industrial heritages in Guizhou Province. The primary factors contributing to the variations in layout forms are the intricate karst topography and the functional requirements of production. The functional zoning of industrial heritage aligns with its layout, characterized by straightforward functional zones that have not developed into composite spaces. The overall connectivity of industrial heritage is relatively low, exhibiting weak integration, significant disparities in control values, low average depth values, and a deficiency in comprehensibility and diversity of options. This indicates that the internal connectivity of industrial heritage spaces is generally inadequate, with low accessibility, strong interrelations, average convenience, limited connectivity, and generally acceptable passage. The overall spatial, architectural, and roadway configurations of industrial heritage predominantly exhibit a uniform pattern. Importantly, industrial heritage reveals a highly variable overall spatial form, with an average fractal dimension of 1.57, complex architectural layouts (average fractal dimension of 1.50), and simplistic road network designs (average fractal dimension of 1.43), which collectively suggest high spatial complexity and irregular characteristics. This study can provide a reference for the analysis of spatial characteristics and influencing factors of other material cultural heritages, and it is of great significance for the systematic protection and revitalization of industrial heritage.

Industrial Heritage and Cultural Clusters: More Than a Temporary Affair?

The transformation of industrial heritage buildings into cultural clusters has emerged as a prominent topic of academic research in urban planning, urban studies, heritage conservation, and architecture. Cultural clusters, defined as geographically concentrated cultural activities and organisations, have become a key instrument in urban regeneration, fostering economic growth and cultural development. Despite the benefits that cultural clusters offer in terms of fostering cultural activity, they often prove to be short-lived due to various external factors, including urban regeneration pressures, shifts in policy, and changes in zoning regulations. This thematic issue presents seven case studies that offer insights into the current state of cultural clusters, their transient nature, and the conditions necessary to guarantee their long-term sustainability in industrial heritage sites. The research is particularly relevant in light of the mounting pressure on urban land, where industrial heritage sites are frequently repurposed for residential, commercial, or industrial purposes.

Spatial Politics of Cultural Production: Negotiating Workspaces and Resisting Displacement at Industrial Heritage Sites in Berlin

Derelict industrial spaces have been crucial spatial resources for artists and cultural production for decades, often forming vibrant cultural clusters. However, these spaces are increasingly threatened by speculative real-estate development and displacement through more “productive” creative industries. The case of Alte Münze in Berlin provides empirical insight into the politics, practices, and strategies essential for preserving these heritage sites in the long term for cultural use. This research underscores the need for supportive planning regulations that combine cultural policy with urban planning, advocate for public-civic partnerships, and promote public or community-based ownership models. The findings extend to small-scale manufacturers and businesses facing similar challenges in maintaining workspaces amid competitive urban land use pressures.

Historical Quarry Landscapes of Three Finnish Granites

The quarry landscapes of Virolahti, Uusikaupunki, and Vehmaa are results of quarry operations during the most important periods of natural stone quarrying in Finland. The quarry landscape in Virolahti was formed in connection to the quarrying of red Virolahti pyterlite for the construction of St. Petersburg in Russia from the middle of 1700s to the beginning of the 1900s, while in Uusikaupunki, the quarry landscape is connected to the start of the modern Finnish stone industry and the National Romantic architecture at the beginning of the 1900s. The quarry landscape in Vehmaa is related to the start of the modern Finnish stone industry and export of Finnish granite at the beginning of the 1900s. In Virolahti, several small quarries can be seen, while in Vehmaa, a tendency towards fewer, but larger quarries start to emerge. In each area, human settlement was formed around the quarries. The geological basis for all areas is a rock type suitable for natural stone quarrying. The geotechnical features of each rock type indicate high resistance to wear and the products from these areas are early examples of durable construction. The quarry landscapes represent well the typical quarrying technology of the time and its development from channelling by chisels through hand drilling to mechanical drilling and blasting. The quarry areas form unique industrial and cultural heritage landscapes in Finland.

Exploring the Temporal, Spatial and Characteristic Trends and Key Influencing Factors of Tianjin’s Industrial Heritage

Tianjin is currently in the phase of urban stock renewal, yet its industrial heritage encounters significant challenges, including constrained spatial development, a misalignment between industrial progress and the reuse of industrial heritage, and an understated cultural representation. This study utilized geospatial analysis methods, including kernel density analysis, standard deviation ellipse analysis, and gravity migration model analysis, to elucidate the distribution characteristics of Tianjin’s industrial heritage across temporal, spatial, and typological dimensions. Moreover, a geographic detector was employed to assess the impact of various factors on the development of Tianjin’s industrial heritage, ultimately elucidating the correlations between existing challenges and objective patterns. The conclusion of this paper presents three strategic approaches for the renewal of industrial heritage, emphasizing historical culture, environmental space, and sustainable development. These strategies are designed to provide a solid research foundation for protecting and revitalizing Tianjin’s industrial heritage resources.

Self-supporting thin Shells in Italy. Space and Structure of the Industrial Buildings (1930-1970)

In the Twentieth Century, the industrial buildings featured a broad experimentation on the load-bearing structures suited to the production spaces. Among the structural elements explicitly designed for factories were reinforced concrete thin shells. In Italy, where reinforced concrete was the predominant construction technique for the entire century, the evolution of the thin shells for industrial buildings traced a significant story: starting from the introduction of foreign systems and patents in the 1920s, the design and construction of the thin shells gradually stacked to national productive and technological specificities. This paper presents a historical investigation of the application of thin shells in Italy between 1930 and 1970, remarking, thus, the local contribution of Italian contractors and designers in the evolution of both the design solutions and production process. Furthermore, the study presents a systematic historical and technical framework related to thin shells to support the actions of knowledge and safeguard the industrial building heritage.

Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s K2 Telephone Kiosk — A Design Classic

ABSTRACT The red telephone kiosk or box has become synonymous with Britain, standing as an icon of national identity. Yet, of all the versions of kiosk that have been introduced, only two have achieved this exalted status. This paper explores how the telephone box evolved within the UK, details the circumstances that led to an architect becoming involved in their development, and describes how Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s design was transformed into Britain’s K2 kiosk, the first of the iconic red telephone boxes. Thereafter the paper considers issues of kiosk deployment, explains why few K2s can be found outside London and concludes with a description of the onward development of the K2 and its eventual replacement by a second Scott design, the K6. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s K2 kiosk forms an important part of Industrial Heritage for it not only enabled the growth of public telephones in London but also established the humble telephone box as a thing of utility combined with beauty.

Protection Mechanisms and Revitalization Strategies for Industrial Heritage

Industrial heritage is a product of the Industrial Revolution and an important asset for a country or region. The protection and revitalization of industrial heritage have become pressing tasks in the present era. In the new era, it is essential, on the one hand, to establish a comprehensive and scientific policy system for industrial heritage protection by creating specialized protection agencies and ensuring strong governmental support. On the other hand, revitalization strategies should be developed based on practical needs, such as transforming industrial heritage into cultural and art centers, converting it into creative industry parks, and integrating industrial heritage resources into tourism and leisure industries. These strategies aim to ensure the comprehensive protection and sustainable use of industrial heritage.