Applying Digital Heritage Technologies for Sustainable Conservation of Shenyang’s Square City

Abstract

The Square City of Shenyang, surrounding the Shenyang Imperial Palace World Heritage Site, has experienced significant transformation over the past four decades. Although buffer-zone regulations have helped protect the visual setting of the heritage property, traditional hutongs, historic urban morphology, and cultural landscapes continue to face redevelopment pressure. Building on previous research into the evolution of the Square City, this study explores the application of digital heritage technologies to support sustainable conservation. A Digital Heritage Information Model (DHIM) was developed using historical maps, planning documents, field surveys, and archival records. In addition, a Priority Conservation Framework integrating heritage value and conservation risk was established to support conservation decision-making. The results indicate that digital heritage technologies can improve heritage documentation, monitoring, and management while facilitating the implementation of the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach. The study proposes a practical framework for integrating digital heritage, urban landscape conservation, and sustainable development, providing a reference for the management of historic urban areas and World Heritage buffer zones in China.

Keywords

• Digital Heritage
• Historic Urban Landscape
• Shenyang Square City
• Heritage Database
• Sustainable Conservation

References

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