Bibliometric Analysis of Urban Historic Districts in the Context of Urban Renewal

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jcte.202506206

Author(s)

Huihua Yang, Shiya Liu*, Zhou Liang

Affiliation(s)

Faculty of Construction, Guangdong Technology College, Zhaoqing, Guangdong, China. *Corresponding Author

Abstract

As urbanization accelerates, the protection and regeneration of historic districts face practical challenges such as vitality decline and deterioration of spatial quality. This study is based on a dataset of 4,024 articles from the Web of Science Core Collection, published between 2000 and 2024. Using bibliometric tools like CiteSpace and R, the research systematically analyzes the knowledge framework and evolution of research on urban historic districts. Through keyword co-occurrence network analysis and clustering mapping, this study identifies the core themes and their development process, forming a research framework centered on three key areas: cultural tourism, digital applications, and urban renewal. The findings reveal the research hotspots exhibit a phased evolutionary characteristic of "heritage preservation - revitalization - sustainable development," with innovative technologies such as digital applications and virtual reality reshaping the protection and development models of historic districts. Besides, the knowledge network map has formed three core knowledge clusters centered around the spatial governance, cultural heritage preservation, and place-making, reflecting the interdisciplinary and integrated nature of the research trend. The knowledge network mapping identifies three key clusters: spatial governance, cultural heritage management, and the creation of place atmosphere in historic districts. These clusters reflect the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary nature of the research. Finally, the study indicates that future development of urban historical districts will focus on the construction of cultural tourism models and the digitalization of historic districts. These directions are expected to be deeply integrated into the institutional framework of urban renewal strategy. Moreover, the results suggest that the integration of cultural tourism and digital technologies not only revitalizes historic districts but also strengthens the sense of place and cultural identity. This research provides a theoretical basis and practical pathways for the protection and regeneration of historical districts, and it recommends that future studies should focus on assessing the social effects of digital tools and exploring sustainable development paths for historic districts within the context of urban renewal.

Keywords

Urban Historic District; Bibliometrics; Knowledge Mapping; Research Frontiers and Trends

References

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