Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 2026, 9(1); doi: 10.25236/AJHSS.2026.090105.
Lingqiao Zhang
Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom, DH1 3LE
With the acceleration of urbanization and the increasing scarcity of land resources, how to protect and utilize large-scale cultural heritage sites during urban spatial expansion has become an urgent problem to be solved. Taking cultural heritage site parks as the entry point, this study proposes a strategy of "adaptive development under the premise of protection," aiming to reconcile the conflicts between urban development and heritage conservation through functional reconstruction. The study shows that traditional static conservation models tend to lead to problems such as economic lag in heritage areas, weak awareness of residents in heritage protection, and homogenization of urban landscapes. In contrast, heritage site parks, by integrating archaeological, educational, and recreational functions, can not only alleviate land use conflicts but also activate the social value of cultural heritage. Taking the Xi'an Daming Palace National Archaeological Site Park as an example, its "site itself + modern display" model transforms Tang Dynasty palace ruins into a public space integrating cultural relic protection, science popularization experiences, and cultural tourism and leisure, verifying the feasibility of adaptive development. However, the current construction of heritage site parks still faces challenges such as excessive landscape intervention, shortage of operational funds, and singular display methods. This study provides a theoretical framework and practical paradigm for resolving the binary opposition between urbanization and heritage conservation, which is of great significance for enhancing urban cultural resilience.
Urbanization; Cultural Heritage Protection; Heritage Site Parks
Lingqiao Zhang. Adaptive Development of Cultural Heritage in the Process of Urbanization: A Case Study of Cultural Heritage Site Parks. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2026), Vol. 9, Issue 1: 31-35. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2026.090105.
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