A Data-Driven Conceptual Framework for Sensory Activation and Circular Reinvestment of Inaccessible Urban Waterfronts

Urban waterfront spaces that are ecologically sensitive often remain visually prominent yet inaccessible, posing a management challenge: how to generate public engagement and economic value without physical access. This paper proposes a four-stage socio-ecological framework integrating sensory restoration, behavioral transformation, economic generation, and ecological reinvestment. Using Xianyang Lake in China as a demonstrative case, the study applies six years of phenological records from 36 plant species. Analytic hierarchy process and k-means clustering derive four seasonal sensory palettes, ensuring year-round visual, olfactory, and auditory engagement. A proposed WeChat-based guidance system illustrates how passive sensory exposure could be converted into active behavioral engagement across walking, bridge viewing, and boating. The framework links enhanced experience to a dynamic revenue model and closes the loop by reinvesting proceeds into maintenance and sediment reuse for greenbelt expansion. The empirical component consists of phenological data analysis and seasonal palette derivation, while the socio-economic pathways are presented as testable hypotheses requiring future empirical validation. The findings shift the paradigm from physical to sensory accessibility, offering a conceptually transferable framework for managing inaccessible urban blue-green spaces.