A graphical method of presenting property rights, building types, and residential behaviors: A case study of Xiaoxihu historic area, Nanjing

One of the main reasons for the decline of urban historic areas in China is the co-existence of multiple property rights. It also deeply affects conservation and regeneration practice. This paper aims to propose a graphical method that illustrates the association between property rights, space, and resident behavior. Based on typological maps and justified graphs, a three-step method was proposed to visualize the relationships between these three elements. The final graph and quantitative data were used to observe the evolution of the courtyard building from a diachronic perspective, as well as to compare the residential behavior in different types from a synchronic perspective. The results show that following the subdivision of property rights, the building layout become more diverse due to various illegal additions, while the residential behavior within different building types tends to be consistent. Moreover, the study observed the traditional Chinese courtyard buildings’ adaptability. The findings contribute to understand the evolution of Chinese urban historic areas and internal motivation, and provide guidance for the conservation and regeneration practice.