Spatiotemporal Distribution and Adaptive Reuse Results Assessment of Beijing Industrial Heritage Based on the Sustainable Renewal Perspective

Abstract

In the context of high-quality urban renewal, we recognize that heritage renewal must align with sustainable conservation. As an important part of cultural heritage, we find that the conservation value of industrial heritage is often undermined in the pre-decision-making and mid-development phases of adaptive reuse, resulting in an imbalance between sustainable conservation and renewal. The study aims to develop a comprehensive, concise, and objective post-development assessment system for the adaptive reuse of industrial heritage. We establish an assessment system based on the “conservation sustainability” and “added value sustainability” of industrial heritage and create a two-dimensional “conservation–reuse” assessment model. Using the geographic information system (GIS), we build a database of Beijing industrial heritage and assess 19 reused samples with the four-quadrant model. The results show that “added value sustainability” fluctuates between 53.3% and 86.7%, while “conservation sustainability” reaches a low of only 50%, with more than half of the heritage having a conservation degree below the average. This highlights the need for stronger conservation efforts. The findings and methodology of this study provide a database and guidelines for decision-makers to adjust reuse models in a timely manner, ensuring sustainable conservation. Compared to previous assessment models, this model is easier to operate and allows decision-makers to control the dynamic balance of “conservation–reuse” in sustainable renewal.