Objective Throughout the world, iconic and typical post-industrial landscape in urban areas has become a research topic of great interest to landscape architects. American and German landscape architects have been major promoters and contributors to the theory and practice of post-industrial landscape, and are continuously deepening their perception and exploration of post-industrial landscape from multiple perspectives. In fact, although the conception of post-industrial landscape has manifested a diversified development trend, few studies have been conducted to systematically comparative analysis on the cognitive dimensions, basic connotations, core essentials, related laws and regulations, development strategies, and planning and design features of post-industrial landscape in both countries. Moreover, the comprehension of post-industrial landscape in a broad sense should not be limited to the spatial and temporal analysis of the transformation of industrial wastelands as well as the interpretation of specific ideas and methods of landscape planning and design, but a holistic understanding is expected to be formed in the critical reconstruction of urban landscape. Therefore, the research on the comparison of post-industrial landscape between the USA and Germany is established to reflect on the close connection between the transformation of urban landscape and the theoretical achievements thereof and the development of post-industrial landscape, to expand the research content and socio-cultural cognitive dimension of existing post-industrial landscape, and to provide systematic ideas for the development of post-industrial landscape in China and the formation of a landscape paradigm thereof at both theoretical and practical levels.

Methods In the evolution of urban landscape as a real expression of the contemporary city, the defined urban image in the industrial era has been disrupted, and in the process of de-industrialization, urban derelict lands have emerged at multiple scales. In this context, landscape architects need to conduct the realignment and reconstruction of contemporary urban landscape connotations. Based on the reconstruction of urban landscape, this research defines a new concept of urban landscape from a sociological perspective, with the heterogeneous urban landscape being considered as a broad concept of space, and a complex product of social and spatial interactions. On this basis, the research, by the categorical research approach, clarifies the two concepts of American landscape urbanism and German landscape structuralism based on critical rationalism, laying the foundation for a critical analysis of urban landscape in the both countries. Furthermore, by the comparative analysis approach, the research identifies the consensus and difference between the two countries' post-industrial landscape based on the perception and reconstruction of urban landscape. The consensus means that post-industrial landscape is detached from the local context thereof and gradually integrated into the global spatial flows of matter, energy, resources and services, while the difference indicates that diverse and specific social, cultural and ecological connotations are re-embedded in the transformation of the post-industrial landscape.

Results Based on categorical research and comparative analysis, the research finds that the critical perception and reconstruction of urban landscape in the USA and Germany are reflected in the dynamic system of man-made spaces from the perspective of organic functionalism and in the understanding of social and spatial forms of nature beyond the infrastructure perspective. The process-oriented landscape urbanism featuring organic turn understands urban landscape reconstruction as the formation of a fluid ecological surface, while the form-oriented landscape structuralism featuring space in turn understands urban landscape reconstruction as the shaping of structural complexes. Based on the critical comparison of urban landscape, the consensus between the American and German post-industrial landscape is reflected in the systematic development and diverse paradigms of post-industrial landscape in the context of urban landscape transformation, while the basic connotations, core ideas, related laws and regulations, development strategies and planning and design features of post-industrial landscape reflect the great differences therebetween.

Conclusion To sum up, as an essential type of contemporary urban landscape, post-industrial landscape can promote the evolution of urban landscape connotations, while serving as a crucial vehicle for developing human-nature-land relationships. The new perception of urban landscape from a sociological perspective can provide a holistic understanding of post-industrial landscape, which closely links the transformation of urban industrial wastelands with the critical reconstruction of urban landscape. In the context of urban landscape transformation, the American landscape urbanism and the German landscape structuralism have deeply influenced the systematic comprehension of post-industrial landscape by landscape architects in the USA and Germany. The exploration of diverse landscape paradigms can lead landscape architects to develop a continuous, dynamic and rational perception of post-industrial landscape, forming a unique landscape typology based on the collective wisdom and reflection. As to China, it is of utmost importance for future research to develop and refine the Chinese post-industrial landscape paradigm and search for a unique development path for post-industrial landscape. In conclusion, the aforementioned content worthy of continued exploration can not only serve as the key to the development of post-industrial landscape in the USA and Germany, but also provide some crucial ideas for China at both the theoretical and practical levels.