Objective Contemporary urban landscape is heterogeneous, whose renaissance is grounded in a thorough examination of historical landscape evolution within a broader regional context. In 2011, UNESCO published the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape, which defines historic urban landscape (HUL) as the urban area understood as the result of a historic layering of cultural and natural values and attributes. From a layering perspective, landscape is a spatial entity with both synchronic and diachronic characteristics, covering broader spatial scales and temporal dimensions. HUL implementation often faces tensions between conservation and development. The perspective of layering deepens the understanding of the spatio-temporal characteristics of urban landscape, and offers a design framework for the inherent dynamism and complexity of urban landscape.
Methods To clarify the diachronic and synchronic characteristics of landscape from the perspective of layering, this research reviews related concepts, including layer, stratum, stratification, palimpsest, etc., across multiple disciplines, such as geography, archaeology, history, linguistics, and phenomenology. This research explores the concept of layering from three dimensions: sequential stratum, deep surface, and critical history. Based on these, the spatio-temporal complexity of urban landscapes is analyzed, and novel design approaches are proposed.
Results Layering can be defined as an understanding of the continuity of historical development and the persistence of the past within the present. It constitutes an integrated, dynamic, and multidimensional spatio-temporal perspective, which can be articulated in the three aspects of sequential stratum, deep surface, and critical history. The concept of layering originates from geology and has since been explored and referenced in disciplines such as archaeology, history, linguistics, and phenomenology. Layering in physical space is visibly evident, as geological stratigraphy and archaeological stratigraphy reveal the temporal and spatial continuity of strata. The geological concept of deep time further embeds temporal changes within surface structures, allowing diachronic observations of the surface through a synchronic lens. Combined with phenomenology, this approach delves deeper into the experiential dimensions of immaterial spaces. Critical historiography reinterprets history with a focus on present concerns, emphasizing the nonlinearity and multilayeredness of historical narratives, thereby extending stratification research from material transformation to conceptual evolution. By employing the concept of layering, the research deconstructs the complexity of urban landscape, identifying three principal characteristics of urban landscape in both temporal and spatial dimensions: cumulativity, discontinuity, and interconnection. Urban landscape evolves through a nonlinear process of accumulation, with physical structures, functions, and meanings continuously transforming. Also, urban landscape displays temporal discontinuity as spatial differences, revealing the dynamic interaction between historical remnants and modern elements. Ultimately, urban landscape is interconnected, creating a multi-layered meaning system that reflects both continuity and dynamism. Under the layering perspective, this research introduces three design approaches — mapping and anchoring, folding and intertextualizing, and immersion and interaction — to integrate history with daily life through multifaceted experiences. Specifically, mapping and anchoring are fundamental strategies that facilitate the interpretation and organization of spatial and conceptual relationships. Mapping reveals and systematically screens and organizes the multi-layered, intertwined relationships within a site, while anchoring solidifies these relationships by physically embedding key elements in the space, thereby linking emotional and spatial experience. The redesign of Changchunyuan Park in Beijing is taken as an example, where historical elements such as water pools and marketplaces are anchored, re-contextualizing the past within contemporary function. Folding and intertextualizing illustrate the dynamic interplay between new and old elements, fostering a complex and interwoven spatial structure that generates shifting, multi-dimensional experience. The concept of folding, which represents the intertwining of temporal and spatial layers, facilitates intertextuality — where the interplay of historical information leads to the production of new narratives and meanings. The redesign of Huadiwan Park in Guangzhou, for instance, intertwines floral symbolism with historical layers, creating a multi-faceted cultural narrative through spatial interventions. Immersion and interaction underscore the embodied engagement between individuals and their environment, wherein multi-sensory experience allows for the perception of historic layers through sight, touch, and sound. These interactions enhance collective memory, transforming space into a dynamic, evolving entity. Both the Chenshan Quarry Garden in Shanghai and the Shougang Qunminghu Park in Beijing exemplify how immersive and interactive design strategies create a responsive, temporally fluid spatial experience. Together, these three approaches provide a comprehensive framework for urban landscape design, integrating historical narratives, spatial relationships, and embodied experience into a cohesive, multi-layered practice.
Conclusion The research concludes that incorporating the concept of layering offers a comprehensive understanding of urban landscape development and transformation, providing a nuanced and holistic strategy for urban landscape renaissance that balances the preservation of collective memory with sustainable local development.
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