A Study on the Influencing Factors of the Vitality of Street Corner Spaces in Historic Districts: The Case of Shanghai Bund Historic District

The revitalization of historic districts is crucial for the sustainable development of cities, with street corner spaces being a vital component of the public space in these districts. However, street corner spaces have been largely overlooked in previous research on crowd dynamics within historic districts. This study investigates the key factors influencing crowd dynamics in street corner spaces within historic districts. First, a hierarchical model of vitality-influencing factors was developed based on prior research. Potential factors influencing the vitality of street corners were quantified using multi-source data collection methods, including deep learning algorithms, and crowd vitality within these spaces was assessed through multidimensional measurements. The impact of each element on crowd vitality was then analyzed through a multivariate linear regression model. The findings revealed that eight factors—corner building historicity, first-floor functional communality, transparency, openness, density of functional facilities, greenness, functional variety of buildings, and walkability—significantly influence the vitality of corner spaces, collectively explaining 77.5% of the vitality of these spaces. These conclusions offer new perspectives and scientific evidence for the revitalization and conservation of historic districts.