A micro-scale study on the spontaneous spatial improvement of in-between spaces in Chinese traditional districts considering the relationship between modifications and encroachment

As the transition between streets and houses, in-between spaces represent unique and important residential components in East Asia, which reflect the spontaneous spatial improvement awareness of users in traditional districts and the state of public-private relations. To fill a gap in prior research regarding in-between spaces after spontaneous spatial improvement in traditional districts, this study considered 97 houses on Jiazhi Street and evaluated the two expressions of spontaneous spatial improvement of in-between spaces by quantifying modification indicators and encroachment using field surveys and area statistical methods. The research examined the correlation between various modifications and encroachment using multiple regression analysis and evaluated the characteristics of spontaneous spatial improvement by users based on multi-group relationships. The results offer a new perspective for observing the changes in residential environments in the context of urbanization, thus providing a basis for developing renewal strategies for traditional districts in China.