Infrastructure and the evolution of settlement space: a study from a spatial anthropological perspective on the Pearl River Delta

The complex system of the settlement space in China’s Pearl River Delta region has always featured infrastructure as a key medium to explore the evolution of the settlement space. Therefore, anthropological research on infrastructure has become an important dimension for researchers to in analyzing social and spatial issues in the Pearl River Delta region. This study explores the correlation mechanism between infrastructure and settlement space by referring to literature reviews and empirical cases, revealing the underlying political factors, economic factors, cultural factors, and complex social change process of the physical space through empirical case studies. It provides a theoretical research genealogy for exploring spatial evolution in addition to a research sample for analyzing social and cultural changes in the Pearl River Delta region. Moreover, it emphasizes the cognitive significance of historical context and has important implications for future urban development.