Towards Sustainable Development of the Old City: Design Practice of Alleyway Integration in Old City Area Based on Heritage Corridor Theory

Urbanization has increasingly led to the overlapping of old and new spaces in historic city areas, creating challenges in preserving valuable urban heritage. To meet the requirements of the effective protection, utilization, and sustainable development of these historical spaces, this study introduces a comprehensive framework grounded in the theory of heritage corridors. The proposed framework subdivides and connects fragmented historical spatial resources through the “point–line–plane” dimensions, fostering sustainability across the environmental, ecological, and cultural domains. To validate the effectiveness of the framework, we apply it to the historic city center of Wuxi. This case study demonstrates that integrating spatial resources within the old city enhances the overall quality of urban living spaces in the historic district. The findings suggest that the heritage corridor framework is a feasible and systematic approach for the sustainable renewal of historic urban areas. Furthermore, this study offers valuable insights for advancing Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11), particularly in promoting inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities.