Protection and renewal of red brick district from the perspective of scene theory: A case study of Quanzhou West Street historical and cultural district

Based on the unique geographical and historical background, red brick has become a distinctive urban characteristic in the Fujian-Taiwan region, with its complex cultural background endowing it with rich potential value. However, the current inheritance and continuation of red brick cultural genes face significant challenges. In this study, we apply scene theory to Quanzhou West Street historical and cultural district, which is the most representative red brick area in Quanzhou. This study adopts the framework of the five elements of a scene to analyze the evaluation process of carrier characteristics, behavioral perception, and amenity value. Through a combination of field research, in-depth interviews, surveys, and big data statistical analysis, we investigate the evaluation indicator system for scene amenities at two levels: the macro-level of the entire district and the micro-level of red brick buildings. Our research findings reveal: (1) The scene elements of the red brick historical district include spatial environment, functional medium, diverse groups, activity combinations, and value attraction. (2) The scene functions of the overall district environment include: historical artifacts, cultural displays, and consumption experiences. These three aspects are interrelated, but the overall satisfaction of Quanzhou West Street still needs improvement. (3) The amenities of red brick architecture can be categorized into four types: color aesthetics, texture, decorative details, and regional characteristics. These categories include 12 traditional architectural features such as red bricks, white stones, wood, windows, balconies, external structures, beam decorations, columns, bricklaying methods, internal spaces, main structures, and roofs. Finally, we propose principles for protection and renewal, specific measures, and strategies for controlling the architectural style of red brick buildings. Our research extends the empirical application of scene theory in China, and provides effective approaches for the protection and renewal of historical and cultural districts.