Construction of architectural heritage corridors in the Hubei section of the Tea Road

Abstract The “Tea Road” is a significant trans-regional cultural route of China. However, it was abandoned due to urbanization, resulting in a decline in settlements and building deterioration. This paper introduces heritage corridors for architectural conservation, establishing a resource evaluation and grading system using the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Space Syntax theory is used to analyze the spatial structure of the road network at the provincial scale and within six major distribution areas to assess optimal efficiency of corridor configuration. A method is developed to evaluate heritage nodes, lines, and clusters and construct multi-scale corridors with high integration, strong sustainability, and well-integrated functions. The OD cost matrix and Service Area analysis are used to validate the feasibility of corridor routes. This study provides information to nominate the Tea Road as a World Heritage site, new approaches for the holistic preservation of architectural heritage, and new methods for constructing heritage corridors.