Quantitative Study on the Evolution of Urban Residential Spaces from the Perspective of Regionalism: A Case Study of Shanghai Lane Houses

Urban development in China has entered a stage of stock renewal, and regional development has become an important issue. The regional identity of buildings is crucial for promoting regional development. However, it is evident that architecture faces a crisis in cultural identity during the modernization. As one of the essential residential buildings in modern Shanghai, Lane houses are integral to urban renewal and represent an important aspect of Shanghai’s culture. This study uses space syntax and M-shaped Diagram to explore the evolution of typical internal spatial structures of lane houses in different stages of development and their cultural connotations based on four variables: integration, choice, courtyard coupling, and loopiness. The results show that the central nodes (living room and traffic core) and courtyards’ essential positions have remained unchanged throughout the evolution process and have been deeply influenced by traditional Chinese culture while retaining the depth of Eastern space. However, the distinctive features of traditional Chinese residential spaces have gradually lost been lost in evolution process, and the loopiness of service space, which is the main activity area for people, is gradually reduced.