Diagnosing walkability and entrance crowding at the scenic–city interface: geospatial analysis around West Lake hotels, Hangzhou, China

A geospatial analysis of West Lake, Hangzhou, reveals significant spatial inequality in pedestrian crowding at scenic entrances, with late-afternoon peaks and overlapping heritage resources and high activity intensity along certain corridors. The study identifies differentiated hotel distribution patterns and mixed-use surroundings, highlighting areas prone to congestion. Using multi-source data—including hotel locations (1,010), scenic entrances (125), shortest walking routes, and time-sliced population heatmaps—the research provides spatial evidence for optimizing entrance management, wayfinding, and route diversification in urban heritage destinations. These findings offer actionable insights for governance and planning in rapidly urbanizing Asian contexts.

Han, L., & Shang, Z. (2026). Diagnosing walkability and entrance crowding at the scenic–city interface: geospatial analysis around West Lake hotels, Hangzhou, China. Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2026.2682608