Evolution and Influencing Factors of Township Spatial Form: A Two-Dimensional Perspective

The countryside is the habitat of food, ecology, and culture, and the indispensable basis for human survival and development. Assessing the spatial and temporal evolution of rural settlements contributes to the promotion of rural scientific developments. This study used the fractal theory, center-of-gravity model, and spatial syntax to analyze the spatial and temporal evolution of Shenyang Ciyutuo Subdistrict and its influencing factors based on geospatial data from 2009‒2019, from the perspectives of internal characteristics and external morphological changes. In terms of the external characteristics, from 2009‒2019, the compactness index increased from 0.414 to 0.454, the expansion rate increased from 1.17% to 3.11%, and the expansion intensity increased from 0.05% to 0.15%. From 2014‒2019, the western part of the subdistrict experienced the maximum expansion rate and expansion intensity. The center-of-gravity of the construction land shifted to the west and southwest. The internal characteristics of land use depended on geographical conditions. Clusters of rural settlements were formed in a north-south direction due to the topography and along the riverside in a band-like manner. From 2009‒2019, the integration level of the subdistrict improved and the scale and number of integration axis increased, forming a multicore tree-shaped structure. Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that urbanization is the main factor affecting the spatial and temporal land-use evolution, with transportation convenience, industrial park, and proximity to the river having little effects. This study provides a theoretical basis for the development of Ciyutuo Subdistrict and provides a reference for the development of similar commercial towns.