Abstract

This study aims to develop and articulate an educational conceptual framework demonstrating how industrial heritage spaces in a port-city context can function as meaningful environments for place-based learning, using Guangzhou, China, as a case study. The research adopts a qualitative historical–spatial design integrated with educational analysis in order to connect morphological spatial interpretation with theories of place-based and experiential learning. The study population consists of historically significant industrial buildings and industrial complexes embedded within Guangzhou’s port-city system. Research instruments include historical maps, urban planning documents, archival records, factory documentation, and contemporary spatial data. Data analysis was conducted through morphological interpretation, comparative spatial reading at both city and site scales, and evolutionary analysis to examine spatial continuity and path dependence over time. The findings indicate that port-related spatial structures support place-based learning through three interrelated mechanisms: (1) waterfront-oriented locational patterns that facilitate contextual learning; (2) sequential spatial organization linking logistics and production processes, which promotes systems thinking; and (3) inherited spatial frameworks that foster critical reflection on sustainability and heritage conservation. The study contributes to education and learning scholarship by proposing a transferable framework that integrates industrial heritage landscapes into curriculum development, interdisciplinary instruction, and out-of-classroom learning in port-city and other historically layered urban contexts.

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