16/02/2026
Art History researcher in the picture:
Xiaobai Chen is a PhD candidate in Architectural History at the Utrecht Art History dept. The PhD research mainly focuses on the effectiveness of buffer zones in historic cities nominated as World Cultural Heritage sites under pressures of urban development and expansion. By using 3D simulation and quantitative analytical methods, the study examines four case studies—Macao, Amsterdam, Pingyao, and Liverpool—to evaluate how buffer zones function in protecting the surrounding heritage environment. The research aims to propose new approaches to balancing historic urban development with heritage conservation, and to provide references for future World Heritage protection, management, and heritage policy-making.
Picture: A photo showing the world heritage site--London Tower and its heritage surroundings