A dynamic mutual adaptation between the policy interventions and optimization adjustments : re-examine the development history of Beijing communities from a process perspective

This paper argues that, in addition to policy interventions of the government on housing design paradigms, the optimization adjustments of non-policy entities, especially residents and real estate developers, continuously influence the spatial characteristics of the communities. Through regression modeling and comparative visualization, this study analyzed 4039 Beijing communities to decode spatiotemporal patterns across three policy phases (1950-2022). Beijing communities were re-examined from a process perspective through multi-scale elements-community morphology, urban network integration, and living condition elements-to explore the comprehensive driving force of their evolution. The results indicated that the self-organization of optimization adjustments tends to adjust the abrupt spatial changes caused by the alternation of housing policies to meet the development expectations of non-policy entities at the corresponding policy stages, which can be summarized as a dynamic mutual adaptation between policy interventions and optimization adjustments. The findings also underscore the need for housing policies to incorporate flexibility and sensitivity to self-organization trends, fostering more balanced and habitable community spatial outcomes.