AIGC-Enabled Design for the Living Transmission of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Urban Regeneration

Abstract

This study addresses persistent challenges in translating intangible cultural heritage into urban regeneration, including barriers to cultural interpretation, limited contemporary design expression, and insufficient public participation. It investigates a design methodology through which artificial intelligence generated content can support the living transmission of intangible cultural heritage. By positioning AIGC as an enabling tool for semantic analysis, creative generation, and stakeholder alignment, the study proposes a “cultural extraction-design translation-place-based activation” framework that integrates heritage element identification, design transformation, and community cocreation. Taking the Shanghai municipal intangible cultural heritage item Hualan Dengwu, or Flower-Basket Lantern Dance, as an empirical case, the research develops design outputs covering public-space installations, commercial brand identity, and micro-landscape interventions. Evaluation results indicate that the proposed framework improves design efficiency, expands the diversity of design alternatives, increases residents’ willingness to participate, and strengthens cultural legibility and place identity. The study provides an operational methodology for the creative transformation and place-based integration of intangible cultural heritage in urban regeneration.