The results of the 2025 WUPENiCity International Sustainability Report Competition were recently announced. The research report, “A Journey of Color and Emotion! A Study on the Color of Historic and Cultural Districts Based on Emotional Experience: A Case Study of Harbin Central Street,” completed by Wang Xiaoyu, Yan Mingqi, Xian Xue, and Fu Ting from NEFU’s College of Landscape Architecture under the supervision of Professors Lu Yi and Li Wen, was awarded Third Prize in the Research Report Category.

The WUPENiCity International Sustainability Report Competition is one of the most influential student competitions in urban planning and urban design. Open to students from related disciplines worldwide, the competition emphasizes key issues of urban sustainability and encourages participants to conduct interdisciplinary research and innovative inquiry. Recognized as an essential platform for evaluating students’ comprehensive research skills and creative thinking, it also serves as a crucial stage for internationally renowned universities to showcase their ability to combine academic inquiry with practical engagement.

The award-winning project titled “A Journey of Color and Emotion! A Study on the Colors of Historic and Cultural Districts Based on Emotional Experience: A Case Study of Harbin Central Street” focused on Harbin Central Street and developed an innovative color-perception evaluation system for historic and cultural districts. Using field investigations, semantic analysis, streetscape image analysis, and deep-learning techniques, the study systematically examined how the harmony and richness of streetscape colors influence visitors’ emotional experiences and behavioral intentions. Through quantitative analysis, the research identified the key role of color composition in shaping visitors’ emotional reactions and actions on Central Street. It also proposed a series of color optimization strategies aimed at preserving local cultural features, enhancing the district’s visual appeal and emotional impact, and ultimately improving the overall visitor experience, providing scientific evidence and practical approaches for the sustainable development of historic and cultural districts.

This award clearly demonstrates NEFU students’ ability for innovative research and their global outlook in the interdisciplinary fields of landscape architecture and urban studies. It also shows the university’s dedication to combining scientific rigor with humanistic concern in its professional training. The research not only offers new technical methods and theoretical insights for the preservation and revitalization of historic districts but also advances NEFU’s academic disciplines.