Integrating Computer Vision and GIS for Large-Scale Morphological Mapping and Driving Force Analysis of Vernacular Courtyard Dwellings

This study develops and applies an integrated methodology that combines deep learning-based computer vision and spatial statistics to automate the large-scale identification and analysis of morphological features in vernacular courtyard dwellings. Focusing on Liangshuaixiu dwellings in Wu’an, southern Hebei, we trained an HRNetV2 semantic segmentation model on high-resolution satellite imagery to identify and extract contours for 134,280 courtyard spaces. Core morphological parameters (area, orientation) were calculated and analyzed using GIS spatial statistics and the geographic detector model. The results show that (1) the computer vision pipeline achieved efficient recognition with satisfactory accuracy (~10% mean error); (2) spatial autocorrelation and hotspot analysis revealed distinct regional patterns, including a west–east increase in average courtyard area; and (3) geographic detector analysis demonstrated that courtyard morphology is shaped by complex interactions between natural and socio-economic factors. While average area and orientation were primarily governed by climate (air pressure, wind, temperature) and topography (elevation), diversity and internal variation were strongly influenced by nonlinear interactions, particularly between natural factors (e.g., wind–aspect) and between natural and human factors (e.g., population–climate). This work provides a scalable, data-driven framework for the quantitative spatial analysis of vernacular architectural heritage, advancing the understanding of building morphology as an outcome of coupled human–environment systems.