The SPACE SYNTAX is a theory on architecture and urban space. It is also a set of methods for the socio-spatial analysis of settlements and buildings of all kinds and sizes. Space syntax was developed by Bill Hillier, Julienne Hanson and colleagues at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London in the early 1970’s. After almost 40 years, space syntax is used in research, teaching and design in hundreds of universities and professional practices worldwide. Based on a quantitative description of space, numerous empirical studies have demonstrated its effectiveness on the following aspects: spatial distribution of difference types of traffic flows, spatial security and crime, evolution and distribution of urban centers and sub-centers, spatial and social segregation, public space and communication, spatial cognition and way-finding. Based on these research findings,etc. space syntax is widely used in strategic urban planning, transportation planning, urban design, station square design, street network, housing, commercial and cultural building designs all over the world.

  With the rapid development of informational technologies, the availability of data has opened up great opportunities for both space syntax researches and design practices. On the one hand, new data resources propose new research topics which could help us to re-evaluate the power of physical urban space in this Information Age. On the other hand, armed with these new data, space syntax could be developed into various spatial models to forecast the future impacts of design. Therefore, it could extend the way we use new data from simple visualization to prediction. The integration of data and spatial models could fundamentally change the way planners and designers understanding and creating spaces. And space syntax will be an important theory and tool to initiate and facilitate this transformation.