In the history of public health, space has evolved through several stages driven by shifts in concepts of disease control. The history of public health is summarized by George Rosen in six phases: Origins (before 500 CE), Middle Ages (500–1500), Mercantilism and Absolutism (1500–1750), Enlightenment and Revolution (1750–1830), Industrialism and the Sanitary Movement (1830–1875), and the Bacteriological Era (1875–present). By integrating architectural sociology—a temporal lens examining the interplay between architecture, individuals, and society—this study investigates how architects historically responded to public health challenges, offering critical insights for contemporary healthy habitat design. Architecture not only addresses survival needs but also materializes societal consciousness. The progression of health-related cognition (e.g., germ theory), behavioural norms (e.g., hygiene practices), infrastructure systems (e.g., sanitation networks), and scientific advancements collectively redefined spatial paradigms. Architects constructed temples, thermae, lazarettos, Beitian Yangbingfang (charitable infirmaries), anatomical theaters, quarantine hospitals, tenements, mass housing, and biosafety laboratories. These cases exemplify the co-evolution of “Concept” (disease control ideologies), “Technology” (construction methods), and “Space” (built environments). By synthesizing centuries of public health spatial practices, this research deciphers the dynamic interplay among “Concept, Technology, and Space”. Leveraging historical patterns, we propose a predictive framework to refine future spatial strategies in anticipation of emerging health crises.

In the domain of public management, the concept of agency refers to the capacity of individuals or groups to effectively utilise power and resources to achieve certain goals. The formation of agency is significantly influenced by the external institutional environment and how actors perceive social structures. Thus, the agency to win a game can be generated as players familiarise with the game’s operations and understand the story line. But beyond this, there are also players who make mods on a non-profit basis, modifying the game’s program to meet the needs of others. mods, as a form of patching, are different from other fan-created mediated texts. Therefore, studying the agency in gaming community management, where both players and developers interact, offers valuable insights for understanding how to promote public participation, innovation, and effective governance in the context of public management. This approach bridges the gap between the digital world and real-world public management practices.