In order to detect the damage locations of complex spatial structures, a sensor region-based damage detection approach was developed based on the damage locating vectors method. A normalized damage locating index was introduced to identify the damage regions. An experiment on damage detection of a substructure model of the National Swimming Center ’Water Cube’ was carried out. Two damage patterns were involved in the experiment. The test model was excited by using hammer impacts. Acceleration responses of the undamaged and damaged structure model were measured. Modal parameters were identified from the acceleration responses by utilizing the eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA). By using the developed sensor region-based method, the damage regions of the substructure model were located. The results show that the proposed method is able to effec- tively locate the damage regions. In order to detect the damage locations of complex spatial structures, a sensor region-based damage detection approach was developed based on the damage locating vectors method. A normalized damage locating index was introduced to identify the damage regions. substructure model of the National Swimming Center ’Water Cube’ was carried out. Two damage patterns were involved in the experiment. The test model was excited by using hammer impacts. Acceleration responses of the undamaged and damaged structure models were measured. Modal parameters were identified from the acceleration responses by utilizing the eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA). By using the developed sensor region-based method, the damage regions of the substructure model were located. The results show that the proposed method is able to effecively locate the damage regions.