Page 141 - JCAU-7-3

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Culture & play in Xi’an’s parks: 7Cs evaluation

Figure 5. 7Cs Dimension scores of the three parks
Source: Graph by the authors

lies in achieving a dynamic balance between cultural 3.3. Qualitative research findings
preservation and modern functional needs to enhance The qualitative analysis, derived from interviews with
users’ engagement and play value. both the parent group and the expert group, identifies

3.2. Comparative analysis of the 7Cs dimension several core themes that provide significant insights to
performance across the three parks complement the quantitative findings. It is worth noting
that experts and parents have differing perspectives on
The overall scoring results indicate that Daming Palace multiple aspects (Table 7).
Heritage Park excels in the Character and Context
dimensions, with scores of 4.2 and 4.3, respectively. This First, the static nature of cultural elements was
highlights the park’s strong cultural theme design and frequently mentioned. Experts agreed that current cultural
effective coordination with its surrounding environment. expressions heavily rely on fixed installations, such as
However, the park received the lowest score (3.1) in the sculptures and plaques, which fail to stimulate children’s
Challenge dimension, revealing deficiencies in facilities curiosity or encourage interaction. Likewise, parents
designed for older children. observed that children showed limited engagement with
traditional sculptures and cultural displays, emphasizing
Tang City Wall Heritage Park achieved the highest the need for more dynamic and context-based educational
score (4.4) in the Connectivity dimension, benefiting activities.
from its linear greenway design and clear functional
zoning. However, its relatively low score (3.2) in the Second, the lack of exploratory and challenging
Change dimension indicates a lack of diversity in facilities emerged as another key issue. Parents pointed
facilities and limited adaptability to multifunctional out that existing facilities primarily cater to younger
needs. Qujiang Pool Heritage Park performed well children, providing inadequate support for older children,
in the Chance and Clarity dimensions, with scores particularly in climbing structures and intellectually
of 3.7 and 4.2, respectively. Its dynamic interactive stimulating play zones. Experts further recommended
facilities and clear signage system received unanimous implementing age-specific design concepts to introduce
recognition from both parents and experts. However, multi-layered exploration and progressive challenge
the park received a relatively low score (3.7) in the activities suited to different developmental stages.
Context dimension, reflecting that some facilities failed Third, issues related to functional signage and ease of
to integrate effectively with the natural landscape and use were highlighted in multiple parent responses. Some
heritage environment. parents mentioned that entrances to play areas were poorly
Overall, each park exhibits distinct strengths and marked, and signage was unclear, negatively impacting the
weaknesses across different dimensions. These differences overall user experience. Experts suggested improving the
provide specific directions for optimizing the design of intuitiveness of the signage system while optimizing the
heritage park play spaces in the future. layout of functional zones.

Volume 7 Issue 3 (2025) 10 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.8296