Page 142 - JCAU-7-3

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

Table 7. Comparison of parent and expert assessments
7Cs Dimension Parent feedback Expert feedback
Character The play spaces reflect cultural themes, but children find Cultural elements are well-integrated, but play spaces lack interactive
them less engaging. storytelling.
Context Play spaces blend well with nature but lack seasonal Designs effectively preserve heritage, but microclimatic adjustments
adaptability. are needed.
Connectivity Play areas are accessible, but navigation is sometimes unclear. Spatial layout promotes exploration, but signage and orientation
should be improved.
Change Limited diversity exists in play structures, affecting long-term The current design lacks flexible and adaptive elements.
engagement.
Chance Few open-ended play areas are available, reducing children’s Play spaces do not provide sufficient opportunities for self-directed
ability to explore freely. and creative play.
Clarity Parents appreciate clear sightlines but note that some areas Play spaces have clear layouts, but zoning could be optimized for
lack visibility. better wayfinding.
Challenge Play facilities cater mostly to younger children, with limited The lack of progressive challenge levels limits children’s skill
options for older age groups. development.

Finally, the balance between cultural expression and and engraved reliefs, while lacking dynamic, interactive
modern needs was repeatedly emphasized by experts. engagement. According to parental feedback, only 23.5%
They observed that current designs lean too heavily toward of parents reported that their children maintained a
cultural display at the expense of dynamic, interactive sustained interest in cultural sculptures or informational
activities. Experts suggested that future designs should displays, whereas 68.9% observed a preference for
seek a better balance between cultural preservation and dynamic exploratory activities, such as climbing, role-
modern functionality, creating more engaging and versatile playing, and interactive puzzle-solving. Interviews further
play spaces that fulfill both educational and recreational reinforced this sentiment, with many parents describing
needs. existing cultural installations as “more to see, less to play,”
suggesting that these spaces fail to fully captivate children’s
4. Discussion curiosity or provide a balanced blend of educational and
Based on the 7Cs framework, this study systematically recreational functions.
evaluated the design performance of children’s play spaces These findings highlight a gap between cultural
in three heritage parks in Xi’an. The results indicate that representation and user engagement. Findings from expert
while these spaces exhibit certain advantages in cultural and parent interviews further confirm that current cultural
expression and environmental integration, there remains elements in heritage parks lack interactivity. Research
considerable room for improvement. suggests that children’s understanding of cultural content
4.1. Balancing cultural expression and user needs in relies heavily on gamification, role-playing, and multi-
heritage park play spaces sensory stimulation, as static visual information alone
struggles to sustain their attention (Slingerland et al., 2020).
Children’s play spaces in Xi’an’s heritage parks demonstrate In contrast, leading international practices have shifted
significant strengths in cultural expression and from static cultural displays toward more interactive and
environmental integration, particularly in the Character participatory experiences. For example, Denmark’s Lejre
and Context dimensions, which received relatively Land of Legends and Ribe Viking Center incorporate role-
high ratings. These findings indicate that heritage parks playing activities, hands-on historical reenactments, and
effectively incorporate cultural elements while maintaining immersive storytelling techniques to engage children in
spatial harmony. This aligns with previous research cultural heritage. These sites facilitate experiential learning
highlighting that visual representations of cultural heritage by allowing visitors to participate in historical scenarios,
enhance the historical ambiance of public spaces, allowing traditional craftsmanship, and interactive narratives. Such
children and families to passively absorb historical approaches not only foster a deeper understanding of
knowledge during leisure activities (Jiang, 2024). history but also enhance the play experience by integrating
However, further analysis reveals that current cognitive, social, and physical engagement within a
approaches to cultural representation remain largely static, heritage context. The success of these approaches in
relying primarily on sculptures, informational plaques, engaging children suggests their potential applicability in

Volume 7 Issue 3 (2025) 11 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.8296