Design strategies for child-friendly urban outdoor spaces: A narrative approach grounded in parent–child interaction

Xueqian He; Jestin bin Nordin

doi:10.30822/arteks.v11i3.5247

Authors

Xueqian He University of Science Malaysia
Jestin bin Nordin University of Science Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30822/arteks.v11i3.5247

Keywords:

Child-friendly city, Narrative-based spatial organization, Parent–child interaction, Questionnaire survey

Abstract

Outdoor public spaces in high-density, mixed-use urban districts are often found to inadequately support parent–child co-presence and interaction. In response, this study develops and evaluates a narrative-based approach to spatial organization for child-friendly outdoor environments through a case study conducted in Future Science City (Changping District, Beijing). A framework of narrative design elements was constructed and integrated with site condition and circulation analyses, while caregiver perceptions were collected through a questionnaire survey of nearby caregivers aged ?18 years and above (valid responses: N = 99). The analysis identifies four key design deficiencies: (1) discontinuous pedestrian experiences caused by fragmented routes and isolated activity nodes; (2) functional zoning that fails to accommodate diverse household structures and children’s age-specific needs; (3) limited provision for participatory and multisensory interactions; and (4) insufficient attention to child-scale detailing and caregiver-supportive features. Based on these findings, four corresponding design strategies are proposed. Collectively, these strategies form an operational design framework that can be adapted to the renewal of parent–child outdoor spaces in high-density urban environments.

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Author Biographies

Xueqian He, University of Science Malaysia

He Xueqian was born in Guilin, Guangxi, P.R. China, on June 18, 2020 She received her Master's degree from Guangxi Normal University, China. Now, she studied at the Universiti Sains Malaysia. Her research interests include Design and Heritage and Environmental space design.
Jestin bin Nordin, University of Science Malaysia

Jestin Nordin (Ph.D., P. Tech.) obtained his doctoral degree from the School of Architecture, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand in the year 2015 before he joined the Department of Architecture, School of Housing, Building, and Planning (HBP) at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang, Malaysia as a lecturer.

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