Beyond child centric : a study of inclusive playground design from a multi-stakeholders perspective

Abstract

Playgrounds are unique urban public spaces, yet their current designs often prioritize children’s needs, neglecting other stakeholders such as parents, caregivers, community residents, and playground staff. These overlooked groups significantly influence children’s experiences and collectively impact playground design, use, and management. With rising awareness of the diverse roles of public spaces, inclusive design has gained attention. Inclusive design goes beyond accessibility, aiming to meet the needs of all users and ensuring no group is excluded – especially in children’s playgrounds. This study redefines playgrounds as dynamic public spaces encompassing social interaction, participation, and daily life, rather than static physical sites. By analysing their historical, spatial, and relational attributes, the study argues that playgrounds are not exclusively for children. It re-examines their functions and design goals, focusing on how inclusive design can balance children’s needs with those of other stakeholders, transforming playgrounds into multifunctional public spaces. Key research questions include: Are current inclusive playgrounds in Hong Kong truly achieving their child-centric design goals? Who are the main stakeholders in public playgrounds aside from children? Do the existing inclusive public playgrounds meet these stakeholders’ needs? This study develops design strategies to optimize playgrounds’ multifunctionality and enhance their role as inclusive public spaces. Grounded in the principle of countering design exclusion, the study proposes the R-I-N-G (Reviewing-Identifying-Narrowing-Generating) framework to match diverse user needs. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, including qualitative research, surveys, informal interviews, and unobtrusive observations. Data were collected over a year from three representative inclusive playgrounds in Kowloon, New Territories, and Hong Kong Island. Initial investigations across 40 playgrounds in Hong Kong provided foundational data through an inclusive quality checklist and caregiver feedback. Informal interviews with caregivers and staff revealed barriers to inclusivity, while SOPARC and BMAT tools captured behaviour patterns and spatial usage among stakeholders. Findings reveal that while Hong Kong’s inclusive playgrounds partly achieve child-centric principles, they fail to fully celebrate inclusivity, often excluding other user groups. Parents, caregivers, community members, and staff significantly shape children’s play experiences and the overall playground experience. Based on a behaviour-need analysis, six major activity clusters were identified, and their corresponding demands were mapped. Five core design principles for inclusive playground design were derived: multifunctionality, inclusivity, flexibility, safety, and comfort. Spatial layout refinements integrate behavioural and spatial analyses, enabling diverse user groups to interact without interference. Optimized design strategies target five key zones: the core playground zone, open space, periphery and sheltered area, pathway, and entry. Each area’s emphasis aligns with specific user activities and needs. These design strategies are further integrated into a systemic macro–meso–micro framework, enabling policy-level, community-level, and interface-level inclusive design interventions. These strategies enhance playgrounds as inclusive, multifunctional spaces, serving not only children but also providing a safe and comfortable environment for all city users. This fosters social inclusion, improves the quality of life, and reimagines playgrounds as urban oases for diverse stakeholders. While grounded in the context of Hong Kong, the study highlights the need to expand future research through cross-cultural comparisons and broader stakeholder inclusion to test and refine its propositions.