Evaluation of Age-Appropriate Public Seats in Comprehensive Parks and Sustainable Design Strategies Based on the Kano-Importance–Performance Analysis Model

Abstract

As the proportion of the world’s elderly population continues to increase, the need for age-appropriate public facilities is rising. This study investigated the key elements affecting older people’s satisfaction with public seating in parks and proposed a sustainable design strategy based on the evaluation and analysis. An evaluation system of age-appropriate public seating containing 20 indicators was constructed. The theory of attractive quality (the Kano model) was used to classify the demand for public seating and to clarify the logical relationship between the role of each element in the satisfaction of public seating in parks. Then, a matrix analysis of importance and satisfaction was carried out with importance–performance analysis (IPA) to determine the direction of improvement. The results of both were comprehensively analyzed to determine the elements requiring critical improvement, and the order of maintenance and improvement. This research shows that public seat design should consider several key factors, including setting density, backrest support, good appearance, helping handrails, bright colors, and so on. This study provides suggestions for maintaining and improving the diversity of public seats in comprehensive parks, including sustainable resource integration and sustainable product recycling. The outcomes were expected to guide the improvement in the construction of age-appropriate public facilities in comprehensive parks within existing built-up areas and to increase the satisfaction of public seating use in comprehensive urban parks.

1. Introduction

The 7th Population Census data released by the National Bureau of Statistics of China in 2021 shows that 267 million people in China reached the age of 60 or above in 2020 [1], accounting for 18.7% of the population, which is much higher than the internationally accepted standard for defining an aging society [2]. As an early developing city in China, Shanghai’s aging population is a more prominent issue. In 2020, over 5.33 million older adults aged 60 and above resided in the city, accounting for 36.1% of the population, higher than the national average [3]. Meanwhile, the elderly population in Shanghai has grown by about 2% per year in the last five years [4]. The elderly population is becoming a crucial part of the demographic structure of Shanghai, even in China [5].

Comprehensive parks, as major public spaces in the city [6], have ecological functions such as increasing the greening rate, alleviating the urban heat island effect, and so on [7]. At the leisure level, the parks provide outdoor public spaces for urban residents’ daily recreation [8,9,10]. The comprehensive parks [10,11] near the residential areas serve as leisure and entertainment spaces, especially for older adults living in urban areas, and provide a public space for them to participate in sports activities [11,12,13,14,15] and static leisure activities [16], such as music and dance, sports and fitness, chess and card competitions, and health fitness. These parks are highly accessible to seniors, offering a wide range of activities. At the health benefit level, comprehensive urban parks provide pro-nature ecological landscapes to older people and fulfill their health needs by relieving the physical and mental stress of living in high-density built-up areas [17]. They also serve as essential places to maintain social relationships at the social level, providing social spaces for older adults and promoting stronger neighborhoods [18]. However, as the physical function of older people declines, the demand for public service facilities in parks continues to increase. It has even become a key element influencing the frequency and duration of older people’s park visits [19,20].

The early completion of parks in residential areas, aged public facilities, the lack of aging-friendly specifications and related designs during initial construction, and other reasons [21] limit the age-friendly construction of public facilities in parks [22]. The existing facilities do not meet today’s demographic needs and cause a lot of inconvenience to older adults [23]. Therefore, age-appropriate improvements to public facilities in parks are needed. Current research on aging in parks mainly focuses on behavior, psychology, public space, and other aspects. However, research on public facilities, particularly public seating, which is the most critical part of park activities as physical functions decline, remains insufficient [24,25].

The Kano-IPA model was proposed and widely used in this century. The method explores the correspondence between user satisfaction and importance by examining users’ positive and negative attitudes toward each element and understanding their needs. This model provides each service element’s existing satisfaction and improvement prioritization level for each service element. It has been applied to different fields, such as teaching quality assessment [26], community facility satisfaction assessment [27], and hotel service assessment [28]. Therefore, this study integrated the theory of attractive quality (the Kano model) and the importance–performance analysis (IPA) based on the literature and fieldwork to construct a framework for assessing the age-appropriate public seats in comprehensive parks. This study aims to effectively identify older adults’ actual needs by evaluating the current situation of age-appropriate public seat construction in comprehensive parks to provide clear improvement strategies.

By offering guidance on age-appropriate design for comprehensive park public seats, this study ensures that the direction of future sustainable improvements matches older adults’ needs. The findings aim to improve the quality of life for older people, enhance their physical and mental health, and meet the need for a better life.

2. Literature Review

The demographic distribution of society has changed dramatically in recent years, which places new requirements on social construction development. Age-appropriate construction is increasingly recognized as essential for societal development. The Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing (1982) [29] was adopted at the World Assembly on Ageing in Vienna, Austria, as the first guiding document for the United Nations system on aging. The document contains 62 recommendations for action in seven areas, including housing and the living environment. The plan clearly states that “Suitable housing is even more important to the elderly, whose abodes are the center of virtually all of their activities. Housing for older adults must be viewed as more than mere shelter. In addition to the physical, it has psychological and social significance, which should be taken into account”. We should strengthen the capacity of government agencies and civil organizations to cope with the problem of population aging, maximize the development potential of the elderly, and solve their support needs. Boswell (2001) [30] put forward the concept of “age-appropriate” for the first time, considering the daily lives of older adults to fully address the needs of older people in terms of outdoor space, architecture, transportation, health, and public services. Then, the overall evaluation system of urban aging planning will be established. In 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed and released Measuring the Age-friendliness of Cities: A Guide to Using Core Indicators [31] to actively respond to the global aging of the population, proposing several criteria for assessing a city’s age-appropriateness. In 2013, the Shanghai Municipal Government compiled The Guidelines for The Construction of Age-appropriate Cities in Shanghai [32], proposing age-appropriate construction standards from multiple perspectives, such as public facility construction, housing construction, and public transportation construction, to strengthen age-appropriate urban development. Given the diversity in urban construction, economic conditions, and age levels, it is crucial to establish an evaluation system suitable for national conditions.

2.1. Age-Appropriate Design for Comprehensive Parks

As an important component of urban public space, comprehensive urban parks meet various city functional needs and hold a core position in urban public services [33]. However, the design and construction of most existing comprehensive urban parks are limited by early construction norms, demographic shifts, and other issues. Hence, they failed to fully consider the health needs of older adults, which brings a lot of inconvenience and safety risks to the activities of older adults in the parks. Given that older adults are the primary users of urban comprehensive parks [34], not fully considering and integrating their health needs into the design process means the parks fail to meet their activity needs as their physical functions decline.

Therefore, optimizing comprehensive urban park facilities and services to meet older adults’ health and activity needs is a key issue in the design and construction of public facilities today. With the intensification of population aging worldwide, academic attention to the age-appropriate design and renewal of comprehensive urban parks has increased, with research and discussions covering public spaces, green spaces, landscapes, and social services.

At the level of age-appropriate design of park public spaces, Ma et al. (2021) [35] examined the relationship between thermal perception and older adults’ activity patterns in urban park open spaces, proposing a series of elderly-friendly open space design strategies. Lak et al. (2020) [36] analyzed data using rooted theory (GT) and least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to establish a framework for designing elderly-friendly public open spaces. Zheng Tan et al. (2019) [37] studied the correlation between the perception and preference of different groups of older adults for urban green space based on interview data and proposed design strategies. Julfikar Ali et al. (2022) [38] conducted a field survey by randomly sampling parks across Kolkata, analyzing the relationship between individual differences and park-use preferences among older people, and proposing improvement strategies.

At the level of age-appropriate design of park landscapes, Huang Yingying et al. (2022) [39] achieved virtual simulation display effects of urban park landscapes using computer virtual simulation technology, systematically researching elderly activity spaces and forming an age-appropriate design scheme. Chen and Zi-Nan (2019) [40] used a questionnaire survey and behavioral observation to understand the relationship between community street-side green space landscape elements and older adults’ activities, proposing age-appropriate optimization strategies. Zhan Yaming (2021) [41] conducted status research and problem analysis on various types of waterfront spaces in the moat area of Suzhou, and proposed age-appropriate design strategies.

At the level of age-appropriate design of park social services, Byoung-Suk Kweon et al. (1998) [42] analyzed the role of public green spaces in forming and maintaining social relationships among older residents in downtown communities using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM). Zhuang Xueqi (2024) [43] enhanced the public landscape’s social service attributes under the Shanghai Bridge, based on general design concepts, and promoted the tolerance and livability of the city. Ma Yuanjie (2023) [44] analyzed integrating local culture with age-appropriate park design based on the aging population’s daily behavioral patterns to enhance community participation and acceptance.

However, most current studies have concentrated on intra-community aspects [45,46], with less research on age-appropriate urban park public facilities design. Therefore, research on urban park public facilities remains insufficient, and deeper exploration is necessary.

2.2. Evaluation of Age-Appropriate Design for Public Seats in Comprehensive Parks

Existing research on age-appropriate evaluation for park seating systems primarily focuses on the behavioral, psychological, and spatial environment levels. Few studies have specifically evaluated park seats’ age-adaptability.

At the level of elderly behavior, Qu Yi (2018) [47] investigated and quantitatively analyzed older people’s behavior in the parks by temporal observation, summarizing elderly people’s behavior under four-season climate conditions and evaluating how climatic factors impact elderly activity sites. Sun Yi (2019) [48] constructed a site age-appropriate evaluation model from older adults’ outdoor activity characteristics, evaluating the impact of existing public places on the activity willingness of older people. Yujia Zhai et al. (2021) [49] used accelerometers and GPS to track activity space locations and assess the instantaneous metabolic equivalent energy (MET) of older adults using public facilities, and then constructed a multilevel logistic model to evaluate the activity intensity and duration of different types of park facilities for older adults. Chuanyao Li et al. (2024) [50] evaluated community parks’ walking accessibility for older people using the age-grouped Gaussian-based two-step floating catchment area method (AG2SFCA).

At the level of psychological cognition, researchers have comprehensively analyzed the impact of age-appropriate elements on older adults’ psychological activities, focusing on the role of parks in alleviating their physical and mental stress. Rahman et al. (2021) [51] estimated age-appropriate satisfaction with urban parks in Dhaka, showing that good social services and park infrastructure effectively increased older people’s confidence in using parks. Perry, M (2021) [52] used semi-structured interviews to assess the park accessibility system and analyzed the data using general induction to understand the gap between the current situation and the needs of older people with disabilities. Yin Xiaoyan et al. (2022) [53] assessed the impact of each park element on older adults’ satisfaction based on their subjective perception using fuzzy comprehensive assessment and importance–performance analysis.

Following the above studies, most researchers have continued to explore older adults’ needs from the overall park spatial environment perspective. Wu Yi et al. (2024) [54] constructed an evaluation system using the PSPL research method combined with SD semantic analysis to evaluate the site’s environmental space and activity space age-appropriate indicators. Chen Mingzhi (2020) [55] classified older adults’ recreational needs in urban parks into four categories: site design, landscape greening, facility support, and physical environment parameters. They established an age-appropriate evaluation system for urban park open spaces based on hierarchical analysis and assessing Shenzhen parks. Tang Xi (2021) [56] comprehensively utilized analytical methods to establish an age-appropriate landscape evaluation system for urban community parks based on the gray hierarchical analysis, containing safety, comfort, convenience, ornamentation, and ease of interaction dimensions, with 16 indicator factors. Lingyan Xiang (2024) [57] developed a comprehensive evaluation system for age-appropriate parks (AF-CPS) to evaluate the environment of community parks.

However, existing research lacks a universal assessment model for age-appropriate evaluation of park public seats, especially from the perspective of product age-appropriateness. Therefore, this study focused on four representative comprehensive parks in Shanghai, examining key elements considered by elderly residents when using park public seats, clarifying these elements’ influence on satisfaction, and establishing a comprehensive evaluation system for park public seats.

3. Methods

In this study, a quantitative research method was employed, integrating the Kano model and IPA analysis to evaluate the age-appropriateness of public seating in comprehensive parks. The existing standards, regulations, and government work programs were reviewed and combined with experts’ opinions in related fields to construct a comprehensive park public seat age-appropriate evaluation index system. The Kano model was used to classify the attributes of age-appropriate evaluation indicators and analyze the Better-Worse coefficients to determine the type and importance analysis of the needs of older people for the age-appropriate elements of public seats in comprehensive parks. Then, IPA analysis was used to study older adults’ cognitive importance and perceived satisfaction with each element of age-appropriate public seating in existing comprehensive parks. Finally, the results of the Kano model and IPA analysis were integrated, summarizing key improvement elements, and determining the priority of improvement and maintenance of the element. The research process is shown in Figure 1.

3.1. Kano-IPA Model

The Kano model, proposed by Noriaki Kano in the 1980s [58], categorizes consumer needs into five types based on the impact of each element’s presence or absence on satisfaction (

Table 1. Explanation of each Kano attribute.

Attribute Classification	Explanation
Must-be quality attributes (M)	Must-be quality attributes are elements that a service or product must have and improve satisfaction insignificantly when provided or optimized, and satisfaction decreases significantly when absent.
One-dimensional quality attributes (O)	One-dimensional quality attributes are elements that users fantasize about based on their feelings about the existing environment and expect to be realized in reality. When the user’s fantasized elements appear in the real environment, the user’s satisfaction will significantly increase, and if they do not appear, their satisfaction will decrease.
Attractive quality attributes (A)	Attractive quality attributes are attributes that users do not expect to exist but rather small details that are more likely to impress users. When they do not have them, satisfaction does not decrease; on the contrary, it increases significantly.
Indifferent quality attributes (I)	Indifferent quality attributes are service elements that are not cared for, and satisfaction will remain the same whether or not they are provided.
Reverse quality attributes (R)	Reverse quality attributes are service elements that are not needed, and user satisfaction decreases when the element is not provided.

). It posits a non-linear relationship between demand attributes and user satisfaction, highlighting that not all index attributes contribute to user satisfaction (Figure 2).

Importance–performance analysis (IPA), proposed by Martilla and James in 1977, is an analytical methodology to measure the importance of product/service quality elements [59]. IPA analysis compares users’ cognitive importance and perceived satisfaction in the evaluation index system, taking the cognitive importance variable as the X-axis and the perceived satisfaction variable as the Y-axis (Figure 3). Four quadrants were divided using the mean value of the importance variable as the x-axis reference line and the mean value of the satisfaction variable as the y-axis reference line (

Table 2. Explanation of the quadrants of the importance–satisfaction matrix.

Quadrant Classification	Explanation
First quadrant (I)	In the advantage zone, the importance and satisfaction of each evaluation index remain high. To maintain the stability of this area, it is necessary to maintain its current state to maintain the continuous optimization of various elements.
Second quadrant (II)	In the maintenance zone, the importance of the elements is relatively low, while the level of satisfaction is high. Consequently, the evaluation indicators for the area do not need to be adjusted; only the existing indicators should be kept unchanged.
Third quadrant (III)	An improvement zone represents a region where the evaluation indicators are less important and satisfying. Therefore, the indicators in this region do not require too much effort.
Fourth quadrant (IV)	In the vulnerable zone, the importance of the corresponding evaluation indicators is high, while the level of satisfaction is relatively low. Targeted improvements are necessary to enhance the overall performance of the zone.

). The factors were mapped to their respective quadrants according to the mean size, drawing the importance–satisfaction matrix [60,61]. The priority of product improvement was then determined, which can be used as an essential basis for adjusting the product design strategy and rationally allocating the improvement resources.

While the Kano model distinguishes between different demands and prioritizes strategy, it lacks an analysis and visual description of the importance of each evaluation indicator. Although IPA analysis intuitively shows the linear symmetric cognitive relationship between the user-perceived importance of each evaluation index, individual cognitive satisfaction, and overall satisfaction, there are non-linear and asymmetric relationships between the importance of certain evaluation indicators, individual satisfaction, and overall satisfaction [62].

Wu H.H (2010) [63] found that the Kano model could not clarify the order of improvement of each demand and proposed the hypothesis of establishing the Kano-IPA model. Subsequently, Lee Tak Shing (2011) [64] developed this hypothesis by combining the Customer satisfaction coefficient with importance–performance analysis for binary classification of service elements. The Kano-IPA model was then prioritized for improvement and refinement. Kuo (2012) [65] summarized the advantages of the Kano-IPA model and evaluated its effectiveness. The customer satisfaction calculation formula is presented as follows:

$$Better={\displaystyle \frac{A+O}{A+O+M+I}}$$

(1)

$$Worse={\displaystyle \frac{-(M+O)}{A+O+M+I}}$$

(2)

The satisfaction coefficient is represented by “Better”, while the dissatisfaction coefficient is represented by “Worse”. The frequency counts of the Attractive, One-dimensional, Must-be, and Indifferent quality attributes are denoted as A, O, M, and I, respectively.

Compared to existing aging research, the Kano-IPA analysis model can take advantage of the Kano model’s strength to identify the types of users’ needs. Combining it with IPA analysis allows for the prioritization of improvements by constructing an importance–satisfaction matrix. This approach overcomes the traditional Kano model’s shortcomings, which are often criticized for being vague and subjective. It effectively aligns with the needs of the elderly and the elements of aging services, providing a more efficient and objective evaluation strategy for the evaluation of satisfaction.

Based on the advantages of the Kano-IPA model in satisfaction evaluation, this paper applied it in the evaluation of age-appropriate public seating services in Shanghai comprehensive parks. Four comprehensive parks in Shanghai were selected as case studies for empirical analysis. The results provided a detailed summary of the quality improvement ranking for public seating services in Shanghai comprehensive parks, clarified the main points, and allowed us to accurately implement measures.

3.2. Research Area

This study focused on the old town of Shanghai as the primary research area. This area has a concentrated elderly population and a relatively complete coverage of parks, which provides reasonable and scientific prerequisites for the study. The following criteria were used to select the study sample: (1) the geographical location of the selected comprehensive park belongs to the old urban area of Shanghai, covering an area of between 200,000 and 300,000 square meters, with convenient transportation and high traffic accessibility; (2) the selected comprehensive park is located near many older neighborhoods with a dense elderly population; and (3) the selected public facilities of the comprehensive park are representative, and the seating facilities are relatively complete. These criteria ensure that the selected sample reflects the current situation of elderly residents’ satisfaction with public seating in integrated parks.

Case A (Zhongshan Park) is at 780 Changning Road, Changning District, Shanghai. The park was built in 1914 and covers an area of 209,000 square meters. The overall building density of the area is high. Many old neighborhoods are in the vicinity, such as the Huayang, Jinyang, and Huayuan residential neighborhoods, and older people dominate the spatial demographics. The public seating in the area has been partially renovated several times. In addition, public seats from the 1990s to the beginning of this century still exist in the park.

Case B (Square Park) is at No. 185 Renmin Avenue, Huangpu District, Shanghai. It was first built in 2001 and has been expanded several times since then, with the park now covering an area of 280,000 square meters. The park site is a high plot ratio area, with many old neighborhoods nearby, such as Hongtai Apartment, Beihai District, Tongfuli, etc., and most of the users of the outdoor public facilities are older adults. This park has been gradually expanded at different times, and the public seats have retained the overall style from the beginning of this century to the present.

Case C (Heping Park) is at 1131 Dalian Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai. It was built in 1958 and covers an area of 209,300 square meters. The area has a high population concentration. There are many old workers’ villages nearby, such as Anshan Sixth Village, Anshan Fifth Village, and Yulan New Village, as well as newly constructed neighborhoods, such as Jinxu Mansion and COFCO Ruihong Seaview One, which have a large number of older people. The park, which features newer public seating facilities, was renovated from 30 December 2020 to 30 April 2022.

Case D (Lu Xun Park) is at No. 280, Tianai Branch Road, North Sichuan Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai. It was built in 1896 and covers an area of 286,300 square meters. Residential land in this area was developed earlier, and there are lanes such as Ouyang Road 542 and East Sports Road 119 nearby, as well as old residential areas such as Huaneng Apartment and Xinghua Small Area. The elderly population in the residential area frequently travels and communicates with each other. The park underwent a major renovation from 26 August 2013 to 26 August 2014. The overall public facilities have been repaired, and the public seats have been in use for a long time.

Figure 4 shows the location of cases A, B, C, and D with the surrounding blocks.

3.3. Construction of Evaluation Index

First, based on the set objectives, the target layer and element layers were determined by combining relevant interviews, field research, and literature studies. Second, the guideline layer was constructed based on the Davis Technology Acceptance Model [66] of American scholars, combined with comprehensive research results.

The construction of the indicator layer builds on existing standards, regulations and government work programs, including national standards and Shanghai local standards for park design, such as The Park Design Code (GB51192-2016) [66], Shanghai Park City Planning and Construction Guidelines [67], and the relevant norms and regulations for public facilities for older people, such as The Urban Elderly Facilities Planning Code (GB 50437-2007) [68], Regulations of Shanghai on the Construction of Barrier-Free Environment [69], and Work Plan for Optimizing and Upgrading Resting Seats in Public Spaces in this City, etc. [70]. It also includes the Guidelines for standards developers to address the needs of older persons and persons with disabilities (DIN-Fachbericht 131-2003) [71] proposed by the German Institute for Standardization and the Guidelines for older persons and persons with disabilities—Information presentation using electronic guiding and wayfinding system (JIS T0901-2011) [72] proposed by the Japan Industrial Standards Committee. The evaluation indicators were selected in conjunction with the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) guideline on the needs of older persons and persons with disabilities (ISO/IEC GUIDE 71:2014) [73]. Based on the Delphi method, three rounds of correspondence from experts in relevant fields were conducted to solicit opinions on the selected evaluation indicators and build an evaluation index system (

Table 3. Evaluation index system for age-appropriate satisfaction of public seats in Shanghai comprehensive parks.

Target Layer	Element Layer	Criterion Layer	Index Layer
Evaluation index system of age-appropriate satisfaction of public seats in Shanghai comprehensive parks	Appearance Requirements	Perceptual Desirability (A)	Good Appearance (A1)
			Bright color (A2)
			Reasonable Material (A3)
	Functional Requirement	Perceptual Comfort (B)	Function Design (B1)
			Ergonomics Efficacy (B2)
			Backrest Support (B3)
			Cushion Design (B4)
			Helping Handrail (B5)
		Perceptual Accessibility (C)	Accessibility Facilities (C1)
			Universal Design (C2)
			Fall-proof Design (C3)
	Psychological Requirement	Perceptual Ease of Use (D)	Set density (D1)
			Moving line planning (D2)
			Layout planning (D3)
			Indicative Mark (D4)
		Perceptual Reliability (E)	Degree of Cleanliness (E1)
			Repair Efficiency (E2)
		Perceptual Security (F)	Use Safety (F1)
			Surroundings (F2)
			Property Management (F3)

) after optimization, including 20 indicators in six criteria dimensions. This index system is suitable for the relevant research on the degree of satisfaction with the use of age-appropriate design of public seats in comprehensive parks.

3.4. Formatting of Mathematical Components

The questionnaire for this study was developed using the Kano-IPA framework, and the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects of East China Normal University approved the data collection. To obtain reliable data, the research team delivered closed questionnaires face-to-face to groups of older people at the four target park exits from 12 May to 24 May 2024. A total of 548 questionnaires were distributed. The number of valid questionnaires recovered was 542 (134 in Zhongshan Park, 132 in Heping Park, 140 in Luxun Park, and 134 in Square Park).

3.5. Reliability and Validity Analysis

After data collection, reliability and validity analyses were performed using SPSS26 software. Firstly, the reliability of the assessment data stability was tested using Cronbach’s coefficient to test the reliability of the overall scale [74]. The overall test result is 0.713 > 0.7, which indicates that the overall data of the questionnaire is highly credible. Secondly, validity tests were conducted to assess further the consistency of the actual data results with the theory. Based on the six dimensions of the criterion level in the evaluation index system, the structural validity was examined using the KMO and Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity, which yielded a KMO value of 0.824 greater than 0.700, and the p-value corresponding to the Bartlett’s sphericity value was 0.000. The significant rejection of the original hypothesis indicated that the questionnaire’s overall structural validity is good. Therefore, the prerequisites for analysis in a multifactorial situation were passed, indicating that this data is suitable for further exploratory multifactorial analysis.

4. Results

4.1. Demographic Characteristics

According to the socio-demographics (

Table 4. Background information of respondents.

ITEM	Value	Number	Percentage (%)
Sex	Male	272	50.18%
	Female	270	49.82%
Age (years)	60–64	196	36.18%
	65–69	142	26.20%
	70–74	96	17.71%
	75–79	66	12.18%
	80 and higher	42	7.75%
Transportation	Walking	312	57.56%
	Cycling Public	66	12.18%
	Transportation	146	26.94%
	Driving	18	3.32%
Activity Duration	30 min or less	32	5.90%
	30 min to 1 h	104	19.19%
	1 h to 2 h	258	47.60%
	2 h to 3 h	104	19.19%
	3 h and above	44	8.12%
Period of Activity	6:00–9:00	44	8.12%
	9:00–12:00	152	28.04%
	12:00–15:00	148	27.31%
	15:00–18:00	144	26.57%
	18:00–21:00	38	7.01%
	other	19	2.95%
Time Spent getting to the Park	10 min or less	198	36.53%
	10 min to 20 min	226	41.70%
	20 min to 30 min	84	15.50%
	30 min and above	34	6.27%
Frequency	Several times a day	60	11.07%
	Once a day	180	33.21%
	Multiple times a week	280	51.66%
	other	22	4.06%
Type of Activity	Exercise	96	17.71%
	Leisure and Entertainment	162	29.89%
	Social Interaction	70	12.92%
	Enjoy the view	24	4.43%
	other	22	4.06%
	Both of the above	168	31.00%
Education level	Junior school and below	134	24.72%
	High school	152	28.04%
	Junior college	121	22.32%
	Undergraduate	97	17.90%
	Master’s and above	38	7.01%
Monthly Income	CNY 2000 and below	70	12.91%
	CNY 2000 to CNY 4000	158	29.15%
	CNY 4000 to CNY 6000	221	40.77%
	CNY 6000 to CNY 8000	45	8.30%
	CNY 8000 to CNY 10,000	27	4.98%
	CNY 10,000 and above	21	3.87%

), the average gender ratio of the respondents was relatively balanced, with the highest percentage of individuals aged 60–64 years, accounting for 36.18% of the respondents. Regarding educational level, 47.23% of the respondents had received tertiary education or above. There is a wide range of incomes among respondents, with 82.84% reporting a monthly income of less than CNY 6000, while 3.87% of respondents said their monthly income was more than CNY 10,000. With regards to respondents’ mode of transportation to the park, walking was the largest percentage, consistent with most respondents taking less than 20 min to reach the park. Most respondents indicated that they would visit the park several times during the week and that the time spent there was about 1 to 2 h. Among the respondents, 31.00% go to the parks for various activities, with the main activities being recreation (29.89%) and exercise (17.71%). According to the report of the Shanghai Bureau of Statistics [2,3,75] on the gender composition of the elderly population in Shanghai, 47.9% of the elderly population aged 60 and above were male, and 52.1% were female. Regarding age composition, 22.9% were 60–64, 28.4% were 65–69, 34.3% were 70–79, and 14.4% were 80 years old and above. In terms of health status, 1.31% of the population in the 60–64 age group was unhealthy, 3.81% of the population in the 65–69 age group was unhealthy, 4.84% of the population in the 70–79 group was unhealthy, and 19.3% of the population in the 80 and over group was unhealthy. This affected the proportion of the age of the respondents who are active in the integrated parks, as the proportion of the population who were healthy seniors diminishes as they get older. A total of 63.43% of the older adults’ primary source of livelihood is retirement pension, and the amount of per person monthly pension fund expenditure was CNY 5399, which was consistent with the data of the respondents. The respondents’ data had a similar sample structure to the comprehensive statistical information of the Shanghai Bureau of Statistics, which means the data is highly reliable and the overall sample has a strong demand for parks, which will allow us to deeply understand the population characteristics in the region.

4.2. Kano Analysis

4.2.1. Classification of Public Seating Aging Service Elements in Shanghai

Comprehensive Parks

Statistics on the percentage of demand types for each indicator under the categorized evaluation index system. The demand element that appears most frequently in each indicator was taken as the final type of this indicator (

Table 5. Percentage of demand types for each element.

Criterion Layer	Index Layer	Percentage (%)						Demand Type
		A	O	M	I	R	Q
Perceptual Desirability (A)	Good Appearance (A1)	63.84%	3.69%	1.11%	31.37%	0%	0%	A
	Bright color (A2)	54.61%	1.11%	1.11%	40.96%	2.21%	0%	A
	Reasonable Material (A3)	23.25%	40.22%	9.96%	26.57%	0%	0%	O
Perceptual Comfort (B)	Function Design (B1)	11.44%	0.74%	1.48%	83.03%	3.32%	0%	I
	Ergonomics Efficacy (B2)	16.61%	12.55%	46.86%	23.99%	0%	0%	M
	Backrest Support (B3)	22.51%	45.76%	6.27%	25.09%	0.37%	0%	O
Perceptual Comfort (B)	Cushion Design (B4)	52.03%	13.65%	11.44%	22.88%	0%	0%	A
	Helping Handrail (B5)	46.86%	1.85%	3.32%	45.76%	2.21%	0%	A
Perceptual Accessibility (C)	Accessibility Facilities (C1)	40.59%	0.74%	0.37%	57.2%	1.11%	0%	I
	Universal Design (C2)	11.44%	2.95%	45.76%	39.85%	0%	0%	M
Perceptual Comfort (B)	Fall-proof Design (C3)	42.44%	3.32%	4.8%	49.45%	0%	0%	I
Perceptual Ease of Use (D)	Set density (D1)	17.71%	41.7%	9.23%	31.37%	0%	0%	O
	Moving line planning (D2)	13.65%	17.34%	43.54%	25.46%	0%	0%	M
	Layout planning (D3)	13.28%	44.65%	15.13%	26.94%	0%	0%	O
	Indicative Mark (D4)	8.12%	32.84%	0.37%	57.93%	0.74%	0%	I
Perceptual Reliability (E)	Degree of Cleanliness (E1)	8.86%	67.90%	12.92%	10.33%	0%	0%	O
	Repair Efficiency (E2)	4.43%	17.71%	48.71%	29.15%	0%	0%	M
Perceptual Security (F)	Use Safety (F1)	0.37%	26.57%	66.79%	6.27%	0%	0%	O
	Surroundings (F2)	9.96%	63.84%	14.02%	12.18%	0%	0%	O
	Property Management (F3)	5.17%	5.54%	40.96%	48.34%	0%	0%	I

). Each demand element was statistically evenly distributed on the charisma element (A), the must-have element (M), the expectation element (O), the undifferentiated element (I), and the non-reversed element R. The overall data reliability was high, and the evaluation index design was reasonable.

Among the twenty elements, five are classified as essential service elements, four as charismatic service elements, six as expected service elements, and five as undifferentiated service elements.

The must-have elements (M) include B2 human efficacy, C2 universal design, D2 moving line planning, E2 maintenance efficiency, and F2 surroundings. These comprehensive park public seating age-appropriate designs must be provided to older people; if not provided, the elderly people’s satisfaction will be reduced very quickly, and even cause dissatisfaction and resentment among the older adults. If the provision of the service is relatively perfect, more enhancements will not increase elderly satisfaction.

The expectation elements (O) include A3 reasonable material, B3 backrest support, D1 setting density, D3 layout planning, E1 cleanliness, and F2 surroundings. A high degree of improvement in these elements will lead to a rapid increase in older adults’ satisfaction, i.e., the higher the degree of improvement in the service elements, the more satisfied the elderly will be, and vice versa.

The undifferentiated elements (I) include B1 functional design, C1 accessibility, C3 fall prevention design, D4 directional signage, and F3 property management. Whether provided or not, these elements do not affect older adult satisfaction and are therefore not explored in the later study.

4.2.2. Better and Worse Coefficient Quadrant Analysis

The binary classification of service elements was realized by calculating Better (Satisfaction increment index) or Worse (Dissatisfaction decrement index) (

Table 6. Percentage of demand types for each element.

Criterion Layer	Index Layer	Better	Worse
Perceptual Desirability (A)	Good Appearance (A1)	67.53%	−4.8%
	Bright color (A2)	56.98%	−2.26%
	Reasonable Material (A3)	63.47%	−50.18%
Perceptual Comfort (B)	Function Design (B1)	12.6%	−2.29%
	Ergonomics Efficacy (B2)	29.15%	−59.41%
	Backrest Support (B3)	68.52%	−52.22%
	Cushion Design (B4)	65.68%	−25.09%
	Helping Handrail (B5)	49.81%	−5.28%
Perceptual Accessibility (C)	Accessibility Facilities (C1)	41.79%	−1.12%
	Universal Design (C2)	14.39%	−48.71%
	Fall-proof Design (C3)	45.76%	−8.12%
Perceptual Ease of Use (D)	Set density (D1)	59.41%	−50.92%
	Moving line planning (D2)	31%	−60.89%
	Layout planning (D3)	57.93%	−59.78%
	Indicative Mark (D4)	41.26%	−33.46%
Perceptual Reliability (E)	Degree of Cleanliness (E1)	76.75%	−80.81%
	Repair Efficiency (E2)	22.14%	−66.42%
Perceptual Security (F)	Use Safety (F1)	26.94%	−93.36%
	Surroundings (F2)	73.8%	−77.86%
	Property Management (F3)	10.7%	−46.49%

).

Taking the Worse value as the X-axis, the value ranges from 0 to 1. The more to the right, the more significant the impact. The Better value was used as the Y-axis, with the value ranging from 1 to 0, and the higher the value, the greater the influence. The average value of Better and Worse was used as the auxiliary line to divide four quadrants, draw the quadrants of Better and Worse coefficients, and take the first quadrant as set A (Figure 5).

The indicators located in set A are A3 reasonable material, B3 functional design, D3 layout planning, D1 setting density, E1 degree of cleanliness, and F2 surroundings, which have an important impact on older adults’ satisfaction with using the park’s public seats.

4.3. Importance–Performance Analysis

4.3.1. Descriptive Statistical Analysis of Importance and Satisfaction

Overall, seniors in these parks perceived the importance of the indicator system highly, but with large standard deviations (

Table 7. Analysis of the difference between the importance and satisfaction of the four parks.

Research Sites	Perceived Importance		Perceived Satisfaction
	Average Value	Standard Deviation	Average Value	Standard Deviation
Parks	3.895	0.977	3.760	0.284
Case A (Zhongshan Park)	3.889	0.956	3.792	0.270
Case B (Square Park)	3.840	0.954	3.662	0.371
Case C (Heping Park)	3.908	1.046	3.884	0.358
Case D (Lu Xun Park)	3.948	0.977	3.705	0.343

). The elderly group recognized the importance of park seating, but different individuals perceived the significance of each of its indicators differently. The high perceived satisfaction indicates that the current public seats in the park are suitable for aging design, older adults are more satisfied, and the standard deviation is slight. This shows that older adults have relatively unified opinions on public seat satisfaction.

Respondents in Case A (Zhongshan Park) perceived the indicator as more critical, with a more significant standard deviation. This indicated that there are differences in the perceived importance of the indicator within the sample. Still, at the level of perceived satisfaction, they were more satisfied with the age-appropriate design of the public seats in the park. At the same time, the standard deviation was slight, which means there is less disagreement within the sample, indicating that the overall sample was more satisfied with public seating.

Respondents in Case B (Square Park) perceived the indicator as less important than the other cases, representing a lower level of importance attached to it. However, the significant standard deviation indicated that there are still differences in perceptions within the park. It also has a lower level of perceived satisfaction than the other four parks, which should be emphasized for improvement.

Case C (Heping Park) has a higher mean value for perceived importance than the other cases. Still, the most significant standard deviation proves there is a great deal of internal variation in perceptions. It also has the highest level of perceived satisfaction compared to the other three parks, but it still needs improvement concerning its importance.

Case D (Lu Xun Park) has the highest mean value of perceived importance compared to the other cases, representing the highest degree of importance attached to it, but with a significant standard deviation. This indicates that there are differences in perceived importance within the sample. At the same time, their perceived satisfaction is also higher.

None of the four cases has achieved a satisfactory level of expectation for the overall dimension in terms of the overall mean difference (P-I) relative to its significance. There is still room for improvement.

4.3.2. Importance and Satisfaction Quadrant Analysis

IPA was used to analyze the scatterplot with the importance variable as the x-axis and the satisfaction variable as the y-axis. The mean of the importance variable was used as the x-axis reference line, and the mean of the satisfaction variable was used as the y-axis reference line. Four quadrants were delineated, and factors A1–F3 were mapped to their respective quadrants in terms of mean size (Figure 6) (

Table 8. Quadrant statistics for each element.

Criterion Layer	Index Layer	Quadrant
Perceptual Desirability (A)	Good Appearance (A1)	III
	Bright color (A2)	III
	Reasonable Material (A3)	I
Perceptual Comfort (B)	Function Design (B1)	II
	Ergonomics Efficacy (B2)	I
	Backrest Support (B3)	IV
	Cushion Design (B4)	I
	Helping Handrail (B5)	III
Perceptual Accessibility (C)	Accessibility Facilities (C1)	III
	Universal Design (C2)	I
	Fall-proof Design (C3)	III
Perceptual Ease of Use (D)	Set density (D1)	IV
	Moving line planning (D2)	I
	Layout planning (D3)	I
	Indicative Mark (D4)	II
Perceptual Reliability (E)	Degree of Cleanliness (E1)	I
	Repair Efficiency (E2)	I
Perceptual Security (F)	Use Safety (F1)	I
	Surroundings (F2)	I

).

Most of the tertiary indicators in the IPA quadrant map are distributed in the first quadrant.

Quadrant 1: Advantageous areas where users consider and are satisfied with the aging design indicators, i.e., advantageous indicators. The indicators are reasonable material (A3), ergonomics efficacy (B2), cushion design (B4), universal design (C2), moving line planning (D2), layout planning (D3), degree of cleanliness (E1), repair efficiency (E2), use safety (F1), and surroundings (F2). This indicates that the current age-appropriate design of public seats in integrated parks provides good infrastructure services for older people on these indicators, which allows them to enjoy better age-appropriate services and relax physically and mentally in public seats. Therefore, the aging sustainability improvement of public seating should be improved while maintaining the quality of the existing elements to fully perform their roles and meet the needs of older adults.

Quadrant 2: Maintenance area, where user satisfaction with the current age-appropriate design of public seating in parks is high but considered less important, i.e., the types of age-appropriate design indicators that can be maintained as they are. These are functional design (B1) and indicative mark (D4). Although older adults pay less attention to these evaluation indicators, their satisfaction is higher, indicating that older people are more satisfied with the functionality of the existing park public seats and the related instructional signs and have a better experience in using the seats. These evaluation elements are maintenance factors. Maintaining and improving the service quality of these elements will improve older adults’ evaluation of age-appropriate public seats.

Quadrant 3: Opportunity area, the indicators of age-appropriate design that users consider to be of low importance and also of low satisfaction, i.e., the opportunity indicators. They have an aesthetically good appearance (A1), bright color (A2), helping handrail (B5), accessibility facilities (C1), and fall-proof design (C3). These evaluation elements are opportunity elements, which are not only of low importance but also unsatisfactory, resulting in a negative use experience. However, there may be potential opportunities to study the factors behind the impact of satisfaction and importance, and therefore, these are areas for managers to improve over time.

Quadrant 4: Urgent improvement area, the age-appropriate design indicators that users consider high importance but with low satisfaction, as set B, the key improvement indicators. They are backrest support (B3) and set density (D1). This indicates that older people consider backrest support an essential factor in age-appropriate design. However, the current design does not meet their needs, and the set density satisfaction is low. Older adults have expectations for increasing the setting density. This evaluation factor indicates the importance of sustainable improvement of the age-appropriate public seating design. Otherwise, user satisfaction will be seriously affected. Managers should take appropriate measures to effectively improve the age-appropriate design of public seating in parks to optimize older adults’ satisfaction with its use.

4.4. Improvement Factor Analysis of Age-Appropriate Satisfaction of Public Seats in Shanghai Comprehensive Parks Based on Kano-IPA

4.4.1. Better-Worse and IPA Analysis Matrix Integration Analysis

The elements in the Better-Worse matrix whose absolute values of the coordinate values are more significant than the mean value of the total horizontal coordinates and also more significant than the mean value of the total vertical coordinates are designated as Set A. The elements in the fourth quadrant of the IPA analysis matrix are defined as Set B. The same elements in Set A and Set B are the critical design elements in the age-appropriate design of the public seats in Shanghai’s comprehensive parks.

Through statistics, the elements in set A are reasonable material (A3), function design (B1), layout planning (D3), set density (D1), degree of cleanliness (E1), and surroundings (F2).

The elements in set B are backrest support (B3) and setting density (D1).

These two take the same element as set density (D1), which is the critical design element for the age-appropriate design of public seats in Shanghai’s comprehensive parks.

4.4.2. Kano 2D Attribute and IPA Matrix Integration Analysis

The Kano model consists of five categories: essential elements, expectation elements, charm elements, undifferentiated elements, and reverse expectation elements. This paper will not use or include undifferentiated and reverse elements. The order of improvement in essential service elements, expected service elements, and charismatic service elements is essential elements > expected elements > charismatic elements (

Table 9. Improvement and prioritization of elements.

Kano Quadrant	IPA Analysis Matrix	Service Quality Element Number	I/P Value	Order of Improvement	Maintaining Order
M	I	B2	1.150		3
	I	C2	1.137		4
	I	D2	1.205		2
	I	E2	1.064		5
	I	F1	1.197		1
O	I	A3	1.133		9
	IV	B3	1.163	2
	IV	D1	1.355	1
	I	D3	1.194		6
	I	E1	1.187		8
	I	F2	1.191		7
A	III	A1	0.875	3
	III	A2	0.672	5
	I	B4	1.114		10
	III	B5	0.881	4

).

The order of improvement and maintenance for elements with the same Kano attributes and located in the same IPA quadrant is determined by the ratio of importance to satisfaction. The higher the ratio, the higher the importance of the service element, the lower the satisfaction, and the higher the order of improvement or maintenance; conversely, the lower the ratio, the lower the order of improvement or maintenance.

In summary, we combined the Kano 2D attributes with the IPA matrix to derive the order of improvement and maintenance for each service element.

5. Discussion

Previous research on age-appropriate public facilities [76,77,78,79] largely ignored the differences in the impact of different public places and types of facilities on the needs of older people, concentrating more broadly on the shortcomings of existing public facilities. This study focused on the seating needs of older adults in the park, a crucial activity place. Through the development of the evaluation system and field investigation, the actual needs of older adults were understood from the perspective of the elderly to obtain analysis results that are more in line with the specific population.

The study found that in the overall Kano analysis, seniors valued factors such as ergonomics efficacy, universal design, layout planning, repair efficiency, and surroundings in the design of public seats in parks, with public seat repair efficiency affecting satisfaction the most. This means that the timely and rapid repair of public seats is not only a matter of whether the seats are correctly used but also seniors’ goodwill and trust in the integrated parks. However, older people did not pay much attention to the functional design of the existing public seats, accessibility, fall-proof design, indicative marks, and property management, which had a limited effect on satisfaction. According to the Kano model theory, the classification of elements may change as other factors evolve [80]. As user cognition increases, demand elements may shift from left to right (I-A-O-M), meaning that undifferentiated elements may become attractive elements, and attractive elements may become expectation elements and eventually essential elements, with increasing importance and expectations. Therefore, it is unscientific to completely ignore the demand elements currently under undifferentiated attributes. Park managers and designers should pay close attention to the feedback from older people and adjust their strategies as appropriate.

The overall IPA analysis found that there are still significant internal differences in the perceived importance of each indicator among different individuals. Factors such as educational background, culture, and economic status influence the value judgment of each indicator among different elderly groups. While the age-appropriate design level of the four parks is relatively consistent, there remains considerable room for improvement. Particular attention should be paid to “backrest support” and “setting density”, located in the fourth quadrant, i.e., indicating areas needing urgent improvement. These elements are perceived as highly important but have low satisfaction, which should be paid attention to in the subsequent transformation. For example, some older adults suggested that although outdoor seating could not be as soft as indoor seating, it could be improved regarding seat angle and structure to make it more comfortable. This finding aligns with previous research [81,82,83], emphasizing the importance of optimizing ergonomics. Compared to the study by Schuett et al. [84], the results support the high demand for accessibility to public facilities among older adults. Additionally, the study discussed the importance of accessibility and provided a specific classification of indicators that may affect it. The analysis found that older people have a lower demand for indication signs of public facilities in urban parks. Instead, there is a greater need to increase the density of facilities on their daily walking routes to meet activity needs.

Combining the Kano and IPA analysis, the study concluded that “setup density” is a crucial indicator for improving the age-appropriate design of public seating in parks. The results emphasize the need for a sufficient number of public seats for older adults, while too low a density of settings may not meet their needs, causing long wait times or difficulty finding suitable resting places. The field survey also highlighted differences in the use of public park seats by older people of different ages and health conditions, with those older adults with mobility problems needing more resting places and amenities. Prioritizing setting density factors can improve satisfaction and the utilization rate of the rest space used by the elderly. Previous studies support these findings. Gehl J. [85] found that the number of outdoor public seats increased open space use. Sun et al. [86] found that older people communicate more frequently in public spaces with multiple seats, compared with public spaces with few or no seats.

On the other hand, the order of improvement and maintenance of the 15 service elements was derived through the Kano-IPA model. Seat density, backrest support, good appearance, helping handrail, and bright colors are the service elements that should be improved sequentially. At present, their satisfaction performance is not satisfactory. Still, their service level will directly impact the satisfaction of older people, so it is necessary to increase the investment of resources and improve them to ensure the effective use of resources and maximize the satisfaction of older people. Use safety, moving line planning, ergonomics efficacy, universal design, repair efficiency, layout planning, surroundings, degree of cleanliness, reasonable materials, and cushion design are the elements that should be maintained in order, as they currently have high satisfaction among older people. This study demonstrated that applying the Kano-IPA model in service quality assessment effectively combines the real needs of older adults with the cognitive importance and satisfaction of existing services, providing a more systematic, comprehensive, and targeted assessment pathway than individual analytic methods.

6. Sustainable Design Strategies for Public Seats in Parks

6.1. Sustainable Experience Design: Tapping into the Hidden Needs of the Elderly

In an age-appropriate society, it is crucial to continuously analyze the experience and feedback of older people using public seating. This analysis explored and enhanced their implicit needs to facilitate their transformation from “non-participation” to “substantial participation” in the age-appropriate development of urban parks. Designers need to use Kansei Engineering to perceive the hidden needs of the elderly while providing basic services. It involves building a natural behavior model library by collecting data on users’ natural responses when using the facilities. Through neural network training, extensive data analysis, and other technologies, the common natural behavioral reactions of older people can be refined, transforming the user’s original behavioral description into a clear user experience, to understand the user’s needs and integration of innovation. Continuous innovation in interaction modes is necessary to enhance connection through a comfortable experience, improving the user’s recognition of both the product’s external interaction and internal usability. This approach forms behavioral habits, providing possibilities for various activities in the space, increasing vitality, and contributing to a sustainable, recyclable space. In-depth exploration and integration of innovation, targeted demand fulfillment, precise policy implementation, and reducing excessive or ineffective design are essential to achieving sustainable, age-appropriate public seating design.

6.2. Sustainable Product Design: From Cradle to Cradle

The cradle-to-cradle design approach for sustainable public seats involves a full investigation of existing park use scenarios and the actual needs of older people. Firstly, the principle of universal design is adopted to create “standard parts” for park seats, to meet the most basic needs of older people in various parks and use scenarios. Secondly, the connection method for retrofitting components is considered to form a standardized design specification for park public seats. According to the economic, and environmental conditions and material processing capabilities of different regional parks, a series of “non-standard parts” are designed according to the specifications. Combining “non-standard parts” with the “standardized” public seats allows for meeting the diverse needs of the elderly while reducing design duplication, time costs, and human resources, avoiding the waste of resources.

In addition, the rational use of sustainable materials for seating is crucial. Ensuring strong weather resistance and maintenance-free public seats while increasing the application of sustainable materials can improve the proportion of recycled and biodegradable materials used. At the same time, a reliable recycling mechanism for public seats should be developed to enhance the recycling rate of “standard parts” and “non-standard parts”, maximizing resource utilization and achieving sustainable public seat design.

6.3. Sustainable Planning and Design: Reasonable Layout of Public Seats

The sustainable, age-appropriate, and rational construction of park public seats requires full attention to the physiological and psychological characteristics of the elderly population. Combining methods from different disciplines, an interdisciplinary design approach can achieve efficient and accurate layout planning. Ensuring that facilities planning is coordinated with the living habits of older people is essential. Public seating should be refined according to the needs of older people in different park areas. In areas where older people socialize, enjoy landscape views, and engage in other activities, public seats with a higher comfort level and sufficient quantity should be provided. On the other hand, along major transportation routes and areas with dense pedestrian flow, public seats with simple structures and small footprints should be set up in narrow open spaces on both sides of the road to prevent obstruction of pedestrian movement to meet the resting needs of the elderly. Optimizing the layout of facilities, increasing the seat density reasonably, and enhancing the facility availability and utilization can avoid resource waste and achieve sustainable park development.

The synergy between seating and other public facilities needs to pay attention to and fully considered the park’s vision during the design and planning stage. This consideration includes accommodating existing leisure functions and future alteration and upgrading direction to ensure public facilities are adapted. It is also necessary to consider the sustainability of public seats, including design, use, maintenance costs, and other aspects, which are crucial for realizing sustainable development in public seat planning and design.

7. Conclusions

The design of age-appropriate public seating in comprehensive urban parks is influenced by various factors. This study innovatively applied the Kano-IPA model to examine the critical elements of the age-appropriate public seating design in comprehensive parks. An evaluation system for the age-appropriate design of public seats in comprehensive parks was constructed with three elemental dimensions, six criterion dimensions, and twenty indicators. The results show that older adults have a robust demand for age-appropriate park facilities, but the existing public facilities cannot meet their needs. The satisfaction gap is the largest at facility density, backrest support, and aesthetic appearance. In other words, the factors affecting the satisfaction of public seats go beyond the individual level factors, such as the design, material, and color of the seats, and include the overall level factors, such as the management, maintenance, cleaning, and planning.

The study results defined sustainable improvement direction and maintenance elements of age-appropriate public seating design in comprehensive parks. Sustainable design strategies for public seating improvement were proposed, such as the deep excavation of the hidden needs and the modular removable design to meet the demands of older people in the public seats, ergonomics, aesthetics, materials, and other aspects. At the same time, priority should be given to improving age-appropriate design at the overall planning level, such as optimizing the layout of facilities to enhance their availability and utilization.

The limitations of this study include (a) the survey was conducted in only four parks, which may not provide a comprehensive characterization of the diversity of Shanghai’s comprehensive parks; and (b) the lack of analysis on differences in the perceived importance and perceived satisfaction of older adults across different seating constructions. Future research should consider expanding the sample coverage to include a broader range of park locations and conducting correlation analyses to gather more diverse feedback.

Combining objective indicators with subjective evaluations from older people can enhance the credibility and comprehensiveness of the study. These research efforts can more accurately guide improvements in age-appropriate public facilities, provide a better environment for older residents, and increase satisfaction with public seating in comprehensive parks.