What would a park afford our youth? Perceived affordance values of urban parks from the perspective of Generation Z

Against a backdrop of urban green-space shortages and shifting user demographics, little is known about how Generation Z perceives and uses urban parks. This study applies affordance theory to investigate perceived interaction opportunities and uses at Huanhuaxi Urban Park (Chengdu). Between 2023 and 2025, we collected perceptual data from 220 Gen Z participants using on-site visits, photography, photo-based drawing, and semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis produced a bottom-up taxonomy of six perceived affordance values: Leisure, Social, Natural Interaction, Educational, Ecological, and Aesthetic. These affordances reveal how Gen Z relies on parks for stress relief, social connection, mitigation of nature-deficit, informal learning, ecological awareness, and self-aesthetic expression. Building on these empirical findings, we translate qualitative themes into actionable design and management guidelines for urban parks. The study contributes theoretically by demonstrating how an affordance-based, user-centered approach complements the value of cultural ecosystem services identified in previous Huanhuaxi Urban Park research, and methodologically by offering an extensible protocol for investigating perceived affordances in other settings.