Capturing the social values of a mix-used university campus outdoor: An assessment of the Agricultural University of Tirana

Odeta Manahasa; Manjola Logli; Edmond Manahasa

doi:10.47818/DRArch.2024.v5i2124

Capturing the social values of a mix-used university campus outdoor: An assessment of the Agricultural University of Tirana

Authors

Odeta Manahasa Short Bio Epoka University

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Odeta Manahasa is a lecturer of architecture at Epoka University, Tirana, Albania. She has a long-standing interest in understanding environmental psychology in its larger context, particularly in relation to children and child space perception. She is developing this interest as two lines of inquiry: (i) child space perception knowledge, with a focus on a systematic structure for thinking on environmental behavior phenomena from different methodological perspectives, and (ii) improving the quality of learning environments. Thus, her areas of expertise and research interest include architectural education, children and architecture (e.g. children’s participation in architectural design), participatory design, school design, environmental psychology, post occupancy evaluation, and environmental behavior and design.
Manjola Logli Short Bio Epoka University

Manjola Logli is an architect and assistant lecturer based in Tirana, Albania. With a background in both professional practice and academia, Logli’s areas of interest extend to the environment and user behaviors, user well-being and the interaction between sustainability and design regarding socio-cultural dimension, spanning the latter one on a larger scale, in that of livable communities. Recently, she has participated in a research on the well-being and cognitive functions of senior residents focused on retirement homes in Tirana, Albania.
Edmond Manahasa Short Bio Epoka University

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Edmond Manahasa has been working since 2008 at Epoka University in Albania as a lecturer in the department of architecture. He is focused on two main research areas: i. environment-behavior psychology, and ii. history of architecture. Within the first research area, he has conducted research on the themes of place identity and place attachment, urban identity, neighborhood identity, housing typologies, gated communities, city image and post-socialist housing developments. In relation to the second area, he has conducted studies on Ottoman period architecture in Albania and Kosovo.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47818/DRArch.2024.v5i2124

Keywords:

university campus, social sustainability, mix-used, outdoor environment, satisfaction

Abstract

Although mixed-use campuses are recognized by designers, little attention is paid to the social values that their outdoor environment generates for the wider community. Aiming to identify social values, the methodology used in this study includes a survey that is applied via an online questionnaire (N=156) to explore users’ perceptions about the values the campus produces to translate into indicators of wellbeing. This study’s aim is to identify indicators of wellbeing that can capture campus social value, referring to a continuously changing campus (Agricultural University of Tirana). The results indicate that the social and cultural benefits that come from a mixed-use campus are related to the adequacy of physical outdoor environments and social activities. However, compared to mixed-use spaces, outdoor spaces that preserve the functions of agricultural backgrounds (as originally designed) have higher social values. We suggest that both physical and non-physical determinants play a basic role in enhancing social interaction (this is a strong indicator), so they must be included in the policies and strategies of the higher education systems.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Abu-Ghazzeh, T. M. (1999, 11). Communicating Behavioral Research to Campus Design Factors Affecting the Perception and Use of Outdoor Spaces at the University of Jordan. Environment and Behavior, 31(6), 764-804.
Akhir, N. M., Sakip, S. R., Abbas, M. Y., & Othman, N. (2018, 08 26). Landscape Spatial Character: Students’ preferences on outdoor campus spaces, Asian Journal of Quality of Life, 3(13), 89-97.
Alba-Patino, D., Carabassa, V., Castro, H., Gutiérrez-Briceño, I., García-Llorente, M., Giagnocavo, C., & Castro, A. J. (2021). Social indicators of ecosystem restoration for enhancing human wellbeing. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 174, 105782.
Ali, A., & Faruquie, D. S. (2015). Effectiveness of Social and Cultural Sustainability Practices in Built Environment: A Quasi-Systematic Review. Academia.
AUT. (2001). Agricultural University of Tirana. Bari, Italy: Tecnomack.
Axelsson, R., Angelstam, P., Degerman, E., Teitelbaum, S., Andersson, K., Elbakidze, M., & Drotz, M. K. (2013, 03). Social and Cultural Sustainability: Criteria, Indicators, Verifier Variables for Measurement and Maps for Visualization to Support Planning. Ambio, 42(2), 215-228.
Bechtel, R. B., & Churchman, A. (2002). Handbook of Environmental Psychology. John Wiley & Sons Incorporated.
Benneworth, P. C. (2010). Building localized interactions between universities and cities through university spatial development. European planning studies, 18(10), 1611-1629.
Bertlin, J. (2014). Social Sustainability from the perspective of three concepts: human scale, the city at eye level and public life. Degree Project in Urban and Regional Planning, Advanced Cycle, Kth Royal Institute of Technology School of Architectture and the Built Environment, Department of Urban Planning and Environment, Stockholm.
Chan, E., & Lee, G. K. (2007, 02 27). Critical factors for improving social sustainability of urban renewal projects. Social Indicators Research, 85(2), 243-256.
Cowan, R. (1997). The Connected City: a new approach to making cities work. Urban Iniciatives.
Den Heijer, A. C., & Curvelo Magdaniel, F. T. (2018). Campus–city relations: Past, present, and future. Geographies of the University, 12(3), 439.
Dober, R. P. (1996). Campus architecture: building in the groves of academe. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Dober, R. P. (2000). Campus landscape: functions, forms, features. New York: Wiley.
Dober, R. P. (2008). Heritage, Identity and Campus Design. (C. o. Education, Interviewer) Retrieved from https://epublications.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1117&context=conversations
Eckert, E. (2012, 05). Examining the Environment: The Development of A Survey Instrument to Assess Student Perceptions of the University Outdoor Physical Campus. Dissertation, Kent State University College, Health and Human Services.
Eizenberg, E., & Jabareen, Y. (2017). Social Sustainability: A New Conceptual Framework. Sustainability, 9(1), 68.
Fuchs, K., Promsivapallop, P., & Jing, F. (2022). Socio-cultural Influences and Intentions toward Environmental Sustainability amongst Undergraduate Students: Evidence from China and Thailand. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education, 1-12.
Fujiwara, D., Dass, D., King, E., Vriend, M., Houston, R., & Keohane, K. (2021, October). A framework for measuring social value in infrastructure and built environment projects: an industry perspective. In Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Engineering Sustainability (Vol. 175, No. 4, pp. 175-185). Thomas Telford Ltd.
Gehl, J. (1987). Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space. Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Gehl, J. (2011). Life between buildings using public space. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.
Gehl, J., & Svarre, B. (2013). How to study public life. Washington, DC: Island Press.
Göçer, Ö., Göçer, K., Başol, A. M., Kıraç, M. F., Özbil, A., Bakovic, M., & Barış, Ö. (2018, 11). Introduction of a spatio-temporal mapping-based POE method for outdoor spaces: Suburban university campus as a case study. Building and Environment, 145, 125-139.
Guite, H., Clark, C., & Ackrill, G. (2006, 12). The impact of physical and urban environment on mental well-being. Public Health, 120(12), 1117-1126.
Hako, H., & Thanasi, S. (2001). Universiteti i Blerte 1952-2001. Tirana: Albdesign.
Hossini, S. B., Azemati, S., Elyasi, N., & Mozaffar, F. (2015, 01). The Effect of the Vitality Level of University Campuses on Increasing Social Interactions and Makin. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 170, 225-233.
Jabareen, Y. R. (2006, 09). Sustainable Urban Forms. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 26(1), 38-52.
Karuppannan, S., & Sivam, A. (2011). Social sustainability and neighbourhood design: an investigation of residents' satisfaction in Delhi. Local Environment, 16(9), 849-870.
Lees, L., & Phillips, M. (Eds.). (2018). Handbook of gentrification studies. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Marie S., & Annette W. (2018): The role of social sustainability in building assessment, Building Research & Information, DOI: 10.1080/09613218.2018.1468057.
Matloob, F. A. (2018). Structural Layout as a Crucial Factor Towards Campus Sustainability. Sustainable Resources Management Journal, 3(4), 01 -16.
Matloob, F. A., Sulaiman, A. B., Ali, T. H., Shamsuddin, S., & Mardyya, W. N. (2014). Sustaining Campuses through Physical Character–The Role of Landscape. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 140, 282-290.
Penn, A. (2003). Space syntax and spatial cognition: or why the axial line? Environment and behavior, 35(1), 30-65.
Petruzzellis, L., D'Uggento, A. M., & Romanazzi, S. (2006, 07). Student satisfaction and quality of service in Italian universities. Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 16(4), 349-364.
Puhakka, R. (2021). University students’ participation in outdoor recreation and the perceived well-being effects of nature. Journal of outdoor recreation and tourism, 36, 100425.
Purdy, M. K. (2012). Faculty Perceptions of Campus Diversity. Master of Arts, Department of Psychology, Western Kentucky University.
Qtaishat, Y., Emmitt, S., Adeyeye, K., Exploring the socio-cultural sustainability of old and new housing: two cases from Jordan, Sustainable Cities and Society (2020), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2020.102250.
Raiden, A., & King, A. (2021). Social value, organisational learning, and the sustainable development goals in the built environment. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 172, 105663.
Samuel, F., & Hatleskog, E. (2020). Why Social Value?. Architectural Design, 90(4), 6-13.
Shirazi, M. R., & Keivani, R. (2017, 09 18). Critical reflections on the theory and practice of social sustainability in the built environment – a meta-analysis. Local Environment, 22(12), 1526-1545.
The New York Times Company. (2004). Campus Culture or Climate. Retrieved May 10, 2020, from Archive.nytimes: https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/ref/college/collegespecial2/coll_aascu_ecculture.html?8bl.
Today, T. (2019, 12 20). VIDEO/ Shembja me tritol e dy godinave tek Universiteti Bujqësor. Retrieved from tiranatoday: https://tiranatoday.al/video-shembja-me-tritol-e-dy-godinave-tek-universiteti-bujqesor/.
Williams, J. (2005). Designing Neighbourhoods for Social Interaction: The Case of Cohousing. Journal of Urban Design, 10(2), 195-227.
Xu, J., Zhang, Z., & Rong, J. (2012). The Campus Road Planning and Design Research. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 43, 579-586.
Žalėnienė, I., & Pereira, P. Higher Education for Sustainability: A Global Perspective. Geogr. Sustain. 2021, 2, 99–106.

Downloads

PDF

247

79

Published

2024-08-30

How to Cite

Manahasa, O., Logli, M., & Manahasa, E. (2024). Capturing the social values of a mix-used university campus outdoor: An assessment of the Agricultural University of Tirana. Journal of Design for Resilience in Architecture and Planning, 5(2), 138–152. https://doi.org/10.47818/DRArch.2024.v5i2124