Jeevan Neralakere Somashekhar, Kong Zijin, Lee Wei Hao, Joel, Lin Xingting, Zhao Zichao
Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari
Industry Advisor: UCI
Research has established that campus landscapes can have significant psychological appeal and health benefits for students (Mascarelli 2009). The NUS Kent Ridge Campus is located amidst a dense urban setting and faces severe land constraints. Our project evaluated stakeholder use and values about the existing campus landscape to identify potential improvements. Using a literature survey, we narrowed the assessment criteria to three main factors: convenience of use, natural elements in the landscape and user-designer mismatch. Primary data was collected from a convenience sample of students in a two-step user survey, with a selection of campus photographs for three case studies. The first survey gathered insights on students’ attitudes and use patterns. The second survey gathered targeted feedback on improvement options using results of the first survey and are framed as recommendations for campus planning. Future research could explore differences across age, gender and field of study to develop a stratified understanding of stakeholder values.
Keywords: Built Environment & Green Infrastructure, Green Spaces, Urban design, Urban planning