Research on the Healing Effect Evaluation of Campus’ Small-Scale Courtyard Based on the Method of Semantic Differential and the Perceived Restorative Scale

Ying Cao () and Lianghao Huang
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Ying Cao: School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Lianghao Huang: School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: Many studies have proven that campus green space has healing effects, but there are few evaluation studies on the healing effects of a small-scale courtyard landscape on a high-density campus. This research comprehensively employs the method of semantic differential (SD method) and the perceived restorative scale (PRS) to construct an evaluation framework based on environmental preference and restorative evaluation in order to quantify the healing capability of small-scale campus landscapes. The findings demonstrate the following: (1) Plants close to or higher than human visual height, such as trees or shrubs, will lead to a better healing effect than lawns. An irregular layout of the plants can also bring a more beautiful aesthetic and better light than a monotonous layout, thus more strongly diverting people’s attention from pressure. (2) Users’ preferences for activity space do not depend on the scale of the activity space. (3) “Perceived quality” and “Experienced quality” represent the healing quality of the courtyard in terms of abstract feelings or atmospheres that are difficult to distinguish directly. In addition to expanding and deepening the concept of restorative space elements, this research provides some guidance for the design of healing courtyards in high-density campus environments.

Keywords: healing environment; small-scale courtyard; SD method; PRS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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