Beyond Blue and Green Spaces: Identifying and Characterizing Restorative Environments on Sichuan Technology and Business University Campus

Yue Du, Zan Zou, Yaodong He, Yongge Zhou and Shixian Luo ()
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Yue Du: College of Art, Sichuan Technology and Business University, Chengdu 610000, China
Zan Zou: College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Yaodong He: College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
Yongge Zhou: College of Art, Sichuan Technology and Business University, Chengdu 610000, China
Shixian Luo: Department of Environmental Sciences and Landscape Architecture, Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University-Matsudo Campus, Chiba 271-8510, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 20, 1-17

Abstract: Undergraduates commonly suffer from stress and anxiety; therefore, it is imperative to find restorative places on campus. Although blue and green spaces are good for recovery and stress relief, previous studies have failed to determine other types of restorative spaces on campuses. Using a bottom-up participatory smartphone photo survey, this study recruited a sample of 243 students from Sichuan Technology and Business University in China, and the results were as follows: (1) potential restorative spaces on campus were grouped into five categories: green, blue, gray, living, and study space; (2) no significant differences were found in the assessment of the five restorative spaces, all of which showed positive effects; (3) the five restorative spaces were linked with four restorative characteristics in different ways, with green, blue, gray, and living space showing the “being away” characteristic (refuges from the hassles of everyday life, indicate geographical or psychological distance), and gray and study spaces showing the “fascination” characteristic (effortless attention); (4) visit duration played an important role in the environment’s potential to promote recovery. A shorter visit duration owing to a lack of infrastructure and interest points may contribute to reduced benefits. This study has important implications for the design and management of restorative environments on college campuses.

Keywords: restorative environments; campus; participatory smartphone photography (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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