Assessing the Learning Value of Campus Open Spaces through Post-Occupancy Evaluations

The idea that the physical design and configuration of a campus can elicit and support studying behavior has important ramifications, as all academic institutions underscore learning in their mission statements. This article evaluates the learning value, or ability of a campus space to support studying behavior, through the use of a post-occupancy evaluation. The findings suggest that specific physical design configurations and landscape elements may be influential factors in supporting studying within campus spaces. The results of this study indicate that campus designers and university officials should further examine the relationship between campus design and studying behavior to increase the learning value of campus spaces everywhere. (Contains 8 figures.)