Design study for healthy campus landscapes in Aotearoa New Zealand : A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Lincoln University

Abstract

Internationally, mental health concerns have become severe for both university students and staff. The World Health Organisation addressed the importance of maintaining campus users’ health by publishing the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting University and Colleges in 2015, that recognised universities’ ability and responsibility to embed health into all aspects of universities’ everyday activities and so lead health promotion actions for the wider society. However, only minimal research has been conducted to advance the healthy university agenda in New Zealand universities. Studies have been conducted to explore ways of building a health-promoting campus, ie. a salutogenic campus, however, not much attention has given to the design of the physical environment of campuses that supports healthy behaviours and encourages healthy life choices. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to investigate and evaluate the relaxation affordances of existing campus landscapes from campus users’ perspectives and provide suggestions for the future design of healthy campuses, especially for New Zealand universities. A comparative multi-case study was conducted with 65 participants including students, staff, and medical workers on campus from the city campus of the University of Auckland in Auckland, Lincoln University in Christchurch, and University of Otago in Dunedin, in terms of their relaxation experience on campus during working hours. In-depth individual interviews were done during semester time in September and October 2018 with participants using a mental mapping exercise and an optional walking interview if the participants had the time. This study showed the health and well-being significance and potential of campus landscapes. Interviews with participants across the three campuses revealed use patterns of campus landscapes for relaxation and the design characteristics of identified relaxation spaces on campuses. Natural landscapes were found to be significant for positive relaxation experience, which further signified the health and well-being value of biophilic design. Proximity to greenery and biodiversity of space were identified as two indicators to measure the biophilic level of space and presumed relaxation potential of a space. The design characteristics of relaxation campus spaces found in this study were also valuable for the creation of other health-promoting everyday environments such as working environments in the city. Therefore, this study not only contributes to the healthy university agenda but also to public health promotion through a settings-based approach.