Abstract:

In this study, the aim is to investigate the increased need for socialization on university campuses in the post-Covid period by making use of natural design decisions through biophilic design. Positive aspects of socialization are expected to reflect on academic achievement and well-being. Human beings have always been an integral part of nature and thus nature is an endless source of inspiration for humanity. Even a little interaction with nature could refresh senses and rejuvenate minds. In other words, human beings need nature while performing daily activities. Biophilic design is a design approach that argues that it is important to incorporate natural systems and processes into the design of the built environment to improve human health. Research shows positive effects of spaces that incorporate or reflect elements of nature on human health and prosperity. Due to increasing urbanization in the recent years, young people's interaction with nature has decreased to a great extent in individuals who spend most of their time indoors. Especially within the Covid-19 period, university students have been locked in their homes with the effect of the curfews that have been made compulsory around the world, and have been away from social and nature-involved environments. Research shows that, especially students aged 18-24 show signs of anxiety or depressive disorder compared to older adults, especially after the beginning of the Covid-19 period. For this reason, the need for socialization, which is one of the greatest needs of university students influencing the effectiveness of their education, has come to the fore again. A study was carried out at the Izmir University of Economics campus in Turkey, with three selected biophilic patterns. In this study, the aim was to synthesize sociopetal and sociofugal space designs in design guidelines, as the Covid-19 process and the need for socialization are contradictory. The participants were 30 students who took part in groups of five or six at Izmir University of Economics, Turkey. Although the profile of people using this campus is diverse, the main users are students. In the observation process made before the interview about the use of a selected open area, it is aimed to have preliminary information about the area with the help of images taken in different time parts of the day. Interviews with the users of the area were carried out, in order to determine how, how often, at what times of the day and for what purposes students use the selected area within the campus. Specific questions were created to determine the design criteria to be proposed. The responses revealed socialization needs that contributed to sharing of information and knowledge, emotional support, and collaborative tasks of students within the new Covid-19 regulations. The focus of this article is to analyse socialization needs of university students and present nature-inspired design guidelines for the new normal social spaces of university campuses, where university students’ need for socialization is high, and placing this approach within the context of biophilic design. This approach is expected to contribute to the educational success and wellbeing of university students through environmental design.

Keywords:

Biophilic design, environmental design, social campuses, sociopetal arrangement, sociofugal arrangement, socialization.