Public Realm at Qatar University Campus: Perception and sustainability of Open Green Spaces

Abstract

Open green spaces are considered as an integral part of university campuses worldwide and the related studies reveal the significant impact of the green spaces on the quality of life in the campuses. Thus, scholars have also stressed the need of revitalization of outdoor green spaces in the Qatar university campus. This research investigates whether students‘ perception has an impact on usability of green spaces, precisely, at the Women‘s Engineering Building of Qatar University. It also considers the extent to which regional factors, such as climate and privacy, as per Islamic value, impact the perception of usability of open green spaces. A review of the literature was conducted for exploring the regional influence on perception and usability of green spaces. Site visits and field observation were conducted to understand the spatial nature of the green spaces in terms of privacy and the types of green space usage in the surrounding areas of the Women‘s Engineering Building. User‘s perception of green spaces and their impact on usability were collected through survey questions and questionnaires. In contrast to the views of the scholars, significant difference between perception and usability of the green spaces along the year, the findings reveal that (1) a certain resistance to the usage of the green spaces occurs in summer; (2) there is no significant threat to the perception of privacy, which, in turn, has no impact on the usability of green spaces at Qatar University‘s Women‘s Engineering Building.