BIOPHILIC STUDENT ACCOMODATION PROJECT DEVELOPMENT- Introduction
- Eunice Abanewa Hanson
- May 31, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 24, 2024
RESEARCH QUESTION
How can social sustainability in a Canterbury-sited student accommodation be improved through the implementation of biophilic design?
OVERVIEW
Most people agree that views of greenery, trees, and lakes or oceans are calming and restorative, but they may be unaware that this is due to our evolutionary psychology. Humans have sought certain elements to feel safe, secure, and emotionally balanced since our days on the meadow and savannah. Design that intentionally connects people to nature, also known as biophilic design, incorporates natural materials, daylight, and views of the outdoors to improve well-being. Given that we spend more than 90% of our time indoors, buildings designed to maximise the calming effects of nature are more important than ever.
These four projects embody the core elements of biophilic design, from site selection that prioritises a view of the setting sun or lush vegetation, to the creation of cost refuge spaces, to the incorporation of materials and elements of nature indoors, and more.
Biophilic design is especially important in a student environment, such as a student housing complex, for the restorative efficacy and cognitive improvements it provides students. This project therefore aims at improving social sustainability of students within their student accommodation through biophilic design.
REFERENCES
Darby, W. J. (2020). Landscape and identity: Geographies of nation and class in England. Routledge.
Baloch, G.M., Sundarasen, S., Chinna, K., Nurunnabi, M., Kamaludin, K., Khoshaim, H.B., Hossain, S.F.A. and AlSukayt, A., 2021. COVID-19: exploring impacts of the pandemic and lockdown on mental health of Pakistani students. PeerJ, 9, p.e10612.
Strohmaier, S., Homans, K.M., Hulbert, S., Crutch, S.J., Brotherhood, E.V., Harding, E. and Camic, P.M., 2021. Arts-based interventions for people living with dementia: Measuring ‘in the moment’wellbeing with the Canterbury Wellbeing Scales. Wellcome Open Research, 6.
PROJECT CONCEPT
PROJECT AIM
PROJECT SITE
Canterbury is well-known for its beautiful parks and natural areas. A few examples include Howletts Wild Animal Park, Westgate Gardens, Fransiscan Gardens, and Dane John (Sager, 2021). Residents and visitors alike enjoy Canterbury's vibrant natural scenery, numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and diverse shopping and dining options. This city has a number of universities that cater to a wide range of niches and specialist subjects. Perhaps more importantly for most newcomers to Canterbury is that Tankerton Beach is only 7 miles away, making it a popular option during the summer months when residents need a break from the southern heat.
Despite these abundant green spaces and nature reserves, Canterbury students spend much of their time away from nature in their daily activities post pandemic (Darby, 2020).
According to statistics, young adults, including students, are the group most vulnerable to stress and other mental health problems (Baloch et al, 2021). Due to the reduced social interactions and proximity to natural features caused by popular internet-based learning activities that have persisted post-pandemic, students' lifestyles tend to confine them to their accommodation facilities (Chen et al, 2020). This lifestyle has a significant impact on their social well-being, necessitating interventions that could improve the social sustainability of Canterbury students (Strohmaier, Homans and Hulbert, 2021). This project aims to address this issue more effectively by implementing biophilic design.
Site Selection and Information
Site Location
The site selected for the purpose of this project is an area close to the University of Kent Campus in Canterbury, Kent, England. Coordinates- Easting: 366870.31m E, Northing- 5684940.40m N.
The entire field measures an area of 51,341.81 and square metres and perimeter of 908.27 metres.
The google earth image above is positioned to the true north of the site. The site is situated East to the Darwin College and Houses. It can be accessed via Giles lane, St. Stephen’s Hill road and the Canterbury Hill road. To the north and south of the site are grazing fields. the west of the site is a further extension of the green field.
SITE IMAGES
The grid above shows images of the site. The image on the left shows the current state of the site, The image at the top-right show the eastern part of the site and the one at the bottom left is an image of the western part of the site.
History of the Site
The site also referred to as Little Hall Farm is a part of the various acres of parks and gardens of Hales Place, Canterbury. This property belonged to Sir Edward Hales and a politician who sat in the house of commons. He had near 400 acres in the St. Stephen’s parish. Gradual developments transformed St. Stephen’s from a separate village into a suburb of Canterbury, a process which was completed after the Second World War when the Hales Place Estate and the University of Kent was built.
An old picture of the former Hales Place Estate and its immediate surroundings
SITE JUSTIFICATION
Site is located in Canterbury (St. Stephen’s Road)
Site is close to the University of Kent Campus
Presence of natural landscape
Site is accessible from campus and other areas
Land size is large enough for proposed project
The University of Kent, which is the closest University to this site, has a population of approximately 16,500 students. It consists of six (6) colleges each named after a distinguished British scholar - Darwin, Eliot, Keynes, Rutherford Turing and Woolf.
DRAWING OF EXISTING SITE
SITE ANALYSIS
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