Environmental Quality, Spatial Support, and Student Use of Campus Transitional Spaces

Abstract

Campus transitional spaces in university academic buildings increasingly support informal learning and social interaction; however, the mechanisms linking environmental quality and spatial factors to students’ preferences for using these spaces remain underexplored. Grounded in a Person–Environment Fit perspective, this study proposes and tests a model examining the relationship between perceived environmental quality (thermal comfort, daylight, air quality, outside visibility) and perceived spatial factors (acoustics, layout, furniture, and facilities). A questionnaire survey was conducted among undergraduate students in the School of Chemical and Biological Engineering at a public university in Hunan, China, where students reported their preferences for using four transitional-space types for informal learning and social activities. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to estimate the direct effects of environmental quality and spatial factors on student preferences, complemented by comparing Science and Engineering students. Results indicate that both environmental quality and spatial factors are positively associated with student preferences. The findings suggest that comfort-oriented environmental provisions and task-enabling spatial configurations jointly shape students’ willingness to engage in informal learning and interaction in transitional spaces. The study contributes to evidence-based campus design by informing targeted, cost-effective interventions aligned with contemporary policy priorities for high-quality, student-centred learning environments.

Keywords: Campus transitional spaces, perceived environmental quality, spatial factors, student preferences