Green Spaces Design in University Campus: A Review of Landscape Practice of Sustainability and Students’ Well-Being

Abstract

Implementing green spaces in Malaysian universities comes with several significant challenges: Many campuses struggle with finding adequate space and infrastructure to develop green areas. Budget limitations often hinder the implementation and maintenance of green initiatives. There is often a lack of understanding and awareness about the benefits and practices of sustainability among campus communities. Therefore, the objective is to analyze key variables associated with green space design on university campuses through a comprehensive literature review. Thus, this paper conducts a systematic review of the literature on campuses and green spaces relationships to evaluate recent research trends to uncover the aspects that connect universities with their respective green spaces design. The search included articles published in 3 different databases from 2000 to 2024, a total number of 50 articles were selected in this review. The findings reveal essential characteristics of green space design, particularly the integration of physical and functional elements within campus environments. The study emphasizes that the synergy between hard and soft landscape components plays a pivotal role in shaping the physical attributes of sustainable green campuses. This balance highlights the vital role of landscapes in green space design, improving environmental quality and positively impacting student well-being. Consequently, it is imperative for decision-makers, stakeholders, and university administrators to engage collaboratively in the campus development process, particularly during the initial stages, to optimize the synergistic benefits of the campus-green space relationship. The findings provide a strong basis for sustainable campus development and enhance the broader discourse on sustainability and fostering a positive student experience within higher education.