Category Archives: Summaries

Recognizing Campus Landscapes as Learning Spaces Kathleen G Scholl, Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi- Summary

Posted on by

Universities today have more to worry about than just the academic aspect. When browsing for higher learning institutions, students look at the college experience as a whole, taking into consideration every detail. “American higher education institutions face unique twenty-first century changes and challenges in providing good, holistic learning spaces for the diverse and evolving needs of today’s college student.” (“Recognizing Campus Landscapes as Learning Spaces.” Journal of Learning Spaces [Online], 4.1 (2015)) As stated in the article, young people expect to see a different environment when they go to a university. The landscape, the way that the classes are built, the dorms, green spaces, and any other aspect of the architecture of a university plays a huge role in the college experience. If you are a city person, you will prefer a city-like institution; the same goes for people who like small towns, they will prefer a small institution.

“Today’s university must be resilient spaces in which the learning environment encompasses more than technology upgrades, classroom additions, and its academic buildings – in fact, the entire campus, including its open spaces, must be perceived as a holistic learning space that provides a holistic learning experience (Gumprecht, 2003; Gutierrez, 2013; Kenny, Dumont, & Kenny, 2005).” (“Recognizing Campus Landscapes as Learning Spaces.” Journal of Learning Spaces [Online], 4.1 (2015)) Learning goes far beyond the traditional classrooms and textbooks. Yes, Apple computers and projectors are attractive, but young people from the 21st century like unordinary things. For example, having class outside. Students are more likely to learn with an outside class because it’s not usual for a professor to do this and therefore, will take advantage of the opportunity to learn everything that they can.

“As an integral part of the image, mission and goals of the university, Griffith (1994) reminds higher education communities “that open space must be treated as a scarce resource” (p.29) (“Recognizing Campus Landscapes as Learning Spaces.” Journal of Learning Spaces [Online], 4.1 (2015)). Earth’s population is constantly growing and it will only continue to grow. With that growth comes a greater number of buildings that are built and in effect reduce open space. As stated, open spaces should really be treated as a scare resource. Many universities have a large variety of options that they offer, however, not ever university has open spaces for students’ use. Students love to gather with a group of friends to study, to have a good time, or to simply relax and enjoy the open space. “By preserving and suitably integrating open spaces into the green infrastructure, universities can add value and quality to the campus environment by: forging a campus identity, creating a sense of community, curbing escalating campus density, serving social and recreational needs, providing environmental benefits, and facilitating fundraising and recruitment of both faculty and students (Griffith, 1994).” (“Recognizing Campus Landscapes as Learning Spaces.” Journal of Learning Spaces [Online], 4.1 (2015)) Having open spaces is beneficial to both universities and students. When a university has green spaces, they can add value to their school and students who attend this school with have open places to enjoy.

“Traditional campus indoor spaces, by necessity and function, provide ample opportunities for structured learning experiences that draw upon students’ direct attention. However, a student’s learning experience is not often balanced by unstructured or structured opportunities for drawing forth effortless, indirect attention that occur in human-nature interactions (Valles-Planells, et. al, 2014). Attention to a mix of different learning spaces that combine nature and interesting architecture (Orr, 2004) provide more options for regulating learning and restoration cycles.” (“Recognizing Campus Landscapes as Learning Spaces.” Journal of Learning Spaces [Online], 4.1 (2015)) A university education is a unique experience and every aspect of a university plays a role in that experience. Different students learn in different styles and it is sometimes difficult to adapt to different styles of learning. In order to achieve that adaptation, universities have to create a mix of learning spaces as well as spaces for other purposes around campus.

 

http://libjournal.uncg.edu/jls/article/view/972/777

Architectural Exclusion: Discrimination and Segregation Through Physical Design of the Built Environment by Sarah Schindler- Summary

Posted on by

When we hear the word “segregation”, we immediately think black and white segregation in America during the early 1900’s. However, segregation has existed in the human race since history can remember. The earliest form of segregation that I can think of right now was social class segregation. In ancient times, rich kings would segregate themselves from the poor citizens and the separation of both groups was obvious. Modern time segregation as we all know it is race segregation. According to history, this was determined to be illegal in the United States during the 1960’s; we all know that race segregation still exist in many forms. Race segregation is the united states can be seen in restaurants, stores, economic status, education opportunities, and in many other different ways. After reading Sarah Schindler’s piece, “Architectural Exclusion: Discrimination and Segregation Through Physical Design of the Built Environment”, I now know that architectural segregation is a huge form of segregation that we did not even know existed. In Part one of Schindler’s piece, she exposes all of her theories that she has for architecture separate people from one another. “Social norms encouraged some to threaten undesirable persons with violence if they were to enter or remain in certain spaces. And cities were constructed in ways—including by erecting physical barriers—that made it very difficult for people from one side of town to access the other side.” (Part 1, Schindler) In gated communities, people who are not part of that community might be received violently by the residents, the police, and if the community has one, the community watch person. The people who are in charge on how a new building is going to be constructed design that building in way that only a targeted group of people can access said building. Take for example Lenox Square, this is a well know shopping mall in Buckhead, Georgia. Since its creation, this shopping mall was intended for white upper class people only. However, in 2016, a large verity of people goes to that mall; some people do not like that. I was directed racial slurs once by a white female shopper at Lenox, so this is evidence that the intended shoppers for that mall once again are white upper class people. The Lenox mall is just one example to architectural segregation but bridges, walls, and even benches in parks have segregation meaning behind it as Schindler states in her piece. “Although regulation through architecture is just as powerful as law, it is less identifiable and less visible to courts, legislators, and potential plaintiffs.” (Part 2, Schindler) Laws are very important in all of the countries around the world. They regulate things in that given country and many times the laws are not just. However, the citizens will follow them just so that they don’t have problems with the law. The fact that architecture is as powerful as law is frighten. The buildings that make up our communities regulate our activities, our styles of life, and mostly every aspect of our lives. The exclusion that is done is so common that people do not take the time to analyze it and do something to end architectural exclusion.

 

 

http://www.yalelawjournal.org/article/architectural-exclusion