Students' Perceived Restoration in Campus Outdoor Spaces: The Case of Bani Hashim Square in Al al-Bayt University, Jordan
Creating healthier learning environments should be the goal of all higher education institutions in the post-COVID-19 era. A well-designed campus outdoor space with abundant greenery can promote attention restoration and reduce students' stress, enhancing their well-being. This study evaluates the perceived restoration of Bani Hashim Square at Al al-Bayt University in Jordan. It also aims to understand the patterns of outdoor space use. The research was primarily quantitative, using a questionnaire. To a lesser degree, qualitative methods, including literature review and unstructured observation, were also used. The Perceived Restoration Scale (PRS) was used to evaluate the restorativeness of the square. The results showed that Bani Hashim Square promotes attention restoration. The square was popular among students, especially females. Meeting and talking with friends was the most favorite activity. Using a Kruskal-Wallis test, it was found that there were statistically significant differences in overall perceived restoration across the students' faculty and grade level. Finally, creating restorative learning environments can be promoted by adopting design decisions that induce a sense of being away, increase the amount of fascination, create a well-structured and coherent space, and consider students' needs and desires to produce highly compatible spaces.