This paper explores the complex relationship between university campus spatial design and students’ sense of belonging. Conceptualising campus spaces as dynamic social environments, the paper investigates how the design of educational environments fosters/hinders a sense of belonging among diverse student populations.
The paper employs a literature review and a reflexive thematic analysis, drawing from interdisciplinary perspectives in architecture, psychology, and anthropology.
The study develops a conceptual model of “non-belonging” to diagnose spatial design practices that generate feelings of exclusion, isolation, and detachment. Additionally, it proposes a conceptual framework for understanding students’ sense of belonging to university campuses. This spatialised framework provides theoretical insight and practical guidance for future architectural and planning approaches to create inclusive, meaningful, and contextually grounded campus environments.
The proposed framework integrates New Brutalism’s emphasis on community needs with spatial belonging theories focused on social practice, power, and justice. It conceptualises campus belonging across three layers: the city, the campus, and its diverse communities. Recognising the coexistence of belonging and non-belonging, it uses campus design to mediate between individual and collective identities. It also utilises digital platforms as tools for shaping campus narratives that transcend physical boundaries. The study concludes with recommendations for future research, encouraging the development of practical toolkits and models through empirical inquiry. These will support broader adoption by scholars and spatial design practitioners working across educational and urban contexts.
