Integrated design features in university public spaces: community benefits and developer appeal. Two European best practice cases

Appropriate design of public spaces contributes, within schools and university complexes, to increasing well-being, productivity and alleviating stress of the community; but while the methodological design approach appears to be - at least theoretically - set for the designers, on the side of the developers it still persists the reticence in putting the community well-being in terms of livability, inclusion and accessibility standards, at higher level than the minimum regulatory base when this involves a partial sacrifice of the project volume. In cases where yet an appropriate but not performatively quantifiable open public space design, does not on its own convince the investor in renouncing to internal built square meters, the adoption of Integrated Design Process (IDP) strategies, and often consequently, of international environmental certification schemes, can intervene to partially stem this trend, putting emphasis on quantifiable results achieved through the implementation of ESG design choices, where these also increase the economic potential of sale and rental of certified sites and assets. This notion can play a crucial role for architects and urban planners to effectively cope with developers to achieve higher design standards.