Sustainability and collective well-being: a comparative study of UC Berkeley and UCSF Mission Bay public spaces

In recent decades, the issue of university public space has gained increasing relevance in international discourse concerning urban design, environmental sustainability, and the promotion of collective health. In a context shaped by ecological, technological, and social transformations, universities are no longer regarded solely as institutions for education and research, but also as territorial agents capable of significantly influencing urban quality of life, social cohesion, and the development of new spatial paradigms (Bagnato, 2021; Działek et al., 2023; Schmertz, ed., 1972). Within this framework, the analysis of public space on university campuses offers an opportunity to investigate how educational, environmental, cultural, and relational dimensions are articulated through spatial configurations, usage practices, and governance models. Building on these premises, this research aims to explore and compare how public space on university campuses is designed, inhabited, and transformed within two distinct but emblematic contexts. By integrating field observation and document analysis, the study examines not only the morphological and functional aspects of these spaces but also their experiential, symbolic, and community-related dimensions. The case studies concern the main campus of the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) and the Mission Bay Campus of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). These two institutional contexts differ markedly in terms of history, disciplinary orientation, and urban morphology, yet both employ public space as a strategic instrument for urban regeneration, design innovation, and the promotion of collective well-being. Founded in 1868, UC Berkeley is among the oldest and most prestigious public universities in the United States. The structure of its campus has evolved over time and is deeply embedded within the urban fabric of Berkeley. It represents a layered spatial palimpsest characterized by historical, symbolic, and environmental significance, where academic life intersects with political activism, everyday social practices, and collective spatial appropriation. The network of plazas, lawns, paths, and gardens—from Sproul Plaza to Faculty Glade, from Memorial Glade to the Eucalyptus Grove—reflects a conception of public space as a hybrid ecosystem in which natural, cultural, and social dimensions are dynamically interwoven. The UCSF Mission Bay Campus presents a contrasting case. Opened in the early 2000s as part of a broader urban regeneration initiative in southeastern San Francisco, UCSF is a leading institution focused exclusively on the health sciences. Mission Bay was conceived as an integrated urban campus where biomedical research, clinical care, postgraduate education, and community well-being converge within an open and sustainable spatial framework. Key elements such as Koret Quad, the multifunctional William J. Rutter Center, the accessibility of Mission Creek Park, and the system of pedestrian and cycling paths define an innovative model of university public space in which physical well-being, environmental integration, and social inclusion are central spatial components. The significance of these two campuses lies not only in their academic distinction but also in their capacity to embody alternative and complementary spatial models: on the one hand, the sociological and historical evolution of UC Berkeley, rooted in the civic and humanistic traditions of the East Bay; on the other, the emergence of a paradigm centered on "health urbanism" and interdisciplinary integration at UCSF Mission Bay, reflecting a vision of applied research and environmental innovation.