Public Space in the Contemporary Chinese Campus: two case studies

In recent decades, the role of public open spaces within university campuses has gained increasing attention in international discourse, particularly in the fields of urban design, environmental sustainability, and collective health promotion (Ali, Kim, 2020; Fassi, Galluzzo, Rogel, 2016). In contexts marked by rapid ecological, technological, and social transformations, universities are increasingly recognized not only as centers for education and research but also as territorial actors that significantly influence urban quality of life, social cohesion, and the development of new spatial paradigms (Sepe, 2023). Against this backdrop, university public spaces are conceptualized not merely as aesthetic or ecological amenities, but as fundamental infrastructures that shape learning environments, foster identity, and enable social interaction. In China, where processes of accelerated urbanization intersect with deep-rooted cultural traditions and evolving educational paradigms, university campuses emerge as critical laboratories of spatial experimentation (Sun, 2020; Ping, Ozawa, 2020). These campuses embody hybrid environments where heritage and innovation are synthesized, and where architectural form and landscape design together influence collective life (Liu, 2025; Yang, Farrell, 2022). This study presents a comparative analysis of two emblematic case studies: Wuhan University and Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology (XAUAT). Despite their differences in disciplinary orientation, historical development, and spatial articulation, both institutions demonstrate a strategic investment in the design and use of public open spaces. Rather than establishing a hierarchical comparison, the research investigates how different spatial models contribute to the construction of academic identity, spatial legibility, and user experience (Bagnato, 2021; Haar, 2011). Wuhan University, one of China's oldest and most prestigious institutions, is characterized by its integration into a prominent natural landscape formed by Luojia Hill and East Lake. The campus emphasizes the continuity between built form and natural environment, producing a spatial experience marked by scenic immersion and environmental harmony. Public spaces here foster contemplative, recreational, and academic uses within a coherent naturalistic framework. In contrast, XAUAT, located in the historically rich city of Xi'an, exemplifies a pedagogically driven campus model. As a leading institution in architecture, planning, and environmental engineering, XAUAT integrates its open spaces—courtyards, promenades, experimental gardens—into its academic project, using them as active sites of learning, interaction, and critical experimentation.