Abstract
In the urban context, the distribution of vegetation and its aspects of environmental quality have repercussions on the ways of life of the population in terms of health and quality of life. The investment in green spaces, with wide variety of natural elements, can promote the reduction of stress and mental fatigue levels. In academic environments, for example, students feel constantly fatigued due to requirements for good performance. Whereas research in the environmental psychology area have found the health benefits from the contact with green spaces, this study sought to identify resting places chosen by students in two Brazilian campuses. In addition, the research explored the preferences and environmental perceptions associated with the restorative capacity of these spaces. The interview, associated with a variation of the photographed environment technique, enabled the analysis of the characteristics of these spaces. The choices cited by 50 students from each campus guided the discussion. The speeches of the students revealed psychological restoration possibilities in the college environment. On both campuses, contact with open green spaces appear to be associated with moments of interaction between people and environment, in either a more passive or more active way. On campus 2, interactions with the green spaces were predominantly active, despite the fact that campus 1 has a more extensive green area. Thus, it is understood that the restorative experience takes place in the person-environment relationship and is permeated by subtleties that underlie different social realities.
Environmental Psychology; University Environment; Green Spaces; Preferences
