Rethinking university space
Learning from the spatial debates of the 1960s for contemporary futures
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17587290 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Aslı Alanlı (0000-0002-9514-1089, Middle East Technical University, corresponding author), Inci Basa (0000-0002-0487-8705, Middle East Technical University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-27 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-11 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Planning Perspectives (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0266-5433 • E-ISSN: 1466-4518 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/02665433.2026.2655325 |
| OpenAlex | W7153442696 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 29 |
This article reconsiders university space by moving away from viewing it as a fixed architectural form or a purely institutional framework. It is approached instead as a contested field that takes shape through the interaction of spatial, social, and institutional processes, drawing on perspectives from spatial theory. The 1960s provide the main point of entry – a period marked by rapid expansion and experimentation in higher education. Rather than following a linear historical account, the discussion traces recurring spatial tensions – between autonomy and urban integration, reproduction and openness to change, and concentration and dispersion. These tensions remain in play, shaping how university space is produced through the interaction of different spatial logics rather than straightforward processes. Bringing these debates into the present shifts how current discussions can be read. Issues such as campus–city relations, hybrid learning, or technological and ecological change do not appear new; they extend earlier spatial questions in different ways. What follows is not a fixed definition of university space. It appears instead as something that takes shape through ongoing relations and processes. Campuses, in this sense, can be seen as formations that continue to change, embedded within wider urban and societal contexts
Futures contract · Historical Geography and Geographical Thought · Spatial and Cultural Studies · Urban Planning and Governance
Geography Matters!
Non-Representational Theory
Protecting the University as a Physical Place in the Age of Postdigitization
Same but Different
Resilient university campus in the city in Covid and post-Covid era—recommendations, guidelines, and evidence from research in Italy and Poland
Outline of a Theory of Practice
Nomadic subjects
Cartographies of belonging
Gown and Town
Learning in the ‘Real’ World
Place-people-practice-process
Reimagining the new pedagogical possibilities for universities post-Covid-19
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |