Problem statement: The quality of the physical space in universities plays an undeniable role in mental health and learning; however, existing evaluation systems often focus on educational dimensions and neglect students' perceptions.
Research objectives: The purpose of this research is to identify and prioritize the factors, criteria, and indicators of physical space quality based on the perspectives of students at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Tehran.
Research method: This study was conducted using an exploratory mixed-methods design in two qualitative and quantitative phases in 2023-2024. In the qualitative phase, a framework consisting of factors, criteria, and indicators was extracted through semi-structured interviews with 20 students using the inductive qualitative content analysis method. In the quantitative phase, a researcher-made questionnaire based on the qualitative findings was completed by 340 students, and the data were prioritized using the Friedman test.
Conclusion: In the qualitative phase, 92 indicators were identified within 10 criteria and 2 main factors (internal and external). In the quantitative phase, the internal space factor (mean: 1.97) was ranked higher in priority than the external space factor. Among the criteria, interior design (mean: 9.87) and the learning environment (mean: 8.78) emerged as the most critical, with the indicators of visual comfort (mean: 89.61) and the suitability of wall colors for relaxation and concentration (mean: 89.33) receiving the highest ratings. The results demonstrated that from the students' perspective, the perception of physical space quality in academic environments of behavioral sciences is intrinsically linked to individuals' subjective experiences and psychological feelings toward the space. This finding highlights the importance of incorporating human-centered and aesthetic dimensions into the physical design of humanities faculties, without necessarily implying that spatial quality is merely a theoretical perceptual-psychological construct.