Resilience and Liveability as Drivers of Sustainability: The Case of UBC’s Public Spaces

Environmental sustainability and resilience have become urgent priorities in contemporary urban planning as cities confront the disruptive impacts of climate change, extreme weather, and global health crises. Within this framework, university campuses increasingly act as catalysts for sustainable urban transformation. This research, developed within the LOVE Sapienza and NARRATES projects, seeks to identify the key factors that enhance the liveability of campus public spaces and to propose a dedicated methodology, supported by the case study of the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver. The proposed approach integrates spatial analyses, field observations, and perceptual mapping aligned with the principles of the Charter for Resilient and Liveable Public Spaces. UBC exemplifies how biophilic design, inclusive governance, and art-based placemaking can strengthen resilience, social cohesion, and cultural identity. The study contributes a transferable framework for designing and managing campus public spaces as drivers of sustainability and urban regeneration.