Influence of landscape design on the function of university campus

University is a place of life fulfilment and this does not take place in isolation in interior spaces but also in the exterior spaces. Interaction between different ideologies, cultures, traditions, religions and ethnicity take place in open spaces. This study is focused only on open air spaces on the university campus. Landscape design plays a major role in students' outdoor activities. Walkways, courtyard open spaces and landscape forms are the major landscape design elements analysed in this study in relation to student open air activities. Furthermore, Europeans, Americans, Asians and Arabs brought their ideologies, cultures, and religions in Africa and influenced Africa as a whole. Landscape design was not considered as a separate design task in the development of university campus during colonial period in Africa and till now it is not. The study interprets the importance of student open air activities and influence of landscape architecture on the effectiveness of university campus in Zimbabwe. It summarises the results of investigations and makes recommendations of campus landscape design for the architects, planners and researchers.

Zami has completed BArch, MPhil and a PhD from England. He is lecturing at the UKZN RSA. He lectured in ZW, RSA and England. He also worked as an architect for 10 years. His research interest include landscape, urban design, sustainable construction and housing. He published 25 international journal and conference papers in these fields.