Place Attachment in Student Dormitories: An Analysis of Differences Across Socio-Spatial Variables

While place attachment (PA) is an important concept that varies across built environments, empirical research directly examining it in student dormitories remains limited. This study aims to investigate students’ levels of PA to their dormitories across variables including gender, age, field of study, class level, degree level, campus location, family’s region of residence, dormitory of residence, duration of residence, and floor level. The research scope encompasses five Ministry of Youth and Sports (GSB) dormitories in Kırklareli, Turkey, and their residents. Data were collected via a questionnaire from 450 participants selected using a stratified sampling method. The independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA were utilized for data analysis. The results indicate that PA levels differ significantly according to gender, field of study, degree level, campus location, dormitory of residence, and floor level. In contrast, age, class level, family’s region of residence, and duration of residence in the dormitory do not show significant differences. These findings highlight that socio-spatial dynamics are significantly associated with students’ PA. Accordingly, to better accommodate the different needs related to these socio-demographic and spatial variables, dormitory designs might benefit from prioritizing human-scaled, context-integrated environments offering flexible personalization rather than uniform architectural solutions.