Exploring Publicness on a University Campus through Art-Based Action Research

Public space refers to physical or symbolic environments open and accessible to all members of a community, serving as platforms for social interaction, expression, and participation. Publicness, meanwhile, is not solely defined by spatial characteristics but by qualities such as visibility, inclusivity, and collective engagement that enable individuals to shape shared experiences. In this context, a university campus generates a distinctive form of publicness both spatially and socially; it differs from other types of public spaces in terms of patterns of use, levels of accessibility, and user profiles. This study explores the university campus as a site of distinctive publicness, where collective and participatory engagement in student-led artistic practices can foster social bonds and generate publicness. It asks how a collective artistic/cultural production process creates publicness on a university campus. Grounded in a qualitative, arts-based action research methodology, the study aims to uncover the dynamics of the student-centered collective process carried out during the Waiting for Godot Stop workshop and to critically evaluate the form of publicness that emerged. The process began with a dramaturgical analysis of Samuel Beckett’s seminal play, selected for its relevance to contemporary architectural and social absurdities. Participants then designed and constructed a three-part installation on campus using waste materials through group discussions and on-site decision making. The findings suggest that hands-on collaboration, and interdisciplinary interaction fostered the emergence of new social bonds and areas of public engagement within the campus. Furthermore, the process facilitated spontaneous encounters and aesthetic experiences, allowing students to design spatial interventions that revealed a multi-layered sense of publicness. By documenting the shift from theatrical analysis to spatial intervention, this study demonstrates how alternative public spaces can be created on university campuses and how such practices in architecture and art education can enhance students’ critical thinking and collaborative production skills.