A Salutogenic Analytical Framework for University Library Learning Spaces- Focusing on the Three Dimensions of Sense of Coherence -

This study proposes a salutogenic analytical framework for university library self-study spaces based on Antonovsky’s concept of Sense of Coherence (SOC). Recent studies on university learning environments have shown that indoor spaces influence students’ well-being, restoration, concentration, and sense of belonging, yet these findings have often remained fragmented and focused on individual environmental variables. To address this limitation, this study adopts salutogenesis as a theoretical perspective and translates the three SOC dimensions—comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness into spatial attributes applicable to university library — self-study environments. Drawing on literature on university learning environments, salutogenic architecture, and user-centred workplace design, the study organises spatial attributes into four categories: spatial layout and organisation, seating and zone types, visual and sensory attributes, and social and symbolic attributes. Based on this structure, a conceptual matrix is proposed to analyse how self-study spaces may function as health-promoting environments. The significance of this study lies in extending salutogenic architectural discourse from healthcare and workplace settings to educational and stay-oriented spaces for young adult users, while also providing a conceptual framework for future empirical research on the relationship between spatial attributes and student experience.