Nowadays, people spend most of their times indoors; accordingly, plants are increasingly used in these environments, including residential areas, due to their psychological benefits and aesthetic values. However, there is little evidence on how to maximize the inhabitants' indoor greenery (IG) preferences. The present study analysed the preferences of 363 inhabitants of two residential complexes with 38% and 6% green space in Tabriz, Iran through investigating greenery quantity and physical characteristics of the plant by the use of a simulated photo questionnaire from the interior spaces of the home. Results suggest that the preferences are not the same in various parts of the home. In general, high greenery quantity and flowering plants are the most preferred and tall foliage plants with wide leaves are the least preferred. Moreover, the effect of green spaces in residential complexes on inhabitants' IG preferences was studied. Results show that there is a significant difference between inhabitants' preferences of the two complexes, in terms of ‘plant colour', ‘leaf size' and ‘plant type'. The obtained results of the research can be utilized for interior designers and landscape architects in order to increase the application of the green space in residential complexes.

Objectives: Physical and visual elements that help people find their way around an environment are called visual cues (VCs). The current study aims to evaluate adults’ wayfinding abilities (navigation, orientation, spatial anxiety, and distance estimation) and VC (navigational color coding) preferences in terms of color and position; additionally, investigates their differences in adults’ life span phases (young adults, early middle-aged adults, and late middle-aged adults). Background: Wayfinding in complex environments such as healthcare centers has been challenging for most people. Although VCs are being used increasingly to facilitate wayfinding, considering people’s preferences regarding VCs, especially navigational color coding, are neglected. Methods: Obtained data from a survey of 375 healthcare center visitors with textual and photo questionnaires were analyzed by descriptive statics and one-way analysis of variance. Results: Young adults preferred VCs with “mixed colors and positioned in the middle of the floor,” early middle-aged adults preferred “warm color VCs in the middle of the wall,” and late middle-aged adults preferred “warm color VCs at the bottom of the wall.” Additionally, the results demonstrated that with aging, navigation and distance estimation abilities deteriorate, and spatial anxiety increases. Conclusions: The outcomes of the present study increase our knowledge regarding the impact of adults’ life span phases on their wayfinding abilities and VC preferences and offer suggestions for architects and healthcare center stakeholders to provide environments that improve adults’ wayfinding.

Preparing students for an increasingly uncertain and complex world has become one of higher education’s defining challenges. Successfully engaging with complex issues requires more than disciplinary knowledge; it also demands the capacity to navigate uncertainty, multiple perspectives, and emotionally challenging realities. However, relatively little is known about how these capacities are experienced during the early undergraduate years. This exploratory qualitative study examined how first- and second-year undergraduate students described their approaches to learning about, processing, and engaging with difficult issues within a sustainability-focused program. Open-ended question responses were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis, followed by a cross-cohort comparison. Four dimensions of engagement emerged: how students approached difficult realities, processed challenging information, learned through dialogue and multiple perspectives, and connected their learning to possible action. While both cohorts expressed a willingness to engage with difficult issues, first-year students emphasized emotional preparation and structured support, whereas second-year students highlighted dialogue, reflection, multiple perspectives, and agency. The findings reveal different patterns of engagement across the two cohorts and point to the importance of intentionally supporting the inner curriculum—the developmental capacities that enable students to engage complexity, uncertainty, and social change throughout higher education, thereby strengthening universities’ capacity to contribute to long-term social change.