Today's healthcare industry is driven to advance patient health, create an increasingly humanized patient experience, and invigorate caregivers all
while fostering a sound medical practice. As a part of this progressive, more comprehensive model of care, Landscape Forms provides the inspiration and tools to help activate outdoor healing spaces.
The medical industry is faced with provocative reasons to better support patients, visitors, and caregivers. Hospitals are realizing that reducing stress for patients
and their families can actually lead to faster healing and higher satisfaction with their care. Similarly, reducing stress for staff can make them happier and lead to better treatment.
An increased focus on
physician-patient-hospital relations is
calling for better communication through increasingly human-centered design.
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Additionally, unprecedented access to information and mobile devices are empowering patients to be highly engaged in their own care,
from anywhere. All of this points to a rich opportunity to capitalize on existing exterior space. Innovative healthcare institutions are responding by creating new more humane, empathetic and supportive environments
that activate the untapped power of the outdoors to connect, empower, heal, and rejuvenate.
Nurture Healing
Connect patients, staff, and visitors with natural light, fresh air, and nature in order to nuture healing, provide moments of respite, and establish a healthy mind-body balance.
Facilitate Communication
Reduce stress and foster the healing process by offering settings that encourage informal social exchanges in order to improve communication between patients and providers.
Enhance Belonging
Create settings that reinforce a sense of belonging and orientation within a space to reduce stress and assist in navigating unfamiliar surroundings.
At Landscape Forms, we believe integrating the healing process with nature has rejuvenating benefits beyond what can easily be measured.
An effectively designed outdoor environment can extend provisions beyond facility walls to create a better overall experience for patients, service providers and visitors. Landscape Forms
has created a series of application thought starters for healthcare comprised of elements from our portfolio of site furnishing, architectural, technology, and lighting solutions.
By applying these strategies to activate outdoor healing environments, healthcare facility planners, designers, and landscape architects can effectively enrich
the overall care model.
Be inspired. Browse our application thought starters as you explore innovative, meaningful, and solutions based approaches to activating
outdoor environments. Let our ideas spark your imagination to create uniquely empowering, engaging, and rejuvenating experiences outside.
Application
Assisted Living - A-VG
Place
Viewing Garden
Viewing Garden is a small, enclosed garden that provides controlled access and comforting views from sheltered seating areas.
Primary Insight
Nurture Healing
Connecting patients, staff, and visitors with natural light, fresh air, and nature helps to nurture healing, provide moments of respite, and establish a healthy mind-body balance.
Elements, Attributes, and User Experience
- The generous size of the garden accommodates multiple wheelchairs.
- Wellspring benches are configured for active socializing and provide extended arm heights to assist patients and elderly in rising from a seated position.
- Lo-Glo path lighting defines the edge of the garden with a warm ambient glow.
- Horizontal wood slat dividers (custom element) unify the space while screening people from view.
- A monolithic wall of living plants (custom element) in front of the building alcove walls soften the perimeter of the setting.
- A water feature engages auditory and visual senses to add to the serenity of the garden.
- A sculpture provides a focal point and engaging conversation piece within the garden.
- Plant materials and hardscaping offer a pleasant view.
Application
General Healthcare - G-RT
Place
Roof Terrace
Roof Terrace is a terrace occupying a portion of the roof area designed to provide views, access to light, and fresh air.
Primary Insight
Facilitate Communication
Settings that encourage informal social exchanges improve communication between patients and providers, which can reduce stress and foster the healing process.
Elements, Attributes, and User Experience
- Terrace should be positioned to minimize views from building inhabitants above.
- Multiple settings offer a choice of lounge-based or stool-based postures for multiple types of social interaction.
- Seating groupings are located near railings to allow for open views.
- Custom trellis creates a sense of place while also adding a degree of privacy and shade.
Application
General Healthcare - G-MG
Place
Meditation Garden
Meditation Garden is a small, enclosed, and quiet garden with a central focal point to help patients concentrate and relax as part of the healing process.
Primary Insight
Nurture Healing
Connecting patients, staff, and visitors with natural light, fresh air, and nature helps to nurture healing, provide moments of respite, and establish a healthy mind-body balance.
Elements, Attributes, and User Experience
- A secluded, intimate, and relaxing feel is created through the use of a privacy fence (custom element) and positioning of setting adjacent to a building to shield garden visitors from view.
- Abril bench is generous in scale to support quiet socialization for multiple users or reclined postures for lone contemplation.
- A granite water wall (custom element) creates a calming focal point to encourage concentration and healing relaxation.
- An overhead trellis (custom element) creates a layer of enclosure while allowing sunlight to illuminate the space.
- Sorella planters create a sense of place and offer a habitat for colorful flowers which engage visual and olfactory senses to uplift the spirit.
- Reeds surrounding the deck and pavers create a serene floating island effect.
Application
Assisted Living - A-TG
Place
Therapeutic Garden
Therapeutic Garden in an assisted living environment is an easily accessible outdoor healing garden that encourages independence and interaction with nature.
Primary Insight
Nurture Healing
Connecting patients, staff, and visitors with natural light, fresh air, and nature helps to nurture healing, provide moments of respite, and establish a healthy mind-body balance.
Elements, Attributes, and User Experience
- Parc Vue benches positioned at the edges of the garden face a collection of bird houses and hummingbird feeders to create an intimate connection with nature. Bench arms assist patients and elderly in rising from seated positions.
- Larkspur planters provide a place for cultivating herbs at an accessible height for wheelchair access.
- Solstice umbrellas, Catena chairs, and Catena tables offer a shaded place to socialize.
- MultipliCITY path lighting defines primary walking paths at each edge of the garden.
- MultipliCITY litters provide attractive options to conceal and recycle waste.
- A water element near the seating area aids in the creation of a tranquil, calming setting.
- Planting beds are interspersed between bench seating and walking paths at the center of the garden.
Application
Pediatric Healthcare - P-TG
Place
Therapeutic Garden
Therapeutic Garden in a pediatric healthcare environment is an outdoor healing garden with easy access that encourages interaction with nature, exercise, and play.
Primary Insight
Nurture Healing
Connecting patients, staff, and visitors with natural light, fresh air, and nature helps to nurture healing, provide moments of respite, and establish a healthy mind-body balance.
Elements, Attributes, and User Experience
- Lungo Mare undulating benches promote exploration, social interaction, and play with others.
- Socrates benches integrated with a water feature encourage play.
- Socrates benches atop a paved area encourage socializing and support collective gathering.
- Platforms (custom element) feature a lighted interactive wall that responds to movement to encourage active play.
- FGP path lights subtly define the perimeter of the garden.
- FGP litter provides attractive options to conceal and recycle waste.
- A water feature adjacent to seating areas offers a tranquil centering element.
- Water fountains invite wading, play, and healing laughter.
- Green ground cover provides a pleasant underfoot experience for bare feet and does not require mowing.
Application
General Healthcare - G-HG
Place
Healing Garden
Healing Garden is a serene area where nature engages and fills the senses via color, smell, touch and sound.
Primary Insight
Nurture Healing
Connecting patients, staff, and visitors with natural light, fresh air, and nature helps to nurture healing, provide moments of respite, and establish a healthy mind-body balance.
Elements, Attributes, and User Experience
- Ample seating clusters allow users to situate themselves in social groups or smaller personal configurations as desired for moments of respite or quiet conversation.
- Large curvilinear Hebi benches allow for comfortable, interactive, and inclusive seating arrangements for those who are wheelchair bound.
- Chipman chairs offer full postural and arm support for patients.
- A row of Sorella planters create a sense of place, offer a habitat for flowers, and engage visual and olfactory senses to refresh and heal.
- Guide bollards define and illuminate a clear walking path around a serene water feature.
- An overhead trellis (custom element) offers a zone of partial shade and increased privacy from upper floors of the healthcare facility.
- Water feature is a serene central focal point.
- Perimeter gardens offer an alternative outward facing view for those wanting a peaceful, secluded healing experience.
Application
Pediatric Healthcare - P-R
Place
Retreat
Retreat is a small area of respite where one can contemplate or privately converse with others.
Primary Insight
Nurture Healing
Connecting patients, staff, and visitors with natural light, fresh air, and nature helps to nurture healing, provide moments of respite, and establish a healthy mind-body balance.
Elements, Attributes, and User Experience
- Seating arrangements can be scaled to easily accommodate individuals, small groups, and wheelchair access.
- Retreat settings should be sheltered from view of others within the healthcare facility.
- Harpo benches allow close, intimate conversations.
- Harpo backless benches offer flexibility to face another individual on the bench for uplifting social interactions or turn to focus on the water element for quiet individual contemplation.
- Organic patterns on translucent fascia (custom element) add color and visual appeal.
- MultipliCITY path lights signal entry into each respite setting.
- Rosa planters offer a habitat for flowers which engage visual and olfactory senses.
- Integrated fountains that feature moving water over pebbles create a calming audible experience. Sculptural and colorful elements embedded in the moving water add a touch of whimsy.
- Curved landscaping creates a softened boundary for the setting.
Application
General Healthcare - G-C
Place
Courtyard
Courtyard is a large, central, and highly visible space in a medical complex that is typically adjacent to a dining area.
Primary Insight
Facilitate Communication
Settings that encourage informal social exchanges improve communication between patients and providers, which can reduce stress and foster the healing process.
Elements, Attributes, and User Experience
- Chipman tables and Chipman chairs offer a place for informal dining, conversation, and respite.
- Reeder illuminated sign provides campus-wide wayfinding and identification of available settings to ease navigation.
- Collect litter provides attractive options to conceal and recycle waste.
- A tree canopy and umbrellas provide the option for filtered shade in selected areas.
- A water feature creates a calming central design element to help provoke conversation and reduce stress and anxiety for healthcare workers, visitors, and patients.
- Mingle seating and Shade umbrellas support eating, drinking, and informal exchanges.
- Outdoor charging stations adjacent to tables, chairs and benches provide convenient access to power and USB charging.
Application
Pediatric Healthcare - P-EG
Place
Entry Garden
Entry Garden is a visually pleasant botanical area near the entrance of a healthcare facility where vehicles can pick up or drop off passengers.
Primary Insight
Enhance Belonging
Settings that reinforce a sense of belonging and orientation within a space reduce stress and assist in navigating unfamiliar surroundings.
Elements, Attributes, and User Experience
- Overhead canopies (custom element) protect users from the elements while arriving or waiting and create a welcoming, comforting, and humane sense of scale while moving towards the facility.
- Placement of benches offer options to sit under canopies or in the open sunlit areas.
- Seating is dispersed to allow families and groups a range of privacy while waiting and visiting.
- Seating areas are sized to easily accommodate wheelchairs.
- Cantilevered Austin benches are surface mounted to minimize tripping hazards and aid in maintenance of paving surfaces.
- FGP path lights are strategically placed to create a gentle, friendly glow at each seating area.
- Sentinel bollards define the boundary of the space with a soft glow.
- Austin litter provides attractive options to conceal and recycle waste.
- Horizontal wood fascia (custom element) creates a natural, approachable, and inviting feel.
- Radial hardscaping and plantscaping softens the setting to create a welcoming atmosphere.
- Abstract sculptures of children invite discussion and add a touch of whimsy.
Application
Assisted Living - A-WG
Place
Walking Garden
Walking Garden is an extended garden along a path to encourage exercise.
Primary Insight
Enhance Belonging
Settings that reinforce a sense of belonging and orientation within a space reduce stress and assist in navigating unfamiliar surroundings.
Elements, Attributes, and User Experience
- A level, smooth, and gently curving path with no right angles or cessation points contributes to a sense of orientation.
- Wide walking paths are suitable for multiplie wheelchairs.
- A seating alcove is positioned in a semi-secluded manner to provide a place to rest and socialize.
- Neoliviano benches provide ample seating for small goups and configurations create inclusive seating arrangements for patients in wheelchairs.
- An overhead trellis (custom element) in the seating alcove provides shade and creates an increased sense of belonging.
- STRATA tables provide generous surface area for personal items.
- Guide path lighting illuminates the path and edges of the seating alcove to provide a sense of warmth.
- Reeder illuminated sign provides campus wide wayfinding and identification of available settings to ease navigation.
- A granite wall (custom element) offers a windbreak for increased comfort.
- Sculptures along the path create additional visual interest and motivate activity.
- Plant materials provide a sense of continuity while set planting areas create distinctive accents to the journey.