A Case Study
S E N S O RY
GARDENS Above: Tom Massey’s design of a healthy landscape for The Cassel Hospital ecotherapy garden Right: sensory gardens are common in hospice settings Below: Florence Nightingale
The historical relationship between art and science is displayed as a range of professionals collaborate to design sensory gardens today. Primarily in healthcare settings, but with ideas that can be transferred to other sectors, these gardens aim to tackle our disconnect between mind and body and increase exposure to the outside world. Long ago, Florence Nightingale recognised these aims as she placed her patients in natural landscapes with access to sunlight and fresh air, as much as possible. We seem to be coming back to the idea that health and recovery is dependent on sensory stimulation. In 1984, Roger Ulrich measured the recovery time of patients who had undergone invasive gall bladder surgery. The patients were split into two groups: one group had a view to nature, the other looked onto a brick wall. Strikingly, those with a view to nature averaged a day less recovery time and needed less pain medication. This provides a strong argument for the worthy investment into the healthy design of healthcare buildings, with an obvious financial benefit that could help today’s struggling NHS. Users of medical buildings can experience sensory deprivation at the same time as sensory overload. Medical settings are often bleak by design, with a lack of natural lighting and an inability to control environments local to the patient. Sensory gardens, and views onto them, are a great example of how the design aspects discussed throughout this magazine can be used together in harmony. The gardens are aesthetically pleasing, provide access to fresh air, and give a view to natural light and weather. To continue engagement with nature during darker hours (especially important in winter), the garden can be subtly illuminated to avoid the ‘black mirror’ effect of windows. They can act as a space for movement, a quiet escape in a nonclinical setting or for the establishment of a community. 24
