THERAPUTIC LANDSCAPES is a New Book Focusing on Designing Healing Gardens and Restorative Outdoor Spaces

Hoboken, NJ

As hospital and assisted living facility interiors continue to evolve from white, clinical settings of decades ago to more colorful, patient-centered environments, there has been a similar revolution in the outdoor spaces that these facilities provide. A significant body of research confirms what many people have known intuitively: that connection with nature is beneficial, even vital, for health. Restorative and healing gardens are specifically designed outdoor spaces that meet the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of patients and residents using the garden as well as their caregivers, family members and friends. John Wiley & Sons, a leader in architecture and landscape design publishing, is releasing Therapeutic Landscapes: An Evidence-Based Approach to Designing Healing Gardens and Restorative Outdoor Spaces (Wiley; $85; November 2013) to serve landscape architecture professionals and the architecture community as the single most comprehensive and authoritative guide to designing healing gardens and restorative outdoor spaces.

While the evidence for the importance of access to nature is there, the actual provision of appropriate outdoor space in healthcare facilities is often less than adequate. Highly illustrated throughout, Therapeutic Landscapes focuses on the importance of evidence based design, highlights case studies, and presents research-based guidelines to inform the clients and designers of restorative outdoor spaces. Written for both the clients and funders of healing spaces, and the designers (principally landscape architects) who will translate client needs into an actual environment, the book covers:

•An evidence-based overview of healing gardens and therapeutic landscapes from planning to post occupancy evaluation
•Participatory design and the importance of a team-based approach
•General guidelines that can be used by designers and other stakeholders in a variety of projects
•Patient-specific guidelines ranging from burn patients, psychiatric patients, to hospice and Alzheimer's patients, among others
•Planting and maintenance, offering critical information to ensure that safety, longevity and budgetary concerns are addressed at every stage

Therapeutic Landscapes' unique focus on two audiences closes the gap between the clients and funders of healing spaces. If clients and funders understand more about the requirements and goals of a healing garden, they can more easily communicate with the designer. If designers understand more about the research on which to base their decisions, they are more likely to meet the goals of their clients-those who provide the funding and the users who will eventually benefit from the garden.

Therapeutic Landscapes is now available for purchase online and at retailers nationwide in both print and all e-book formats. For a list of retailers, visit http://www.wiley.com.

About the Authors
Clare Cooper Marcus is Professor Emerita in the Departments of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley. She is recognized internationally for her pioneering research on the psychological and sociological implications of the design of housing, public open space, and restorative landscapes. She is the author/co-author of six previous books including Healing Gardens and Iona Dreaming: The Healing Power of Place.

Naomi A. Sachs is the Founding Director of the Therapeutic Landscapes Network. She is currently pursuing a PhD in architecture at Texas A&M University within the Center for Health Systems and Design. Naomi writes and lectures frequently about the restorative benefits of nature.

Therapeutic Landscapes
An Evidence-Based Approach to Designing Healing Gardens and Restorative Outdoor Spaces
ISBN13: 978-1-118-23191-3
ISBN10: 1-118-23191-0
Publication Date: November 18, 2013
Price: $ 85.00