http:www'science'mcmaster'cageofacultywilliamsgeo3hh3index'html

1
http//www.science.mcmaster.ca/geo/faculty/william
s/geo3hh3/index.html
2
Therapeutic Landscapes as Healing Places
Traditional Environments

• Health related qualities of specific physical
  environments
• Sanctuaries (holy places, places of refuge)
• Wilderness environments
• Spas
• Interaction between physical environment and
  human activities

3
Model of TL themes

• Inner/meaning
• Natural setting
• Built environment
• Sense of place
• Symbolic landscapes
• Everyday activities

• Outer/societal context
• Beliefs philosophies
• Social relations
• territoriality

4
Physical Landscapes

• Surroundings conducive to physical and social
  well-being
• Nature
• Scenery
• Environment
• Interior exterior building design (impact
  interaction, behaviour, e.g. awe of Roman baths)

5
Wilderness Environments

• Pristine, harmonious landscapes
• Last frontier/wild places
• Environmental preservation/undisturbed
• Out of doors/open space
• Facilitates relaxation, restoration works as a
  preventative measure in dealing with the stresses
  of life

6
Wilderness Environments

• Meaning
• Aesthetic
• Valued Association link with past/harmony with
  nature
• Environmental health - preservation
• Spiritual subjectively defined
• Reaction
• Restoration, healing, health

7
Spiritual

• The spirituality of wilderness environments can
  be either reputed and/or individually experienced
• Reputed via cultural beliefs (folklore/legend)
• Experienced via existing in harmony with
  nature/bond with nature/topophilia
• Buddhist monasteries
• Retreat houses

8
Wilderness Environments Reactions

• Invigorating/energizing
• Relaxation/Happiness
• New clear vision, feeling, knowing
• Sacred/spiritual
• Aesthetically pleasing/rich in natural beauty

9
Sense of Place

• Lived geographies
• Everyday geographies
• Ordinary geographies
• Houses (e.g. home)
• Streets, parks, fields (e.g. neighbourhoods)
• Factories
• Offices
• Schools, etc.

10
Parallels Therapeutic Communities

• Focused on mentally challenged
• Evolved as an attempt to replace the prevailing
  poor conditions custodial care
  (institutionalized guardian/keeper) in mental
  hospitals with truly therapeutic environments
  treatments

11
Therapeutic Communities Guiding Principles

• A holistic view of patient treatment
• Fostering a spirit of community
• Permissiveness (allowing patients to act out
  their problems)
• Promoting a democratic environment (active
  participation in treatment)
• Preparation to take up social roles in outside
  world

12
TL Restorative Environments (RE)

• Continuum of landscapes capable of supporting
  human health well-being
• RE ?Principal objective is user stimulation
  enjoyment (often realized indirectly)
• TL ? patient treatment wellness (often achieved
  through direct interaction with the landscape)

13
Therapeutic Communities Extensions

• Non-hospital situations
• Other groups outside of mentally challenged
• Juvenile delinquents
• Handicapped disturbed children
• Drug addicts
• Intentional communities
• Personal growth, social action, belief systems
• Initiated by New Age, Christian, back-to-the
  land, Environmental, Egalitarian (equal rights)
  movements

14
Therapeutic Hospital Environments

• Patient placed in the centre
• various strategies specific to
• integrating nature in the design
• creating the built environment for therapy
• interpreting symbols, and
• fostering social relations