Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2012
Differently Designed Parts of a Garden Support Different Types of Recreational Walks: Evaluating a Healing Garden by Participatory Observation
Tenngart Ivarsson, Carina; Grahn, PatrikAbstract
By participatory observation the researchers have observed when and where patients choose to walk while they were undergoing a treatment program for stress related diseases in a healing garden. The aim was to deepen the knowledge on environment-behaviour relations needed when designing gardens, parks, public open spaces and especially therapeutic environments. The purpose was to explore how patients use and interact with this therapeutic setting by looking at behaviour and location. This can be viewed as a kind of qualitative evaluation of the design of the garden. Depending on people's need and intentions, two main types of recreational walks (Introvert and Extrovert walks) have been observed, each with three sub-groups. These walks take place in different parts of the garden having different characteristics, confirming the need for knowledge on the relation between the design of green spaces and the activities this stimulates.Keywords
Restorative landscape; therapeutic environment; garden design; walking; qualitative evaluationPublished in
Landscape Research2012, volume: 37, number: 5, pages: 519-537
Publisher: ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
Authors' information
Tenngart Ivarsson, Carina
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Work Science, Business Economics and Environmental Psychology
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG3 Good health and wellbeing
UKÄ Subject classification
Social Sciences
Horticulture
Economics and Business
Publication Identifiers
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01426397.2011.641948
URI (permanent link to this page)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/44970