sammla – LARC 502 | Sensing Landscape

Start

My concept development started with asking fellow students what the biggest stressors were for them at school and in Vancouver.

Stressors that can be addressed with a healing garden

– Loneliness
– No time for mental health / be in nature

How I will address these issues

Loneliness
– Create spaces of spontaneous interaction

No time for mental health / be in nature
– Bring nature to people
– Combine mental health with walking to and from residence
– Increase accessibility

Research

To address loneliness I read the 2016 journal
article: ‘Fourth places’: the contemporary public
settings for informal social interaction among
strangers by Patricia Simões Aelbrecht in the
Journal of Urban Design.

From the article I learned about the effects of
edges, paths, nodes, and props on human interaction

Edges
– Offer refuge and comfort
– People tend to sit first at the edges of that space

Paths
– Concentrating activities and reducing the number of accesses increases spontaneous social contact
– If paths offer spatial, behavioural and sensorial variation, they can become preferred spaces for strolling and ‘people-watching’

Nodes
– Nodes are strategic behavioural points and decision points of entrance or departure
– Human congestion can bring strangers together in a way which might not normally occur

Props
– Examples: public art, play equipment, street furniture
– Location of the prop is the most important
– Best location for props combines props, edges or thresholds
– For small-scale object or event, 2.5 and 6 m is the ideal distance from users
– For a view, the distance to it should be less than 10 m

Patricia Simões Aelbrecht (2016) ‘Fourth places’: the contemporary public settings for informal social interaction among strangers, Journal of Urban Design, 21:1, 124-152, DOI: 10.1080/13574809.2015.1106920

Concept statement

Recognizing the busy schedule of student life, the need for connection with nature, and the inherent need of human interaction, this healing garden seeks to combine daily transit with bite-sized social interactions and natural connection for accessible and frequent mental health breaks.

Concept development through sketching

Initial site diagrams

During concept development I sought to apply my research findings with the placement of edges, pathways, props, and nodes to create spaces for interaction and places of reflection.

In this sketch, I mapped edges, current pedestrian circulation, and a “heat map” of interactions.

This plan shows a new idea and explores the relationship of edges, props, circulation, and interaction. Building on my previous explorations, this was the plan I chose to proceed with.

3D exploration

From the plan view, I moved to translating the plan to 3D using the cube, sections, and perspective sketches to inform one another and answer design questions from different angles.

Idea for zen rock formation representing the view of Bowen Island across the bay from the UBC rose garden

Multisensory Healing Garden Site Selection

For this site selection, my decision was driven by its proximity to the Totem Park student residences. This location is ideal because it is a high traffic area with many students coming and going. I imagine students taking a short detour to walk through the garden, sit, and be mindful. My intention through this garden to improve student mental health through connection with nature.