Design & Restorative Places

All kinds of nature spaces can be beneficial to our health and wellbeing, if in different ways.  But history, practice and science have shown that certain designs are more conducive than others to restoration and healing of the mind and body. Our understanding of the mechanics of precisely what we are responding to, and of what works best in particular settings, continues to grow. Our discoveries are leading to purpose-built designs tailored to audience and need.

  Research about Design & Restorative Places

View more  

New Report | Access to nature and the workplace

Read More   

New Report | Take Burnout from Red to Green

Read More   

New Report | The Power of Sacred Places

Read More   

Notes from a Firesoul | Student healing during a time of crisis

Read More   

Naval Cemetery Landscape, a Sacred Place, earns new ASLA accolade

Read More   

The Healing Power of Nature | How Green Space is Improving Health and Wellbeing in Cities

Read More   

New Report | The Healing Power of Nature

Read More   

Urban forest bathing: a city movement—nationwide

Read More   

If This Bench Could Talk: Redux

Read More   

What happens in a college green space? More than you may imagine.

Read More   

Even small urban green spaces can lower depression rates, new research confirms

Read More   

Nature is Sanctuary.

Read More   

Neighborhood green space and health in a large urban center

Read More   

Designer’s approach for scene selection in tests of preference and restoration along a continuum of natural to manmade environments

Read More   

Nature and the Environment: The Psychology of Its Benefits and Its Protection

Read More   

Preliminary Analysis of TKF “Book & Bench” texts

Read More   

Seeing the forest for the trees: hybridity and social-ecological symbols, rituals and resilience in post-disaster contexts

Read More   

Refuges of local resilience: Community gardens in post-Sandy New York City

Read More   

Recognizing Stewardship Practices as Indicators of Social Resilience

Read More   

Holistic Care in the US Military I—The Epidaurus Project

Read More   

Research on the Beneficial Aspects of the Experience of Nature in Cities

Read More   

Reflect & Restore | Urban Green Space for Mental Wellness

Read More   

Feeling Stressed? Take a Time Out in Nature

Read More   

The Benefits of Nearby Nature in Cities for Older Adults

Read More   

Nearby Nature for Human Health | Sites to Systems.

Read More   

The Sacred and Nearby in Nature and Cities.

Read More   

Parents, communities take note: Teens need nature too.

Read More   

Can nature play a positive role before and after birth?

Read More   

Disaster recovery and a nature fix

Read More   

At Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, nature is helping wounded warriors heal from invisible wounds

Read More   

  Case Studies about Design & Restorative Places

View more  

Whitman-Walker Healing Garden

Read More   

Mount Washington Arboretum

Read More   

Garden at Cedar Hill

Read More   

Inspiration Point

Read More   

Western Correctional Institution

Read More   

  More Resources about Design & Restorative Places

View more  

Notes from a Firesoul | Student healing during a time of crisis

Read More   

Naval Cemetery Landscape, a Sacred Place, earns new ASLA accolade

Read More   

Urban forest bathing: a city movement—nationwide

Read More   

If This Bench Could Talk: Redux

Read More   

What happens in a college green space? More than you may imagine.

Read More   

Butterfly Angels

Read More   

Nature is Sanctuary.

Read More   

Stunning Design, Real Community Space in Singapore

Read More   

Designing for Health

Read More   

A Deeper Place of Being: An Interview with Jan Johnsen

Read More   

Nature and Cities: An Interview with Armando Carbonell

Read More   

Dan Kiley: Reconnecting Human Beings to Their Space on Their Land

Read More   

Creating Urban Density With Reflective Spaces: A Q&A With Green Developer Jonathan Rose

Read More   

  Browse other Impact Areas

View All  

Design & Restorative Places

Discover how purpose-built design is being used to encourage more meaningful nature experiences.

Learn More   

Disaster recovery

Find out how nature is being employed to help individuals and communities cope with tragedy.

Learn More   

Health

Explore the many ways nature benefits health and wellbeing.

Learn More   

PTSD and Recovery

Learn about how nature is being drawn into new approaches to treating “invisible wounds”.

Learn More   

Social cohesion

Discover how green spaces help build stronger communities.

Learn More   

Urban Resilience

Get informed of what experts are saying about the need for nature in sustainable cities.

Learn More