Access to nature measurably reduces stress, aids recovery, and supports the wellbeing of patients and caregivers.
Roger S. Ulrich, PhD, is a professor of architecture at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden and a pioneer of evidence-based healthcare design. He is best known for his groundbreaking 1984 Science study showing that hospital patients recovered more quickly and required less pain medication when their rooms had views of nature. His decades of research have established a scientific foundation for designing healthcare environments that integrate natural elements to improve outcomes.
A long-time collaborator with Nature Sacred, Ulrich has helped shape how we understand the restorative role of gardens and green views in healthcare settings. His work includes a landmark study on nurses, demonstrating that those who took restorative breaks in nature experienced significantly less stress and burnout compared to colleagues who spent breaks in a conventional indoor lounge. Together, these studies highlight how Sacred Places in hospital and clinical environments not only support patients, but also sustain the staff who care for them.
Ulrich’s legacy continues to inform Nature Sacred’s applied work today—most notably our Hospital Greenspace Calculator, a tool designed to quantify and communicate the health and economic benefits of integrating nature into healthcare environments.
Roger has published dozens of academic papers, and he's been cited more than 46,000 times. Below is a brief sampling of his research that most directly relates to Nature Sacred's work:
Articles
- View through a window may influence recovery from surgery, Science (1984)
- Stress recovery during exposure to natural and urban environments, Journal of Environmental Psychology (1991)
- A controlled study of stress recovery during breaks in a garden versus an indoor setting among nurses, Journal of Environmental Psychology (1991)
