Centre for Urban Design and Mental Health
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission and vision
    • Need and opportunity
    • Our people
    • Friends and Partners
    • Join us
  • Learn
    • Facts and Figures
    • What is mental health?
    • How the city affects mental health
    • How mental health affects the city
    • How urban design can impact mental health
    • Mind the GAPS Framework
    • How to measure mental health
    • Courses
  • Book
  • Cities
  • Journal
    • Edition 1
    • Edition 2
    • Edition 3
    • Edition 4
    • Edition 5
    • Edition 6
    • Edition 7
    • Edition 8
    • Submit to Journal
  • Events
    • Washington DC Dialogue
    • London Dialogue
    • Tokyo Dialogue
    • Hong Kong Dialogue
    • Restorative Cities Event
  • PRESS
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission and vision
    • Need and opportunity
    • Our people
    • Friends and Partners
    • Join us
  • Learn
    • Facts and Figures
    • What is mental health?
    • How the city affects mental health
    • How mental health affects the city
    • How urban design can impact mental health
    • Mind the GAPS Framework
    • How to measure mental health
    • Courses
  • Book
  • Cities
  • Journal
    • Edition 1
    • Edition 2
    • Edition 3
    • Edition 4
    • Edition 5
    • Edition 6
    • Edition 7
    • Edition 8
    • Submit to Journal
  • Events
    • Washington DC Dialogue
    • London Dialogue
    • Tokyo Dialogue
    • Hong Kong Dialogue
    • Restorative Cities Event
  • PRESS
  • Contact

SANITY AND URBANITY BLOG

If you are an academic, urban designer, planner, health professional or citymaker, and would like to submit a blog, please see submission guidelines.

Which qualities of the natural environment promote mental health?

5/10/2017

4 Comments

 
By Sus Sola Corazon, Assistant Professor at the University of Copenhagen, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management.
At present, studies on health-promoting environments are dominated by research focusing on the difference between the urban and the natural environment and less is known about which qualities of the natural environment promote mental health.

Aim of the research
Therefore the research group Nature, Health & Design at the University of Copenhagen, initiated a qualitative research project in the Danish Health Forest Garden Octovia. The aim of the project was to gain knowledge of which qualities and features of the environment were perceived as restorative.

Methods
The design of the Health Forest Octovia, where the research took place, is based on Grahn & Stigsdotter's research on perceived sensory dimensions (PSD). The Health Forest is located within an existing Arboretum and consists of eight different spatial settings.  26 female students participated in the study. They were individually interviewed about their restorative experience while participating in a guided walk through the health forest. 

Key findings that are relevant for planners and designers
  •  The experience of both openness and enclosure in a natural environment are important for psychological restoration: openness to provide an overview, and enclosure to provide a feeling of safety.
  • A diverse range of sensory stimulation enhances the feeling of restoration in a natural environment.
  • An optimal natural environment for psychological restoration should include the perceived sensory dimensions of serenity, richness in species, nature and refuge.
  • The specific environment where users grew up should be taken into account when designing restorative natural environments for different user groups.
  • One should pay attention to any possible unwanted associations when choosing design features since they may have negative connotations.  

Read the full research paper for free for further details

Citation: Ulrika Karlsson Stigsdotter, Sus Sola Corazon, Ulrik Sidenius, Anne Dahl Refshauge, Patrik Grahn. Forest design for mental health promotion—Using perceived sensory dimensions to elicit restorative responses, Landscape and Urban Planning, Volume 160, April 2017, Pages 1-15

About the author of this blog

Picture
Sus Sola Corazon is an Assistant Professor at the University of Copenhagen, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management. She is part of a multidisciplinary and international research group called “Nature, Health & Design” led by Professor Ulrika K. Stigsdotter where she conducts research within a wide range of current research trends on interactions between man, human health and the natural environment. The research takes place in the Nature, Health & Design Laboratory, which is a collective name for two research, development, and demonstration projects located in the Hørsholm arboretum: The Health Forest and The Healing Forest Garden Nacadia.

4 Comments
Michael DeBruin
8/27/2021 06:08:42 am

My wish right now is that God should continue to bless Dr Emu for his good works towards the life of those people who are heart broken. My name is Michael DeBruin and I am from the USA, it's been a while since my lover's attitude changed from being the caring type she has been to me, but later turned out not to be caring at all. But not long, I later discovered that my lover was having an affair with someone else. and also she told me she doesn't need me after all we pass through then a friend told me about a spell caster. that with the spell I will get back my woman, I took his cell number then called him and also what's-app him which he reply to me and I did some sacrifices to the spell man and he bought the items for me which he used for the sacrifices and later called me that before 48 hours my love will come back to me and now we are more in love with each other than ever. you can reach him on WhatsApp +2347012841542 or reach him via mail ; emutemple@gmail.com , my lover returned back and broke up with the other guy she was having a relationship with... Thank you Dr Emu.

Https://emutemple.wordpress.com/

Https://web.facebook.com/Emu-Temple-104891335203341

Reply
Wilson Fox
6/9/2022 01:51:59 am

I suffered from what they called peripheral artery disease (PAD). I have been suffering for years, Me and my wife searched for a medical cure, and then we came across a testimony of a man who suffered the same and was cured by Dr Chief Lucky. So my wife and I contacted Dr Chief Lucky via an email and thank God he replied. I explained what was wrong and he sent me herbal medicines that helped heal me completely. I am happy to say that herbal medicine is the ultimate and Dr Chief Lucky I am grateful. You can contact him on his email: chiefdrlucky@gmail.com or whatsapp: +2348132777335, Facebook page http://facebook.com/chiefdrlucky or website https://chiefdrlucky.com/. Dr Chief Lucky said that he also specializes in the following diseases: LUPUS, ALS, CANCER, HPV, HERPES, DIABETES, COPD, HEPATITIS B, HIV AIDS, And more.

Reply
Mato Ray
3/29/2022 01:43:07 am

I'm just too happy that everything is in place for me now. I would gladly recommend the use of spell to any one going through marriage problems and want to put an end to it by emailing Dr Emu through emutemple@gmail.com and that was where I got the help to restore my marriage. Whatsapp +2347012841542
Https://web.facebook.com/Emu-Temple-104891335203341

Reply
Laura Hobson
12/20/2022 10:56:41 am

I was really stressed by Acid reflux issues with my newborn and had consulted Chief Dr Lucky. He gave us a thorough consultation and the medicines were equally effective. In a couple of weeks there was big improvement in my son and we are very pleased with the progress. We cannot thank Chief Dr Lucky enough. Highly recommended.

Email chiefdrlucky@gmail.com

WhatsApp +2348132777335

Facebook page http://facebook.com/chiefdrlucky

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Sanity and Urbanity: 
    a UD/MH blog

    Reading, seeing, thinking and doing urban design to improve mental health. 

    Archives

    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly