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SPOTLIGHT LANDSCAPE One design strategy for doing this is to put terraces further out in the landscape instead of being immediately adjacent to public spaces so that patients are more surrounded by landscape, creating a greater sense of retreat. Another strategy is careful planning of garden paths to become alternate routes between different activity sites within a facility. An alternative outdoor route might actually be a bit more circuitous but favored over an interior corridor that is often static versus a seasonally changing landscape experience. Just a moment of fresh air and the physical warmth of the sun can be beneficial to physical and mental health. It is also important to design from the perspective of the patient on the inside looking out. A number of studies have proven that a view out a window or even a landscape painting can contribute positively to patient outcomes. Healthcare landscapes should be intricate and varied so that each window draws interest from patients with a new view and has the potential to be a landscape scene. Every Half Century More project considers the view from each room as though it were selecting artwork for the walls. Variety in the landscape can also be a wayfinding device in facilities with complex and often confusing floorplans when landscapes are adjacent to public spaces and corridors. Lesson #2: Create spaces to foster community Given how much time friends and family of patients spend at healthcare facilities, it's important that the landscape Placing terraces further out in the landscape instead of being immediately adjacent to public spaces creates a sense of retreat. A number of studies have proven that a view out a window or even a landscape painting can contribute positively to patient outcomes. design lends itself to gathering and provides comfortable respites from the interior spaces and patient rooms. This becomes particularly important in healthcare settings where individual patient rooms are smaller. These spaces should serve as a temporary escape both for patients and their families and can take the form of an open plaza, café, quiet sitting areas and meeting spaces. The location of the site itself also serves a critical role in relation to the surrounding community — family and friends that live in close proximity to a healthcare facility are far more likely to visit frequently than those who don't. Site planning and landscape design that also considers multiple forms of transit is particularly important (pedestrian 16 Medical Construction & Design | November/December 2013 friendly, bike friendly, good access to public transit/trains and buses). Lesson #3: Get inspired by hospitality Just as a hotel prioritizes wellmaintained and updated interiors and grounds, places of healing and wellness should offer the same attention to comfort and upkeep — both inside and outside. By adopting design aesthetics that are warm — and not clinical feeling — designers can offer patients a sense of temporary escape. There has been a growing set of evidence that overly clinical environments can work against what doctors are doing, elevating stress levels in both patients and their families. At HCM's Sun City brand congregate care projects, landscape architects were able to achieve this by working with the interior design team for the project to bring the landscape inside. HCM values a hospitality aesthetic so much that it works exclusively with interior architects that specialize in hospitality. In one facility, mirrored tiles were used on the columns in the lobby to bring glimpses of the landscape throughout the large space. In dining areas, HCM was looking for new ways to incorporate the landscape into the experience. SWA's team in Japan was able to do this by working with kitchen staff to www.mcdmag.com