Therapeutic Landscape Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Therapeutic Landscape - Essay Example Thus, intervention in the front lawn of the school should improve students’ wellbeing. The site should support students’ better socialization, relaxation, and learning. The discussed site is a large space (about 340 meters), and therefore has a large potential. It’s generally, an open space with a nice view to the lake into the distance. For this reason one feels relaxed in the site, but at the same time, insecure. Queen Str. road going by only increases feeling like exposed. It would be hard to make the site attractive for students because now, there’re rarely any students. Therefore, first challenge is to save an open space while taking away feeling of being exposed for students’ comfort. The site already has some plants growing, and there’re also some material objects. Growing grass, a few tamaracks, maples, cedars and oaks already growing make a good start for a picnic, relaxation, and gathering area. However, the challenge is that plants grow mostly randomly, without any use. Similar challenge is to deal with objects. Large maple tree has four branches around. They can serve well for a new design, but there’s also a memorial in the middle of the site. It draws all the attention, thus it’s a challenge to design new landscape around the memorial. Important is to keep in mind that the site is a part of educational institution property. Julie M. Johnson (2007) discusses specifics of school landscapes and says, â€Å"In school landscapes design qualities need to support meaningful experience for cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development†. Generally, the school site should serve for a better learning helping to relax after lessons, or to clear one’s mind in solitude. At the same time, the site should encourage students on group discussions and social activities (including ceremonial) etc. Johnson (2007) says it’s important for students to feel safe when doing any of those activities. School landscape should