BHA DESIGN INCORPORATED

BHA Design, Inc.
Landscape Architecture
Site Planning
Urban Design
Core Design Values:
• Sustainable
• Therapeutic
• Fun
Burr Oak Office Building, Fort Collins, CO
Sustainable Site Design – LEED Projects:
– Burr Oak Office Building
– Medical Center of the Rockies
– New Belgium Brewing Company
– Fossil Ridge High School
– Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District
– City of Fort Collins Office Building
– City of Fort Collins Vehicle Storage Facility
– Kinard Junior High School
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Evidence Based
Therapeutic Garden Design
and Horticultural Therapy
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
What is Horticultural therapy?
Horticultural therapy is a professionally conducted
treatment modality that uses plants and plantrelated activities to improve the social, cognitive,
physical, psychological and general health and
well-being of its participants within defined client
groups. (Simson & Straus, 1998)
Plants
Therapist
Client
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
How does it work within
the hospital setting?
Horticultural therapy provides
an additional set of treatment
protocols that complement
traditional therapies used in a
classic hospital setting.
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Who are the caregivers that benefit?
• Physicians
• Physical Therapists
• Occupational Therapists
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
What functional skills can be
improved in a garden setting?
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Fine motor skills
Increased strength
Range of motion
Activity tolerance
Dynamic sitting or standing
balance
• Memory
• Cognition
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Why are therapeutic gardens
effective?
• Non-threatening
environment, lower stress
levels
• Encourage problemsolving, physical
development and
cooperation
• Reinforce desire to be well
• People-plant connection
• Flexible and diverse
• Focus on abilities, not
disabilities
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Patient groups that benefit
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Physically and cognitively impaired
Seniors
HIV
Cancer
Physical therapy
Alcohol recovery
Spinal injury
Neurological
Alzheimer’s and dementia
Virtually all patient groups
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
• Cognitive
– Increased mental alertness - decision making,
problem solving, following directions
– Increased verbal communication skills
– Improved retention and recall
• Social
– Sense of control
– Improved ability to interact
with others in a socially acceptable way
– Feeling of being productive
• Physical
– Development of fine motor skills
– Increased strength and mobility
– Improved eye-hand coordination
• Emotional
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Diversion from illness
Increased self-esteem
Decreased depression
Increased ability to manage anger
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Evidence based examples of benefits
• The presence of natural
environments improves
mood, comfort,
satisfaction, and general
well being (Ulrich, 1984;
Parsens et.al. 1998)
• Natural environments
reduce arousal and stress,
restore attention (Kaplan,
1995, Ulrich, 1979, 1986)
• Natural environments are
related to reduced patient
stays and medication use
(Ulrich, 1984)
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Treatment protocols
Three sample populations
#1 - Infusion Garden
– Provide external
opportunities for social
support with family
– Provide distractions that
enable patients to not
think about therapy
– Attractive outdoor
landscape views
– Limit views by others into
infusion areas
– Wildlife habitat
– Interactive opportunities
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
#1 - Infusion Garden Example
McKee Cancer Center
Loveland, Colorado
(Boulder Associates, BHA Design)
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Treatment protocols
Three sample populations
#2 - Physical Therapy
– Principles of Universal Design
– Varied inclines from flat to
slightly uphill
– Seating height at various
heights, flat bottoms to make
getting up easier
– Interactive water features
– Potting of flowers
– Tilling
– Vertical planters
– Adaptive tools
– Gardening for the blind
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
#2 - Physical Therapy Gardens
Enabling Garden
Chicago Botanic Gardens
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Treatment protocols
Three sample populations
#3 - Occupational Therapy
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Activities of daily living (ADL)
Exercise
Cultivation and planting
Plant identification
Walking
Following instructions
Verbal interaction
Tactile and emotive
Balance
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
#3 - Occupational Therapy Gardens
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado
Poudre Valley Hospital
Fort Collins, Colorado
(BHA Design, Inc.)
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Who else benefits?
Families and Staff
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Stress reduction
Social interaction
Solitude and meditation
Escape from the sterile environment
and high pressure setting
• Viewing gardens can produce
substantial restorative effects
in 3-5 minutes.
Healthcare Garden Design
Certificate Program, February 2005
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Examples of benefits
Staff recruitment
Gardens affect staff retention and job performance. 82% of recruits rate
the external environment as important in deciding on a job position.
Robin Guenther- USGBC Conference, November, 2004
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Examples of benefits
Staff retention and job performance
Gardens also affect staff retention and job performance.
Robin Guenther- USGBC Conference, November, 2004
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Blending Therapeutic Garden Design
and Sustainable Site Design
• Lower use of pesticides / herbicides
and fertilizers
• Wildlife habitat
• Benefits of natural scenes vs. formal
manicured landscapes
Visual Preference Study – Colorado State University/BHA Design 2005
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Medical Center of the Rockies
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LEED Gold Certification (pending)
8 Sustainable Site points
5 Courtyard spaces
4 Water Features
Xeriscape planting and irrigation
principles
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Medical Center of the Rockies
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Aurora Xeriscape Demonstration Garden
©2009 BHA Design Inc.
Approach
• Assemble planning committee
• Identify potential sites and major
users
• Identify human and financial
resources
• Meet with healthcare providers to
identify treatment protocols
• Research therapy options for
specified patient populations
• Prepare program statement
• Prepare conceptual design and
cost estimate
• Implementation
• Conduct post occupancy
evaluations
©2009 BHA Design Inc.