Nature, Health and Design
Green Spaces Supporting Improved Health
The demand for different types of natural environments that promote health and/or support treatment is increasing globally. However, not all natural environments are good for our health. Indeed, there are examples on natural environments that have had negative health outcomes. The conscious design of green spaces and gardens so that they, in a certain way, support health processes and result in improved health outcomes has evolved into a new branch of landscape architecture. The English-speaking countries refer to it as ‘health design’.
Applied Research
Nature, Health & Design is a multidisciplinary group of researchers, conducting research within a wide range of current research trends on interactions between man, human health, natural environment and health design. Most of the research has an applied perspective and is aimed at scientists, practitioners and students. Nature, Health & Design’s research expertise provides evidence to guide policy makers, city planners, landscape architects, and therapists in translating gained knowledge into practice.
The research group has established a Nature, Health and Design Laboratory to serve as a site for research, practice, demonstration and teaching. The laboratory is located in the Hørsholm Arboretum. The laboratory is the first of its kind, and the focus is generally on the interaction between nature, health, and design.
The laboratory currently consists of two projects: the therapy garden Nacadia® and the health forest Octovia®, and the Move Green Lab will hopefully be a part of the laboratory in the nearest future. The two projects represents the two main perspectives within health design: In Nacadia, nature-based treatment is offered to people suffering from stress-related diseases, while Octovia offers nature experiences that aim to promote good health and prevent illnesses. Both projects are based on a common theoretical framework, and are designed according to the evidence-based health design process. Read more about our work with health design within landscape architecture
Watch film about the Nacadia® therapy garden
Watch film about treatment with nature-based therapy in the Nacadia®
Ongoing projects
Ongoing PhD projects
Completed projects
- The NEST (Nacadia Effect Study) project
- The Health Forest Octovia project
- The SUSY Green project
- The Move Green project (part 1): Health Promoting Nature for People with Mobility Disabilities
Completed PhD projects
- Marie Christoffersen Gramkow, (In)accessible Landscapes. Designing accessible and health-promoting green spaces for people with mobility disabilities. 2022
- Dorthe Djernis, Nature-based mindfulness. Investigation of bringing mindfulness into natural settings. 2019
- Gaochao Zhang, Beyond Accessibility: Health-Promoting Nature for People with Mobility Impairments. 2019
- Ulrik Sidenius, Landscape architect. Post occupancy evaluation of the design of the forest therapy garden Nacadia®. 2017
- Dorthe Varning Poulsen, Physiotherapist. War veterans’ with PTSD experiences of nature-based therapy. 2015
- Karin Kragsig Peschardt, Landscape architect. Health Promoting Pocket Parks in a Landscape Architectural Perspective. 2014
- Shureen Faris, Landscape architect. Restorative Green Outdoor Environment at Acute Care Hospitals. 2013
- Sus Sola Corazon, Master in educational psychology. Stress, Nature & Therapy. 2012
- Lene Lottrup, Architect, Industrial PhD (Arkitema). Workplaces and access to green outdoor environments. 2012
- Anne Dahl Refshauge, Landscape architect. PlayLab Cph - Design and use of public playgrounds in urban green spaces. 2012
- Victoria Linn Lygum, Landscape architect. Healing gardens at crisis shelters for women and children survivors of domestic violence. 2012
- Jasper Schipperijn, Forester. Use of urban green space. 2010
The research group is currently offering the the Master's course 'Health Design’ (15 ECTS) and a professional master’s programme in ‘Landscape and planning’ with focus on nature based therapy and health promotion (in Danish).
See the research group's Danish site Natur, sundhed og design
Members of the Research Group
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anders Buch-Larsen | Research Assistant | ||
| Anna Maud von Bülow | PhD Fellow | +4535331252 | |
| Dorthe Varning Poulsen | Associate Professor | +4535336784 | |
| Emma Sofia Randahl-Beltran | Research Assistant | +4535329896 | |
| Jeppe Wærum Resen | Student Assistant | ||
| Melissa Munkholm Kristensen | Research Assistant | ||
| Patrik Karlsson Nyed | Academic Research Staff | +4535331832 | |
| Stine Bekke-Hansen | Research Assistant | +4535324690 | |
| Sus Sola Corazon | Associate Professor | +4535332263 | |
| Ulrik Sidenius | Associate Professor | +4535336786 | |
| Ulrika K. Stigsdotter | Professor | +4535331786 |
Head of Research Group
Ulrika K. Stigsdotter
Professor MSO
E-mail: uks@ign.ku.dk
Tel.: +45 35 33 17 86
Mobile: +45 40 11 08 01
Video about Nacadia
Short information video about Nacadia therapy garden’s evidence-based design and nature-based therapy.