Landscape Well Being And Environment

Well-being is now firmly established as an overarching theme of key concern to all professionals that work, manage or design the environment. However, well-being is a complex multi-dimensional issue rooted in the ways that we encounter, perceive and interpret the environment. No single discipline can claim to have sufficient knowledge to fully explain the types of interactions that occur, therefore there is a need to draw together a wide range of professions who are exploring the consequences of their actions upon the well-being of individuals and communities. This edited work addresses the above, consisting of a collection of studies which embrace different aspects of environment, landscape and well-being to consider current approaches to well-being research and practice that fall outside the traditional concepts of well-being as part of medical research, making links with architecture, landscape design, environmental perception, social interaction and environmental sustainability. The contributors originally presented at the international conference, ‘Well-Being 2011’ jointly hosted by Birmingham City University and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA); the chapters have been developed to present a coherent series of themes reviewing a wide range of literature, presenting case studies appropriate to diverse audiences.

In this book Gayle Souter-Brown explores the social, economic and environmental benefits of developing greenspace for health and well-being. She examines the evidence behind the positive effects of designed landscapes, and explains effective methods and approaches which can be put into practice by those seeking to reduce costs and add value through outdoor spaces. Using principles from sensory, therapeutic and healing gardens, Souter-Brown focuses on landscape’s ability to affect health, education and economic outcomes. Already valued within healthcare environments, these design guidelines for public and private spaces extend the benefits throughout our towns and cities. Covering design for school grounds to public parks, public housing to gardens for stressed executives, this richly illustrated text builds the case to justify inclusion of a designed outdoor area in project budgets. With case studies from the US, UK, Africa, Asia, Australasia and Europe, it is an international, inspirational and valuable tool for those interested in landscapes that provide real benefits to their users.

The therapeutic landscape concept, first introduced early in the 1990s, has been widely employed in health/medical geography and gaining momentum in various health-related disciplines. This is the first book published in several years, and provides an introduction to the concept and its applications. Written by health/medical geographers and anthropologists, it addresses contemporary applications in the natural and built environments; for special populations, such as substance abusers; and in health care sites, a new and evolving area - and provides an array of critiques or contestations of the concept and its various applications. The conclusion of the work provides a critical evaluation of the development and progress of the concept to date, signposting the likely avenues for future investigation.

Our modern lifestyles often cause us to spend more time sitting behind a desk than being active outdoors. At the same time, our general health is deteriorating. The alarming rise in obesity, sedentary lifestyles and mental ill-health across the developed world has resulted in an urgent desire to understand how the environment, in particular the outdoor environment, influences health. This book addresses the growing interest in salutogenic environments - landscapes that support healthy lifestyles and promote well-being – and the need for innovative methods to research them. Drawing on multidisciplinary approaches from environmental psychology, health sciences, urban design, landscape architecture and horticulture, it questions how future research can be better targeted to inform policy and practice in health promotion. The contributing authors are international experts in researching landscape, health and the environment, drawn together by OPENspace directors who have a unique reputation in this area. This pioneering book is a valuable resource for postgraduate researchers and practitioners in both environmental and health studies.

Natural landscapes are intricately tied to human health and well-being. While contemporary lifestyles have caused people to feel disconnected from the natural environment, this relationship is now recognized as vitally important, with landscapes increasingly valued for their stress-reduction, aesthetic, and restorative benefits. Providing an overview of the history, theoretical concepts, and individual and societal implications of human connection to natural landscapes, this book considers natural landscapes' role as an antidote to our modern, predominantly urban society.

Environmental Psychology and Human Well-Being: Effects of Built and Natural Settings provides a better understanding of the way in which mental and physical well-being is affected by physical environments, along with insights into how the design of these environments might be improved to support better health outcomes. The book reviews the history of the field, discusses theoretical constructs in guiding research and design, and provides an up-to-date survey of research findings. Core psychological constructs, such as personal space, territoriality, privacy, resilience, stress, and more are integrated into each environment covered. Provides research-based insight into how an environment can impact mental and physical health and well-being Integrates core psychological constructs, such as coping, place attachment, social support, and perceived control into each environment discussed Includes discussion of Kaplan's Attention Restoration Theory and Ulrich's Stress Reduction Theory Covers educational settings, workplace settings, environments for active living, housing for the elderly, natural settings, correctional facilities, and more

Explores the social, economic and environmental benefits of developing greenspace for health and well-being; examines the evidence behind the positive effects of designed landscapes; and explains effective methods and approaches which can be put into practice by those seeking to reduce costs and add value through outdoor spaces.

Critically examines the case for landscape reconnection, looking at alleged disconnections and their supposed consequences. Considers landscape as an arena within which science, humanities and professions can find common ground, and in which vivid social learning can occur about key social and environmental issues.