ABSTRACT OF PAPER PRESENTED IN SYMPOSIUMS AND CONFERENCES AND PUBLISHED IN JOURNALS 1990-2001

 
 
 

Creating Integrated Healthcare Environment: Introduction of Children Therapy Garden in Malaysian Nucleus Hospitals

ROSHIDA ABDUL MAJID
[email protected]
ISMAIL SAID
[email protected]
Dept. of Architecture
Faculty of Built Environment
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
80900 Skudai, Johor Bahru

Abstract

Garden has been recognized as a creation of environmental healthcare that supplements the process of healing practice in the ward (Moore, 1999). Research on children therapy garden strongly agreed on the effectiveness of play therapy garden as the healing tools for hospitalized children. Even though there still no scientific approval but play therapy garden is seen as a mechanism which lead to the children well being. However, the integration of building and natural environment is lacking in healthcare institution in Malaysia. The recuperative power of exterior spaces in the hospital compounds in the country is mostly ignored. The favorable climate throughout the year and abundance of green in the tropical setting are not capitalized by the health industry as part of healing process. Thus, this paper will explain the role of garden in nucleus hospital environment to help in recuperation process of sick children. The integrated planning and design of the garden and hospital ward is seen as a holistic approach of environment consequences towards healing process. Hence, the paper will focus on the creation of comfortable, secure and recuperative values through the methods of planning and design. Finally the paper will conclude by outlining some design criteria for achieving appropriate play therapy garden in nucleus context.