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Recently, health researchers have become interested in "eco-friendly" or "green" healthcare. One of the current trends in the green healthcare movement involves incorporating natural elements into health care settings to promote the health of patients and healthcare workers. Research based on Restorative Environments Theory (RET) provides insight into the rationale behind incorporating nature into the healthcare setting. RET posits that pleasant natural environments help promote stress recovery by increasing positive affect, decreasing negative affect, and reducing physiological arousal. However, the components of this theory have not been sufficiently tested using a controlled laboratory environment. The purpose of the present study was to provide a more rigorous test of RET than what is currently found in the literature by using a controlled laboratory- based design. Undergraduates from the University of South Florida were randomly assigned to view 1) no images, 2) neutral, non-nature images, 3) pleasant, non-nature images, or 4) pleasant, nature images during recovery from an anger recall task. Overall, the results of the present study did not demonstrate support for RET. There were no group differences in recovery time for any of the physiological variables with the exception of TPR. Those in the pleasant, non-nature condition took longest to recover. Further, there were no group differences in affect ratings with the exception of positive affect, which was higher for those in the no-image control condition. From an evidence-based practice framework, this study suggests that additional empirical support is needed before RET is used as a foundation to justify widespread adoption of nature-based interventions using media presentation to represent the natural environment.

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Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Anne Beamish / Human nature compels us to remember the past. A society’s collective memory creates meaning in our lives, establishing individual and group identity and contextualizing cultural values. Commemorative landscapes give physical form to loss and memory, providing a space for public awareness and remembrance while acting as a sanctuary for dealing with loss. Over time, memorials face a loss of relevance as generations pass and society evolves to embody different shared memories and values. At the same time, our environment directly affects our physical and psychological well-being. Restorative environments benefit the individual by reducing stress. If the well-being of the individual and his or her environment are directly linked, landscape architecture can be utilized to restore mental well-being. A commemorative space combining the characteristics of memorials and restorative environments will act as a “restorative memorial”. Beyond remembering the events, people, or circumstances that establish cultural identity and values, restorative memorials would improve mental well-being, reminding the individual of their cultural identity while reducing psychological stress. Synthesizing literature understanding the importance of memorials, restorative environments, loss, stress, and environmental psychology with experiential observations of memorials and restorative environments generated a set of design guidelines for restorative memorials. These design guidelines were applied to a design commemorating the legacy of the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas. The Menninger family formed the first group psychiatric practice in the country. They became world-renowned leaders in psychiatric and behavioral health treatments, believing a patient’s physical and social environment was instrumental to improve mental health. In 2003, the Menninger Clinic relocated to Houston, Texas, vacating a campus which played a great role in the history of Topeka, Kansas, and psychiatry. A restorative memorial commemorating the Menninger legacy could reconnect the citizens of Topeka with the history of the former campus and would pay homage to the ideals of the Menningers, using the designed environment to continue improving mental health. Restorative memorials can become landmarks in the urban fabric, providing an engaging built environment, imbued with meaning. They will transcend generational significance, serving the past, present, and future.

Cities worldwide need to become healthier, both physically and mentally. While Sweden ranks highly on a global scale of sustainable urban development, the country is facing issues with the declining mental health of its citizens, notably affecting the younger population. To sustainably develop our cities, possible negative impacts on the people must be recognised and avoided. Situated in the interdisciplinary field of Urban Studies, this research combines environmental psychology, architecture, and urban planning, while also considering the political aspects of city development. This thesis aims to study the concept of restorative environments, spaces which positively influence well-being and restore mental fatigue caused by external and internal stressors. Previous studies on restorativeness have focused on outdoor natural environments, considered to encompass the highest levels of restorative qualities. However, to develop mentally healthy cities, the restorativeness of built environments must be considered, which is especially important as we spend most of our lives indoors. This thesis analyses cafés used as informal learning spaces by university students in Malmö through the main research question: ‘What restorative qualities exist in the indoor built environment of cafés utilised as informal learning spaces (ILS) by students in Malmö, Sweden?’. Collected data through document analysis, quantitative survey and qualitative follow-up sessions are analysed through the theories of Attention Restoration Theory and concepts of third place and thirdspace. Whereas previously published research suggests that built environments lack restorative qualities, findings in this research provide not only the identification of such qualities but a preference for them. Both concepts of third places and thirdspaces are especially relevant for students at Malmö University, in which the city becomes the campus. However, there is a disconnect between the policy-making level and the students where current urban development laws fail to recognise restorative qualities. Subsequently, this research will provide results to a gap in existing research and hopefully encourage future studies on similar topics.

No / In a world of sensory overload, it is becoming increasingly important to provide environments that enable us to recover our sense of well being. Such restorative (`tranquil¿) environments need to comprise sufficient sensory stimulation to keep us engaged, whilst at the same time providing opportunity for reflection and relaxation. One essential aspect in safeguarding existing, or developing new `tranquil space¿, is understanding the optimum relationship between the soundscape and the visual composition of a location. This research represents a first step in understanding the effects of audio-visual interaction on the perception of tranquillity and identifies how the interpretation of acoustic information is an integral part of this process. By using uni and bi-modal auditory-visual stimuli in a two stage experimental strategy, it has been possible to measure the key components of the tranquillity construct. The findings of this work should be of particular interest to those charged with landscape management, such as National Park Authorities, Regional Councils, and other agencies concerned with providing and maintaining public amenity. / EPSRC, Wellcome Trust

Well-being is fundamental for health. However, health and well-being are under threat by increased prevalence of depression and physical inactivity. Interaction with the natural environment may prevent these critical health issues, as research has shown that walking outdoors contributes to better well-being than walking indoors. The aim of this thesis was to investigate outdoor group walks as a potential public health intervention to enhance positive mental and emotional well-being, reduce stress, and foster resilience. This thesis evaluated Walking for Health, a national group walking programme in England using a nonexperimental, longitudinal design. Individuals who did (Group Walkers) and did not (Non-Group Walkers) take part in outdoor group walks completed two online questionnaires about their mental and emotional well-being, and covariates. To gain a broader understanding of how outdoor group walks may contribute to positive well-being, integrations were proposed between the Attention Restoration Theory and the psycho-evolutionary model, and the theories of coping and resilience. Findings show that Group Walkers had greater mental well-being and positive affect, and less negative affect, depression and perceived stress than Non-Group Walkers. Group walking had no affect on social well-being, connectedness to nature or resiliency. Outdoor group walk participation affected positive well-being through a decrease in perceived stress, and an increase in physical activity. Group Walkers demonstrated resilience against adversity on negative affect. No evidence of resilience from outdoor group walks was found for mental well-being, positive affect or depression. Group walks in farmland and green corridor environments may further boost mental well-being, and reduce negative affect and perceived stress, when compared to group walks in the urban environment. This research suggests that outdoor group walks are effective at improving mental and emotional well-being, and could be a useful public health intervention to reduce stress and foster resilience. Implications for theory are discussed.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Timothy D. Keane / This thesis documents an exploratory design process that examines the efficacy of a framework for designing dementia gardens based on: theory, Stephen and Rachel Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory (A.R.T.), (Kaplan and Kaplan, 1989) and Roger Ulrich’s Theory of Supportive Gardens (Ulrich, 1999); John Zeisel’s (2007) process for designing dementia gardens; and design details, Claire Cooper Marcus’ Garden Audit Tool (2007) and Moore’s analysis of exemplary dementia gardens (2007). It documents the integration of theory that is not specific to dementia gardens (Kaplans’ A.R.T. and Ulrich’s Theory of Supportive Gardens) with process (Zeisel) and programming elements that are specific to dementia gardens (Cooper Marcus’ Garden Audit Tool Kit and Moore’s exemplary dementia gardens). The framework was developed during an illustrative courtyard design project for a retirement center whose clientele included patients with varying need levels. Throughout the illustrative design project, knowledge of the four A.R.T. characteristics (Being Away, Fascination; Compatibility and Extent) guided design decision-making in an effort to create an engaging environment, where improved health outcomes and restorative person-environment interactions could occur.

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No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Adria de L Sousa.pdf: 2535371 bytes, checksum: cbbb55436a8c83600312b4587ae971ef (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-07-21 / FAPEAM - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas / This study sought to understand the perception of a place of work and the experiences that occur from and with the physical environment. The experiences occur in a space and therefore the physical environment is considered the array of social events (Fisher n.d) and the protagonist is the individual with all its history. The surrounding area has several constituent elements that can be divided into social environment (people and organizations), natural environment (fauna, flora and other items) and built environment (buildings, technical and electronic devices). We could go far in this list, but this study sought to focus on the person-nature as a dimension of the work. The design of existing nature was adopted in an urban forest fragment where the institution's work is based. The overall objective of the study was to understand the environmental awareness of workers about their working environment located in an urban forest fragment of Manaus-Am. It is a qualitative research, with an exploratory and descriptive character, incorporating the multimethod approach (Gunther, Elali & Pinheiro, 2008). The interviews were semi-structured including open questions and a scale connection with nature. The participants were 36 servers (20 F, 16 M) who performed their work activities on campus I INPA inserted in an urban forest fragment and included in the APA UFAM as protected area of the city of Manaus. The servers have between 31 to 62 years old and had work in the institution between 4 to 35 years. It was used the content analysis for the qualitative datas the emerged from the interview, with quantification of the categories with descriptive statistics. For connecting scale with nature took place descriptive statistics. It was found that the feelings associated with the place of work has direct social and environmental aspects related to nature. Nature is presented as an aspect of positive evaluation and pleasantness and the organizational and labor aspects as disgust factor. The sensations experienced in the workplace cover aesthetic and physical elements and connective with nature but also proved undifferentiated sensations. With the perception of this work place with nature and the personal experiences, its added inter-subjective aspects socially shared by the positive attribution of this work place as preserved nature locus. The working and living with nature allow a relationship of respect and the absence of this nature would bring implications for the welfare of these servers. Nature sets up real and symbolic form and that has the characteristics of restorative environments, servers also opt for leisure and rest places where there is the presence of natural elements. Overall the serves attribute meanings according to the social an physical aspects of the work environment, and the nature that is presented by the most of them as a positively differentiated aspect on the work place can contribute to improve the quality of life, and affords feelings of affinity with nature. From the approximations made in understanding the perceptions in a workplace inserted in an urban forest fragment, reiterates the need to advance the scientific basis for interventions that promote both social well-being in environments that favor contact with nature as a more sustainable relationship with natural resources. / Esse estudo buscou a compreensão da percepção de um lugar de trabalho e as experiências que ocorrem a partir do e com o entorno físico. As vivencias ocorrem em um determinado espaço e portanto o entorno físico é considerado a matriz de acontecimentos sociais (Fischer n.d.) cujo protagonista é o indivíduo com toda a sua história. O entorno tem vários elementos constituintes que podem ser divididos em ambiente social (pessoas e organizações), ambiente natural (fauna, flora e demais elementos) e ambiente construído (construções, aparatos técnicos e eletroeletrônicos). Poderíamos ir longe nesta lista, mas este estudo procurou dar foco na relação pessoa-natureza enquanto dimensão do trabalho. Adotou-se a concepção de natureza existente num fragmento florestal urbano onde a instituição do trabalho está sediada. O objetivo geral do estudo foi compreender a percepção ambiental de trabalhadores sobre seu ambiente de trabalho localizado num fragmento florestal urbano de Manaus-Am. A pesquisa realizada possui caráter qualitativo, exploratório e descritivo, incorporando a abordagem Multimétodos (Gunther, Elali & Pinheiro, 2008). As entrevistas seguiram um roteiro semiestruturado incluindo perguntas abertas e uma escala de conexão com a natureza. Participaram da pesquisa 36 servidores (20 F; 16 M) que executavam suas atividades de trabalho no Campus I do INPA inserido em um fragmento florestal urbano e incluído na APA UFAM, como área de proteção ambiental da cidade de Manaus. Os servidores tinham entre 31 e 62 anos de idade e possuíam tempo de trabalho na instituição entre 4 e 35 anos. A análise dos dados teve tratamento qualitativo, mediante Análise de Conteúdo para análise dos dados emergentes da entrevista com posterior quantificação das categorias a partir da estatística descritiva. Para a escala de conexão com a natureza realizou-se estatística descritiva. Constatou-se que os sentimentos associados ao lugar de trabalho direcionam-se aspectos sociais e ambientais referentes a natureza. A natureza apresentou-se como aspecto de avaliação positiva e de agradabilidade e os aspectos organizacionais e trabalhistas como fator de desagrado. As sensações vivenciadas no lugar de trabalho abarcam elementos estéticos e físicos bem como conectivos com a natureza mas também revelou-se sensações indiferenciadas. Atrelada as vivências pessoais para a percepção desse lugar de trabalho com a presença da natureza soma-se aspectos intersubjetivos compartilhados socialmente pela atribuição positiva a esse lugar de trabalho como locus de natureza preservada. O trabalho e a convivência com a natureza possibilitam uma relação de respeito e a ausência dessa natureza traria implicações para o bem-estar desses servidores. A natureza configura-se de forma real e simbólica e ainda que possua as características de ambientes restauradores os servidores também optam por lugares de lazer e descanso no qual não há a presença de elementos naturais. De modo geral os servidores atribuem significados de acordo com os aspectos sociais e físicos do ambiente de trabalho, sendo a natureza apresentada pela maioria como aspecto diferenciado positivamente no lugar de trabalho que pode contribuir para melhorar a qualidade de vida e propicia sentimento de afinidade com a natureza. A partir das aproximações realizadas na compreensão das percepções em um ambiente de trabalho inserido em um fragmento florestal urbano, reitera-se a necessidade de avançar no embasamento científico para intervenções que promovam tanto o bem estar social em ambientes que privilegiem o contato com a natureza quanto uma relação mais sustentável com os recursos naturais.