Morgan's Garden at Monarch Lifeworks, GARDEN MASTER PLAN / Virginia Burt Designs
Literature Review of Available Research on Therapeutic Gardens and Designing for Autism Spectrum Disorders
Emily Thorpe (student intern) with Virginia Burt, FCSLA, FASLA of Virginia Burt Designs Landscape Architecture / Grant $2,000
The intent of this research is to expand conceptions of universal design by accommodating the needs of neurological-diverse populations, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), in landscape and therapeutic garden design. Through the review of existing literature on therapeutic gardens, this research intends to increase awareness of the benefits of the natural environment. By reviewing literature on ASD, this research intends to distill design principles that further current recommendations on designing for human diversity.
The intent is to apply this research and resulting design principles to a healing garden project dedicated to people with ASD in a day program at Monarch School – for adults with ASD to be designed by Virginia Burt. It will be an application of the principle of People, Place and Program. It is this synergy that makes a healing garden truly beloved in relation to maintenance and long term health and wellness both of the environment and the people using it.
The results of the research and project will be shared widely via presentations and publications in the hopes that many others can benefit from the research and make spaces more accessible to all.
UPDATES
19.ll.10 _ Virginia Burt Designs won an Ohio Chapter ASLA award in research and communication for the project Morgan’s Garden. Burt and student Emily Thorpe did the research for this garden for Adults with Autism and likely the first of its kind for a day program! Emily’s work was supported in part by a 2019 student grant from LACF.
Congratulations to Virginia and Emily.