Creating a Healing Space

High quality landscaped outdoor areas at general hospitals, acute care units and other specialised facilities are now playing an increasingly important role in patient care and rehabilitation.

A case in point is the £9 million Acquired Brain Injury Unit at Musgrave Park Hospital in south Belfast for which AG supplied a variety of hard landscaping products.

Operated by Green Park Healthcare Trust, the centre is recognised as the most progressive of its kind in Europe, providing specialist care under one roof for 25 inpatients and 15 outpatients.

One of the key challenges for architects, McAdam Design, was to provide an uplifting environment for patient rehabilitation not only within the building but in the exterior patient areas as well.

The landscaping approach adopted by McAdam Design – who worked with Liverpool-based Gilling Dods Architects on the project – stems from an acknowledgement of the restorative properties of hospital gardens. It is recognised, for example, that patients who have the opportunity to enjoy nature for as little as five or 10 minutes can exhibit significantly reduced physiological indicators of stress.

AG’s TerraPave® Natural Aggregate Flags in Rimini Ground and Country Cobble® paving in Killyleagh was chosen to work with the exterior of the building, and to complement the garden sculptures, creating a relaxing atmosphere.