olson family garden
The Olson Family Garden is an 8,000-square foot, 8th floor rooftop therapeutic garden for Children's Hospital at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis, Missouri. It had a construction cost of $1.5 million.
The garden was created to enhance the healing environment by providing a place for children and their families to experience their connection to nature while at the hospital. Through a series of workshops led by the landscape architect, the following objectives were agreed upon: Provide a place of solace for very sick children and their families, away from the stresses of the hospital environment; Provide opportunities for children to connect with nature, such as smelling plants, interacting with sculpture, touching water, etc.; Provide opportunities to increase a child's interest level through discovery; Provide a sense of acceptance of life's rhythms through images of healing and wellness; Provide families with a private place to converse with care-giving staff or simply reflect in quiet solitude.
Images credited to EDAW Inc.