Garden Design Research Articles

Impacts of Landscape Types and Flower Colors on the Emotional Perceptions of Military Service Members

Due to the unique mental and physical health challenges military service members (MSVMs) often face as a result of their service, MSVMs are a key demographic of interest. Interaction with natural environments may play a positive role in MSVMs’ overall health. Although previous research has been conducted on various population preferences and emotional responses to different types of gardens, there is a lack of data focused specifically on the garden preferences and emotional responses of MSVMs. To address this deficiency, an online survey was conducted featuring a series of questions with images related to landscape types and flower colors. The survey was disseminated via social media and military organizations to both civilians and military personnel (N = 366, with a 90.6% completion rate). Emotional responses were measured using a semantic differential scale. Most respondents were male, White, and between 25 and 35 years of age. MSVM respondents were primarily in the army and were either on active duty or honorably discharged. MSVMs and civilians showed similar garden and flower color preferences, each favoring wild landscape types and warm flower colors. However, the semantic differential analysis revealed MSVMs had significantly more negative emotional responses towards landscape types and flower colors compared to civilians. This indicates that the findings offer valuable insights into the unique emotional challenges faced by MSVMs, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. Among military respondents, tropical landscapes were perceived more negatively. While it is crucial to incorporate preferred landscape elements into a design, understanding the emotional perceptions of these preferences is likely to aid garden designers in the creation of an environment that enhances overall well-being in an urban environment.

PERANCANGAN SMART VERTICAL GARDEN SEBAGAI STRATEGI MENINGKATKAN RUANG HIJAU DAN KENYAMANAN TERMAL

Balikpapan, located in East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia, is experiencing rapid growth accompanied by increasingly complex environmental challenges, including the effects of climate change. Data shows a rise in air temperature, impacting not only the outdoor environment but also the indoor thermal conditions of public buildings such as offices, shopping centers, and educational institutions. At Institut Teknologi Kalimantan (ITK), the increasing demand for air conditioning systems reflects the direct impact of global temperature rise, resulting in heightened energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. In response to these issues, this research explores the design and implementation of smart vertical gardens as an innovative solution to enhance thermal comfort and energy efficiency. The smart vertical garden utilizes shading plants, sensor technology, and automation to reduce a building’s carbon footprint while improving thermal comfort. Building B at ITK is chosen as the case study due to its function as a hub of academic activities, making it a strategic location for implementing this green technology. The research adopts a comprehensive approach, including literature review, empirical data collection, thermal analysis, simulation, and design. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the smart vertical garden in reducing cooling energy demand, improving thermal comfort, and promoting campus greening. The implementation of this technology has the potential to serve as a sustainability model for public buildings. The results of this study provide valuable insights for academics, practitioners, and policymakers in developing green strategies and advancing sustainable development.

Research on Oriental Artistic Conception of Architectural Space of Suzhou Garden Ecology Based on Interactive Genetic Algorithm

Ancient Chinese gardening has a long history, and the culture contained in it is extensive and profound. If it is analyzed with today’s spatial characteristics, it still conforms to the norms of scale, proportion, perspective relationship, spatial sequence, etc., so it is well-deserved as a classic. Suzhou gardens enjoy a good reputation in the history of gardens in the world. They have the artistic characteristics and culture of typical oriental gardens. Suzhou gardens have unique poetic and picturesque meanings. They are unique and beautiful humanistic landscapes among gardens in the world. The world cultural heritage with scientific value has far-reaching significance for contemporary Chinese architectural practice. Although many gardening theories in ancient China are different from today’s design methods, we can still find common ground by analyzing and comparing classical gardens according to the rules of scale, proportion, perspective relationship, and spatial sequence in modern design. Therefore, this paper will take Suzhou classical gardens as the research object, and construct a garden architectural space optimization model based on interactive genetic algorithm, and use quantitative means to find the rules of spatial scale and the oriental artistic conception in the garden architectural space. The information fusion model is used to quantify the garden landscape, in order to enhance the intuitive perception to a rational level, so that the means and methods of creating a comfortable and beautiful space in Suzhou classical gardens in the past can be continued in today’s garden design.

From Utopias to Roman residential realities: the golden era of Roman social housing 1919–1932

ABSTRACT In the beginning of the twentieth century the Roman political and cultural elite collaborated with labour co-operatives aiming to realize their social utopian visions. As engineers and architects started to collaborate at the Institute of Social Housing of Rome (Instituto per le Case Popolari di Roma, [ICP]) affordable housing spread rapidly around the city centre. Innocenzo Sabbatini (1891–1983) was the most innovative and productive architect of the ICP from 1919 to 1932. Even though the ICP built cost efficiently and rapidly, it managed to create neighbourhoods with personal architectural details, green courtyards, piazzas, and pedestrian streets designed for social encounters. By analyzing Sabbatini’s projects the aim is to understand how the ICP’s strategies changed during the 1920s. Earlier research on Sabbatini’s architecture has analyzed his innovative visual language in numerous districts. However, his last project before leaving the ICP, the Pamphily I (1930–1932), has received little attention. Consequently, this article focuses especially on this enigmatic district. Additionally, the study points out Sabbatini’s importance as a garden designer so as to argue that the gardens he designed for social housing lots continue to invigorate visitors – even in their current state of preservation – not only with their beauty but also sensory-rich experiences.

Sustainable micro renewal and renovation of arts town in China: Intermingling design of contemporary art and Chinese classical garden

<p>The gardening philosophy of Chinese classical gardens is an integral part of China’s rich traditional culture, reflecting ancient scholars’ understanding of nature and humanity and embodying aesthetic and philosophical values. With the progression of time, integrating the principles of Chinese classical garden gardening into contemporary space design has emerged as a critical issue in contemporary public space design. This study uses the Butong Arts Town in Qinhuangdao as a case study, focusing on applying Chinese classical garden gardening concepts in public space design and regional micro-renovation. Special attention is given to nodes that simultaneously serve interactive and recreational functions. In the micro-renovation of the Butong Arts Town area, Chinese classical garden gardening principles can be employed through greening, landscaping, and other means to enhance the quality of the space. Additionally, by integrating local cultural characteristics, it is possible to create public spaces with distinct regional features, providing a comfortable and pleasant environment for artists, designers, planners, and tourists. The design methods used in this study explore the behavioral characteristics and usage needs of various groups from multiple perspectives, aiming to optimize activity spaces. This research identifies the main issues within the target areas and proposes corresponding improvement measures to enhance the functionality and aesthetic quality of the space. The aim is to integrate people’s growing spiritual pursuits with public activity spaces, providing new references and ideas for future sustainable space design.</p>

From School Gardens to Community Oases: Fostering Environmental and Social Resilience in Urban Spaces

This case study in the municipality of Acharnes, Greece, examines a local initiative that transforms schoolyards into community gardens, involving teachers, pupils, parents, grandparents, and neighbors. The research explores participants’ perceptions of these transformations, with a focus on interactions with non-human beings such as pollinators. Data were collected using a questionnaire completed by 85 participants, including parents and guardians of pupils and school staff. Data analysis was conducted using statistical software to evaluate the research sample. Initially, descriptive statistics, including frequency distributions, were used to summarize the demographic and baseline variables of the sample. Next, Kendall’s tau correlation was applied to assess statistically significant relationships, such as those between age and proximity to green spaces, as well as gender, education, and green space preferences. The results of the survey reveal the “embrace” of these new urban green areas by both the school and the local community. This study, as part of an effort to address broader challenges in urban contexts, highlights the need for further in-depth exploration and examination of these dynamics to provide valuable insights into the design and management of school gardens. The aim is to enhance community engagement and urban biodiversity, with a central focus on social and environmental resilience.

A Comparative Study of the Design of East Asian Royal Gardens

The current research methods employed in the study of gardens are largely concentrated in the fields of landscape architecture, architecture, and ecology. However, there is a paucity of analytical methods dedicated to the domain of garden design. However, the design content of gardens is within the scope of design studies. It is therefore imperative to develop or refine research methods for the analysis of gardens that are firmly grounded in design principles. The primary contribution of this study is the development of a design analysis framework, centered on the interrelationships between ‘user–garden–environment’, which can be applied to the analysis and investigation of gardens from a ‘people, objects, and environment’ perspective, in alignment with design studies. Influenced by similar geography, environment, culture, customs, etc., the garden design of China, Japan, and South Korea presents a very East Asian design style of forms, elements, features, etc., but also formed the differences of each characteristic. This paper takes China’s Chengde Mountain Resort, Japan’s Shugakuin Imperial Villa, and South Korea’s Changdeokgung, which are listed on the World Heritage List, as examples Based on the design analysis method proposed in this paper, a relevant design comparative study is conducted in three aspects: users of East Asia’s royal gardens, the design object—the gardens—and the external environment, and the similarities and differences between the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean royal gardens are analyzed. This study aims to verify the feasibility of the analytical framework of ‘user–garden–environment’ design by analyzing typical cases of royal gardens in China, Japan, and South Korea. This will enable the creation of multiple values conducive to the development of gardens. Furthermore, the analytical framework of ‘user–garden–environment’ is subjected to a process of deconstruction through the case studies of typical royal gardens in the three East Asian countries. This is done to overcome the limitations of existing research methodologies, provide a novel systematic research methodology for garden research, and facilitate the protection and inheritance of the historical and cultural heritage of gardens in East Asia. Additionally, this approach offers a reference point for related garden research in the context of modern lifestyles.

The role of community gardens in achieving UNSDG 11, Target 7: safe, inclusive and accessible green and public spaces

ABSTRACT This paper examines the contributions that community gardens can make in achieving Target 7 of UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, namely, to ‘provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces’ (UN 2021). The paper focuses on a subset of green and public spaces, namely community gardens, to examine if their features enhance the capacity of public spaces to contribute to achieving target 11.7. In doing so, the paper applies a more expansive definition of ‘inclusive’ than that currently suggested by the target. The paper draws on findings from interviews with participants in several types of community gardens in Australia. The data indicates that community gardens contribute to solving the challenges of UNSDG 11.7, by improving the inclusivity and activation of public spaces through their design features, governance and community involvement. The development of additional target indicators that planners and policy makers can use to measure progress towards meeting the target is an area in need of further research. KEY FINDINGS Community gardens are effective sites for enacting UNSDG 11 Target 7. Community involvement in the design and governance of community gardens contributes to their inclusivity, safety and accessibility as a local public space. Secure tenure, well-chosen locations and sufficient resourcing can improve the ability of community gardens to meet SDG 11 Target 7.

Interpreting the space characteristics of everyday heritage gardens of Suzhou, China, through a space syntax approach

ABSTRACT China’s everyday heritage gardens, epitomizing social and spatial logic through classical layouts, offer a window into the nexus between Chinese culture and spatial design. Using space syntax and statistical methods, we examined 27 such gardens in Suzhou, categorizing them into four groups by spatial attributes. We first quantified building spatial traits, then delved into their syntactical relationships, guiding the final clustering. Cluster A, with 17 gardens, marries architectural diversity with spatial harmony, ensuring navigability. Cluster B’s seven gardens prioritize open landscapes, minimizing buildings for clarity. Cluster C, comprising two expansive gardens, blends architectural variety with spatial coherence, albeit with some navigational complexity. Unique, Cluster D, solely Yi Garden, presents a rich spatial and architectural tapestry, demanding deeper visitor engagement. This work sheds light on the intertwining of garden design and spatial structures, underscoring influences like ownership and cultural milieu, suggesting broader applicability to heritage gardens.

We've explored…: garden design

Creating a display for RHS Tatton Flower Show enabled the children at one kindergarten in Cheshire to get involved in all aspects of gardening. By Annette Rawstrone

SENSORY-FOCUSED FOOTWEAR DESIGN: MERGING ART AND WELL-BEING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM

The application of art in footwear design presents a unique opportunity to enhance the well-being of children and adults with autism by incorporating controlled sensory stimuli. This approach integrates natural elements—like trees, flowers, and serene colors—into shoes, creating a calming sensory experience. Colors such as blue, green, and lilac are strategically chosen for their soothing effects, fostering emotional stability and reducing stress. Research indicates that these hues promote relaxation, with blue associated with tranquility, green symbolizing nature, and lilac evoking spirituality. The texture of the footwear plays a crucial role as well, incorporating raised patterns inspired by natural forms to provide subtle, relaxing tactile stimulation. This allows for pleasant sensory interaction, particularly for individuals sensitive to excessive stimuli. Comfort is further enhanced by the inclusion of soft, non-slip insoles that distribute weight evenly and ensure safety, especially in environments where slips may occur. Recent studies reinforce the importance of creating environments that promote calm and comfort, highlighting innovative solutions that improve quality of life for individuals with sensory challenges. The design of therapeutic gardens and the development of responsive smart clothing illustrate a growing recognition of the benefits of integrating art and nature into everyday experiences. Overall, this focus on empathetic and inclusive design reflects a societal shift toward understanding and addressing the unique needs of those with autism. By prioritizing sensory-friendly features in everyday products, the integration of art into footwear not only enhances aesthetic value but also contributes significantly to emotional and physical well-being, creating a more inclusive world.

Quantitative assessment of hydrological efficiency of rain garden design in the context of managing the volume and quality of storm effluent

Rain gardens are a popular element of green infrastructure, often integrated into the sponge city concept to address stormwater management issues. Such structures perform three main functions: reducing the volume of water runoff from the catchment area, reducing peak flows in the drainage system, which is critical for preventing overloading of the sewer network, and improving water quality, which contributes to the preservation of groundwater. The design of rain gardens is based on specific requirements and characteristics that determine their construction and calculation methods to achieve optimal parameters, such as area and depth. Scientometric analysis shows that significant research contributions are made by different countries, but most existing rain garden systems are based on general recommendations, which can lead to problems in their operation. The purpose of the work is to develop a model for calculating the main parameters of rain gardens and methods for assessing their hydrological efficiency in order to improve their implementation in the urban environment. A numerical model for calculating the effective area of a rain garden is presented, which considers one rain event and excludes overflow. Methods are proposed for evaluating three key functions of rain gardens in the context of stormwater management: a method for determining runoff reduction, a method for estimating annual runoff reduction, a method for peak runoff reduction, and a method for estimating total pollutant reduction.

Desain Taman Atap pada Gedung SMP Pesat Bogor Berdasarkan Preferensi Pengguna

The increasing rate of urbanization on limited urban land has resulted in reduced Green Open Space (RTH) in urban areas. Therefore, the design of a roof garden on a school building can be a solution to increase the area of ​​green open space and a place for outdoor learning activities. This study aims to analyze the potential and constraints on the site so that a roof garden design can be developed according to user preferences. The stages of work refer to Booth (1983) which consist of project acceptance, research/analysis, concepts, and construction drawings. The design concept applied is inspired by the organically formed Falco peregrinus. The results of this study are in the form of a roof garden site plan as well as detailed pictures of the facilities used in the roof garden of building 3 SMP-SMA-SMK Informatika Pesat. The results of the study are expected to create a roof garden on a school building that can function as green open space and a refreshing area as well as a teaching and learning area.

Intraspecific plant chemodiversity at the individual and plot levels influences flower visitor groups with consequences for germination success

Abstract Chemodiversity, the diversity of specialised (secondary) metabolites, plays a crucial role in mediating interactions between plants and animals, including insect herbivores and mutualists. Chemodiversity can be observed at both the individual and the population level. However, the impacts of chemodiversity at these two levels on interactions between plants and floral visitors, mainly pollinators and floral herbivores (florivores), are only poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the effects of chemodiversity at both individual (chemotype) and plot level on pollinators and florivores, examining their mutual interactions. To investigate these questions, we used individuals of the perennial Tanacetum vulgare differing in their terpenoid composition, representing different chemotypes. We planted individuals of five distinct chemotypes in a common garden design with homogeneous (five plants of the same chemotype) and heterogeneous (five different chemotypes) plots and observed flower visits in dependence of individual chemotype and plot type. Seeds were collected from a subset of plants and germination rates determined. Our findings revealed that chemodiversity at the plot level significantly influenced pollinator visitation, with more visits on plants of heterogeneous plots. We also observed marginally more pollinators on one of the chemotypes grown in homogeneous plots. In contrast, chemotype but not plot type had a significant effect on florivore visits. Pollinator and florivore species richness did not vary with plot type. Furthermore, a negative correlation was observed between pollinator and florivore visits in 1 year. Germination rates were positively correlated with pollinator visits and affected by chemotype but not by florivore visits or plot type. Synthesis. Our study emphasises the significance of the spatial level at which plant chemistry is perceived by flower visitors, potentially influencing the germination success of plants. Exploring the ecology of these visitors and the varying selection pressures they exert on floral chemistry can help to elucidate the evolutionary processes that maintain chemodiversity in natural environments. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

How to interpret Jiangnan gardens: a study of the spatial layout of Jiangnan gardens from the perspective of fractal geometry

This study contributes to design studies by offering a novel approach to understanding the spatial layout of Jiangnan gardens through the lens of fractal geometry. Analyzing 106 gardens, we found that the ideal fractal dimension range for Jiangnan gardens is 1.148 ~ 1.276, with gardens in the 2500 ~ 7200 m2 range exhibiting the highest complexity (1.238 ~ 1.276). Additionally, for gardens ranging from 2500 ~ 20,000 m2, the maximum spacious space area stabilizes, no longer expanding indefinitely with overall area. This suggests a design principle of spatial proportion and balance. By quantifying spatial complexity and the contrast between spacious and profund spaces, the study provides a new method for evaluating garden design and can help students and designers better apply the principles of Jiangnan garden design.

Vegetation density is the main driver of insect species richness and diversity in small private urban front gardens

Urbanisation changes natural ecosystems and vegetation to urban green spaces, and causes insect communities to experience novel challenges for survival. New evidence suggests that urban green spaces, no matter how small, can provide meaningful habitats for insects. Information on design and management of small gardens (<6 m2) in dense urban areas is still scarce. In particular, it is hardly known which garden designs provide most benefits to insects. We surveyed 65 small urban façade gardens (μ=1.7m2) in Amsterdam and The Hague in The Netherlands and measured various garden attributes that are expected to be relevant for general, flower-visiting and herbivorous insect species richness and diversity. Plant coverage and richness were the strongest predictors of insect biodiversity and species richness. We found no support for associations with native plants or garden size. Synthesis and applicationsTo strengthen insect biodiversity in the urban environment, we recommend future design of urban green spaces to focus on maximising coverage and richness of vegetation. Although there are advantages to using native species, we acknowledge that garden owners often prefer exotic species. Some of these can also affect insect diversity and abundances positively.

Digital improvements in the design and construction process of classical Chinese garden rockeries: a study based on material digitization

Rockeries have a complex and significant role in classical Chinese garden designs. They present distinct artistic characteristics and spatial hierarchies and are crucial to garden heritage conservation. Craftsmanship in rockery construction is a significant part of China’s intangible cultural heritage. Rockeries are primarily composed of naturally occurring rocks chosen for their uniqueness and complex shapes and textures. These rocks present challenges as nonstandard elements within the traditional Chinese garden context, as it is not easy to depict them using conventional blueprints and models. This complicates the design, adjustment, display, and construction of rockeries, which lacks tangible bases for reference. Consequently, the preservation and restoration of garden rockeries is difficult, and the perpetuation and dissemination of rockery construction skills face numerous challenges. This study introduces a method that combines laser scanning and photographic measurements to digitize precisely nonstandard elements of rockery stones. This approach presents an innovative design and construction workflow for rockeries by refining design processes, showcasing real effects, and resolving assembly issues. The results demonstrate that the combination of three-dimensional laser scanning and close-range photogrammetry can accurately replicate the complex forms and textures of these nonstandard elements. The stone coding and digital management system devised based on the logic of construction effectively satisfies the design and building requirements of rockeries. Correspondingly, the proposed digital construction workflow enhances the accuracy of rockery design, presentation, and evaluation, thereby contributing to the protection and restoration of rockery heritage sites and the transmission of rockery construction techniques.

Incorporation mechanism of traditional Chinese garden elements in modern urban landscape design: an exploratory analysis based on grounded theory

ABSTRACT Following China’s reform and opening up in 1978, the image of European and American city construction has shaped China’s modern urban environment, but the creation of Chinese cities’ original intrinsic cultural landscape has been neglected. This leads to a break in the inheritance of garden culture in contemporary public and open urban landscape design. This study investigates the process of integrating traditional Chinese gardens into contemporary landscapes using grounded theory. In this study, In Vivo Coding is utilized to conduct a thorough analysis of textual materials through a three-step process: Open Coding, Axial Coding, and Selective Coding saturation test. The identified data are meticulously coded and summarized, culminating in the construction of a theoretical model. The study revealed that the incorporation of traditional Chinese garden elements in contemporary urban landscape design involves several key aspects: firstly, employing the traditional layout and spatial form of the entire design site; secondly, integrating modern public landscape design scenes with traditional garden design concepts to evoke a distinct Chinese ambiance; furthermore, utilizing both modern technology and materials alongside traditional techniques to create multi-dimensional elements within the site. The present study systematically synthesizes and examines the incorporation of traditional Chinese garden elements in contemporary urban design across six dimensions. This research offers a theoretical framework for the preservation of traditional garden culture and its integration into modern landscape, as well as furnishing mechanisms and methodologies for integrating traditional culture into contemporary landscape design practice. This research provides a valuable reference for preserving and practically implementing traditional garden elements in contemporary urban landscapes.

The eye movement behavior induced by the design of a Japanese garden and its correlation with relaxation effects

PurposeThe design of Japanese gardens is a naturalistic style, and previous studies have shown the relaxation effects by viewing a Japanese garden. The purpose of this study is to find a trend of eye movement in viewing a Japanese garden and elucidate the relationship between eye movements and relaxation effects compared to a geometric garden.Design/methodology/approachA Japanese-style garden and a geometrically designed herbal garden were selected for the experiment. Participants' eye movement and heart rate were measured during their 5-min observation of the garden to assess their physiological responses. Additionally, POMS-SF was used to assess their psychological responses.FindingsPearson correlation analysis revealed a stronger significant correlation between eye movement data and relaxation mechanisms in the Japanese garden. Compared to the herbal garden, the Japanese garden had more fixations and faster eye movement speed, and better relaxation effects.Practical implicationsThis study suggests that exploring the relationship between design, eye movement, and relaxation mechanisms from different perspectives of landscape design is feasible. For example, our results demonstrate that the layout of landscape elements, texture, details, and maintenance in the Japanese garden hold participants' longer attention, resulting in a better relaxation effect.Originality/valueThis study clarified how a garden design can manipulate eye movements to induce relaxing effects.

Research on the Construction of Intelligent System of Landscape in Science and Innovation Park of Smart City - Based on the Concept of Smart Garden Design

Research on the Construction of Intelligent System of Landscape in Science and Innovation Park of Smart City - Based on the Concept of Smart Garden Design