The brief was to provide a suitable indoor/outdoor room for staff and patients to be able to sit and enjoy, both for relaxation and also for consultations. And the designers’ vision was to create, not only a garden with landscaping and planting, but also a covered area with weather protection to enable the garden to be used 365 days a year.

OPENING UP

Kathryn McNaught, development director at Urban Choice Design, explains: “The timing was so fortuitous as this was just at the start of the pandemic and to be able to be involved in a positive way and help the local community hospital was a great honour to us a company. “The outdoor room takes the form of a Renson Patio Cover surrounded by glass sliding doors, giving a 360-degree view of the gardens and a feel of living in the garden. “The roof structure has rotating aluminium blades which open up so you can look up and see the sky, clouds, and sun – bringing the outdoors in, yet with the ability to completely close to keep out the rain when required. “This has the effect of connecting with nature, which promotes feelings of mindfulness, peace, and gratitude, all helping with anxiety, stress, and mental health issues.” The inclusion of glass sliding doors also provides easy access and allows full visibility into the structure, while maintaining a continual connection with the plants and nature in the garden outside.

CONNECTING WITH NATURE

“In addition, the glass doors allow exposure to natural light known to better help the body’s internal clock, leading to better sleep,” explains McNaught. The project involved consultation with the designers, hospital managers, and members of the mental health team to ensure the garden covered all aspects of safety for patients. “Outdoor space and living in your garden has so many positive effects on all of us, but, for this project, the importance was multiplied and the result has been a stunning garden with a relaxed area to sit, whatever the weather,” adds McNaught.

www.urbanchoice.co.uk