EDRAite of the Month - Naomi A. Sachs

Naomi A. Sachs March 2014

Naomi A. Sachs I'm a PhD student in architecture at Texas A&M University in the Center for Health Systems and Design. My focus is on access to nature in healthcare facilities. I have a Master of Landscape Architecture from University of California, Berkeley, and worked for about ten years for other designers and myself between getting my masters and going back to school for the PhD.

Just after graduation from Berkeley, I founded the Therapeutic Landscapes Network. The TLN is a knowledge base and virtual gathering space about healing gardens, restorative landscapes, and other green spaces that promote health and well-being. We are an international, multidisciplinary community of designers, health and human service providers, scholars, and gardeners. Though our focus is broad, our primary emphasis is on evidence-based design in healthcare settings. The website provides a huge amount of information, and our social network groups (especially Linked In) provide a forum for discussion and sharing of information. EDRA was one of the examples I looked to when creating the TLN. Long before most organizations, they were providing quality content on their website and through meetings, publications, and more.

Clare Cooper Marcus and I just published the book Therapeutic Landscapes: An Evidence-Based Approach to Healing Gardens and Restorative Outdoor Spaces (John Wiley and Sons, 2014). You can find out more about it (and order a copy) from Wiley’s website. I’m looking forward to EDRA45, where I’ll be presenting with MaryCarole Haering, Amy Wagenfeld, Mike Westley, and Daniel Winterbottom. The title of our talk is “Democratic Design for Improved Healthcare Outcomes through Therapeutic Gardens, Outdoor Placemaking, and Community Green Infrastructure.” After EDRA, I hurry off to Buffalo, NY to present with Charles Montgomery and David Sloan Wilson at the 22nd annual Congress for New Urbanism. The title of that talk is “C’mon Get Happy: Creating Happier & Healthier Communities.”