L’Aquila is a city with frequent earthquakes, which can cause serious mental health problems. Due to the acceleration of urbanisation, building density is increasing, per capita open space is shrinking, and the growing pressure of people’s home and work life has caused a rise in the incidences of mental disorders such as depression. With the rapid development of modern medicine, the healing effect of nature and the landscape is gradually ignored — or forgotten — by society.

‘Therapeutic Landscapes’ explores the influence of both the natural and urban environmental textures on healing, and seeks to design healing landscapes within the most suitable urban atmosphere to give new value to public space. Urban public space can be endowed with healing attributes, creating physiological, psychological and social benefits; at the same time the connections among all public green space can be strengthened, with the whole city regarded as a treatment space, and a safe refuge for non-humans and humans alike.