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Abstract
This thesis establishes design criteria for a healing garden and a master plan for the Loran Smith Center. Healing gardens reduce stress by providing a positive environment for patients and caregivers that aids in the recovery process. Non-specific criteria emerged from the literature review and site examples. These criteria may be used to develop any healing garden. The literature and non-specific design criteria also helped to guide the questions for user surveys and informal interviews. After analysis of the data, specific design criteria were developed, by synthesizing site features and user input, to establish a master plan for the Loran Smith Center. The intent is to provide hospital personnel with the tools necessary to evaluate designs for a restorative garden and to establish a foundation for future decision-making in the design of the Loran Smith Center's healing garden.