Gardens designed for kids to overcome ‘nature-deficit disorder’

MANILA, Philippines - Nature has a calming effect on youngsters. Studies show that green settings help kids restore their attention span. In contrast, TV viewing and video gaming do the exact opposite — drain their attention.

Using this key insight, Botanika Nature Residences’ planners  drew up landscape plans conceived, among other reasons, to help children overcome what author Richard Louv has termed as “nature-deficit disorder” or a deprivation of the many healing effects offered by natural settings.

As its name implies, the three-tower, low-density development will offer a series of lush green spaces on 1.55 hectares of landscaped terrain right next to the Palms Country Club. A collaborative effort among US masterplanning consultant Architecture International, Singapore-based landscaping consultant AECOM, and local architects Leandro V. Locsin Partners, the gardens of Botanika were conceived for interactive play.

Its main amenities are an expansive lawn with tree houses and landscaped pathways where youngsters will be encouraged to observe the myriad colors found in nature, listen to its unique sounds, as well as feel its various textures.

In Botanika’s unique treehouses and the other nooks and crannies of the expansive garden, youngsters will be encouraged to create, dream, and fantasize through play. This is so the kids will become more aware of their surroundings, develop heightened senses, and build on their observation skills. All these encourage autonomy and individuality, according to researchers who have studied links between nature, children, and communities.

Catherine Ilagan, executive VP, Filinvest Alabang Inc., believes that the many opportunities for Botanika residents to encounter nature will benefit the adults as well. She relates that the first tower, to be completed in 2017, and the next two will each be built around a central atrium that begins at the ground floor and goes all the way to the top. Each of the atriums will have a unique landscape theme: One will offer a Zen setting, another will focus on a reflecting pool, and a third will emphasize mounds of earth covered in greenery. The atriums will interconnect with one another through meandering green walkways.  

“The planner’s deliberately compartmentalized spaces to create greater interest in the landscaping,” says Ilagan.

Thus, secret gardens, nooks, and crannies that take on a different vibe depending on the time of day will likely renew one’s senses and clear one’s thoughts to allow for contemplation and inspiration to take place.