Barros Luco Hospital – Healing Garden
“In every walk with nature one receives much more than one seeks” – John Muir
Located in the commune of San Miguel, the Barros Luco Trudeau Hospital is one of the largest and most complex public health facilities in the country, currently serving a population of nearly 1,500,000 people.
As is often the case with these facilities, the original design and construction included extensive gardens within the facility for the relaxation and enjoyment of patients and staff. These spaces, over time, fell into disuse or were relegated to storage. This is the case with the garden adjacent to the Short-Stay Hospitalization Unit of the Psychiatric Service, which we set about restoring and converting into a Therapeutic Garden in conjunction with the healthcare center.
Today, this 400 m2 space is an area that promotes the development of social skills, the structuring of therapeutic routines, introspection, the development of a sense of belonging and community, and connection with reality, alleviating the feeling of confinement, among other benefits.
The project was co-financed by the Cosmos Foundation, Spread, and the Los Cedros Foundation. The latter donated the majority of the infrastructure, which, in its first phase, included a series of improvements to nature areas, structures, and access points, seeking to transform the area into a Therapeutic Garden. Today, it features contemplation and interactive areas, rest areas, shaded active therapy spaces for patient rehabilitation, work and daily life areas with spiral gardens, and a Memorial Wall where patients and their families can leave messages and express their emotions.
“Nature allows us to discover who we are.”
The second phase of the project was inaugurated in January 2023, adding another 300 m² of natural areas to the Short-Stay Hospitalization Unit of the Psychiatric Service at Barros Luco Hospital.
This phase was funded by Codelpa—a company that includes Ceresita, among other brands—and includes the development of areas for passive mental health therapies and group dynamics for patients, as well as facilities for family members to reduce anxiety during times of uncertainty. Additionally, recreational areas were installed for the staff of this unit at Barros Luco Hospital, providing a natural respite for healthcare personnel after hours of intense work.
To connect the two areas, a connecting door was installed, allowing staff, patients, and family members better access to these spaces of connection with nature.