PERMACULTURE AS A SYSTEMIC BASIS FOR THERAPEUTIC GARDEN DESIGN

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of possibilities for integrating permaculture principles into the design of therapeutic gardens within the context of contemporary environmental design. The author focuses on the problem of the predominance of fragmented and primarily decorative landscaping approaches in restorative spaces and substantiates the need for a transition toward systemic design that combines ecological sustainability with the psychophysiological and therapeutic potential of the environment. Purpose. The purpose of the article is to investigate architectural, design, and methodological aspects of therapeutic garden design based on the integration of permaculture, biophilic design, and evidence-based design in order to form sustainable and effective restorative environments. Methodology. The study employs a structural–analytical method, comparative analysis, and principles of evidence-based design. A key research tool is the five-level mode, which enables a systematic linkage between contextual conditions of therapeutic garden formation and design solutions as well as user-centered restorative scenarios. Results. The research demonstrates that integrating permaculture as an infrastructural and ecological foundation with biophilic design as a human-centered approach ensures the creation of therapeutic gardens that combine long-term operational sustainability with a pronounced restorative effect. The proposed structural– analytical model makes it possible to formalize the relationships between the resource framework of the environment and the restorative framework, thereby increasing the predictability and effectiveness of design decisions. Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty lies in the development of an integrative methodological approach to therapeutic garden design that unites the principles of permaculture, biophilic design, and evidence-based design within a single structural– analytical model. The study defines a clear logic for translating ecological and human-centered principles into spatial tools and design techniques. Practical relevance. The results and the proposed model may be applied in the professional practice of designing therapeutic, inclusive, and rehabilitation spaces in healthcare, educational, and public institutions, as well as in the development of sustainable landscape and restorative environment concepts.