Woowookarung - 10, 000 Steps & Dementia Friendly Forest & Sensory Trail
Client: Parks Victoria
Collaboration: Roger Thomas & Vincent McDonald
Status: Concept Completed June 2019 awaiting construction over the next 12 - 18 months
Collaboration: Roger Thomas & Vincent McDonald
Status: Concept Completed June 2019 awaiting construction over the next 12 - 18 months
Forest Therapy Trail
The Ten Thousand Step Trail, based largely on existing tracks, will be the central circuit within the park, which will be suitable for people to achieve basic health outcomes. The DFFST will form part of the trail experience, and will focus on people with dementia and limited mobility, vision impairment or suffering from dementia or other age-related conditions.
Solution
The design process included several consultation sessions, including site walks with user groups to understand how people with different abilities responded to the environment. Key principles that informed the design are accessibility, positive sensory experience, wayfinding, amenity, safety and maintenance.
The Ten Thousand Step Trail connects many of the unique features of the park including the main visitor site, lookout, amphitheatre and wetlands visitor sites. Other features highlighted along the trail are clusters of Grass Trees and areas of regenerating forest.
In designing the DFFST, we considered the different stages and symptoms of dementia. The trail is designed to promote social cohesion, provide subtle physical and mental challenges, memory triggers and a calming sensory experience. The trail will provide opportunities for contact with nature through plantings, natural materials and beautiful surroundings of trees and wildflowers, birds singing, gentle breezes, glimpses of sky and sunshine and presence of water.
Results
The project has been received with enthusiasm and support by the health sector and community. The trail will be constructed over the next 12-18 months.
- Working closely with management authorities, stakeholders and friends groups to create unique and site-sensitive trails.
- The Dementia Friendly Forest and Sensory Trail (DFFST) is designed to meet the needs of people with Dementia, and provide a safe, comfortable and inspiring experience of the forest.
- The Ten Thousand Step Trail is designed as the central circuit within the Woowookarung Regional Park, and to cater for different interests, ages, fitness levels and modes of travel.
- The trails are designed to promote health and wellbeing while experiencing the forest environment,
- Thomson Hay Landscape Architects lead the project and worked with Vincent McDonald, Architect and Access consultant and Roger Thomas as a Naturalist consultant.
The Ten Thousand Step Trail, based largely on existing tracks, will be the central circuit within the park, which will be suitable for people to achieve basic health outcomes. The DFFST will form part of the trail experience, and will focus on people with dementia and limited mobility, vision impairment or suffering from dementia or other age-related conditions.
Solution
The design process included several consultation sessions, including site walks with user groups to understand how people with different abilities responded to the environment. Key principles that informed the design are accessibility, positive sensory experience, wayfinding, amenity, safety and maintenance.
The Ten Thousand Step Trail connects many of the unique features of the park including the main visitor site, lookout, amphitheatre and wetlands visitor sites. Other features highlighted along the trail are clusters of Grass Trees and areas of regenerating forest.
In designing the DFFST, we considered the different stages and symptoms of dementia. The trail is designed to promote social cohesion, provide subtle physical and mental challenges, memory triggers and a calming sensory experience. The trail will provide opportunities for contact with nature through plantings, natural materials and beautiful surroundings of trees and wildflowers, birds singing, gentle breezes, glimpses of sky and sunshine and presence of water.
Results
The project has been received with enthusiasm and support by the health sector and community. The trail will be constructed over the next 12-18 months.
