Nature, Design, and Health: Explorations of a Landscape Architect

The internationally renowned landscape architect David Kamp, FASLA, has written a personal narrative of his innovative and influential landscape design philosophy and practice in Nature, Design, and Health. He traces the first stirrings of his interest in nature and design to his childhood in rural North Carolina. Kamp maintained his passion for landscape through his architectural studies at the University of Virginia, and these in turn helped prepare him for his first design project, the landscape for Australia's grand new Parliament House complex in Canberra (1980–1988). In the mid-1990s, at a pivotal time in his personal life, Kamp volunteered to design one of the first gardens created specifically for individuals with HIV/AIDS, the Joel Schnaper Memorial Garden at the Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center in East Harlem. The experience proved life-altering, and Kamp resolved to dedicate his practice to exploring the intimate web of relationships connecting design, nature, and modern healthcare. Throughout his career, Kamp has sought to put people of all ages in touch with nature, regardless of their capabilities―from children with autism spectrum disorder to elders with cognitive and physical challenges. He has also explored these ideas in the larger realm, where his plans have revitalized schools, parks, and urban waterfronts. By putting personal health on a continuum with environmental health, Kamp demonstrates that design partnering with nature can lead to more vibrant, resilient, and equitable communities.