Designing for Therapeutic Environments: A Review of Research

Originally published in 1979, Therapeutic Environments brings together a set of previously unpublished accounts of studies by internationally recognized experts in North America and Britain, of the full range of places which are designed to facilitate the processes of healing, caring and helping. The papers have been collected and edited by David Canter, an Environmental Psychologist who has published a number of books on people and buildings, and Sandra Canter, a Clinical Psychologist, who has published previously on the determinants of personality and the effect of vitamins.

During the previous two decades there had been a growing outcry in both Europe and North America against the environments in which society housed those undergoing treatment or requiring care and attention. Clearly, institutions should not make their inmates worse and the consensus of opinion at the time was that, if they were not actually making people worse, the ‘caring’ buildings certainly were not helping to make them better.

In response to this awakened desire to produce physical environments which contributed positively to the therapeutic process, this book drew together specially commissioned papers written by those who had been actively involved in studying or creating therapeutic environments, both in Britain and America. Forming a unique overview of the present state of thought and action in this increasingly important area of design, Therapeutic Environments was an important work of reference, not only for clinical, community and environmental psychologists, but for all social work groups and aware architects with an active interest in the planning and operation of environments with a specialist ‘caring’ responsibility.

This book is a re-issue originally published in 1979. The language used is a reflection of its era and no offence is meant by the Publishers to any reader by this re-publication.

David Canter is an applied social psychologist, has published widely and consulted with major companies and given evidence in court and to government enquiries.

Sandra Canter is a Clinical Psychologist, director of Psychological Services, who has published previously on the determinants of personality and social skills training.