Gardens are… Buildings: A Garden’s Role in Unprecedented Times

The global pandemic caused by COVID-19 is putting pressure on cities throughout the world to rethink how they should develop and operate. This paper examines how gardens have been and how they should continue to be a significant element within the urban fabric of cities. It discusses the role of gardens today and examines the public health impact of gardens and access to urban green space. The authors support the idea that gardens should be designed in order to create a more multi-sensorial experience so that the health benefits can be most effective. This paper also proposes a broad planning matrix which supports urban planners and designers to integrate gardens as part of their initial building policies and design approach.