Holistic Healthcare in a Human-Centered Landscape

The Hermanus Community Day Centre represents a thoughtful approach to public healthcare design, where architecture and landscape work harmoniously to create healing environments. Located in the Hermanus industrial area along Swartdam Road, this project demonstrates how sensitive design can transform institutional healthcare into a welcoming community resource.

Project Highlights

• Courtyard Design:

  Multiple therapeutic courtyards create distinct healing environments for different patient groups, including dedicated spaces for infectious disease patients, staff relaxation, and general waiting areas.

• Indigenous Landscaping:

  Water-wise local plant species create visual interest while requiring minimal maintenance and establishing connections to the surrounding natural environment.

• Intuitive Navigation:

  The landscape design guides visitors naturally from entrance to destination, with planting and hardscape elements creating clear wayfinding cues.

• Healing Gardens:

  Carefully designed outdoor spaces provide stress-reducing natural environments where patients and staff can experience restorative benefits of nature.

• Site Rewilding:

  Innovative hydro seeding techniques were employed to restore nearly 2,000m² of surrounding grounds with endemic plant species, creating a resilient natural buffer that transitions between the built environment and adjacent natural areas.

• Rooftop Succulent Gardens:

  Innovative living roofs featuring endemic fynbos species provide natural thermal insulation, reduce stormwater runoff, and create habitat corridors while requiring minimal maintenance and extending roof membrane lifespans.