Saxman, Hanna-Mari2024-12-112024-12-112024https://hdl.handle.net/10182/17912This research brings together the interconnectedness of mindfulness and subjective connection with nature, their benefits to human wellbeing, and the design of urban green spaces. As populations are increasingly concentrating in cities, residents can experience more stress and become estranged from nature. The considerable amount of research on the benefits of mindfulness and nature connections is pointing a way to an opportunity for Landscape architects to positively affect human wellbeing through design. To empathise with a diverse group of visitors, this study considers the ephemerality of experiences and understanding the spaces first-hand using the Persona method, case studies and sensory mapping in four green spaces in Christchurch over two seasons. The results showed that public urban green spaces can be designed to simultaneously support and enable mindful activities and nature connectiveness, and that indeed features enabling one often also enable the other. The study revealed the importance of locating these spaces within public transport services and commute routes to create opportunities for accessing them. Utilising empathy was found to be an effective way to understand the user experiences and a valid method for the landscape architecture profession to understand the current settings as well as test design ideas on paper or at a site. Sensory maps were found to be a useful tool for post occupancy evaluations, site inventory, and site analysis to ensure senses are accounted for in design, and that the experience of people with different abilities are considered throughout the process.enmindfulnessnature connectednessurban green spacesolder peoplesensory evaluationaccessibilityconnection to natureTravis WetlandwellbeingDissertationANZSRC::330109 Landscape architecture