Sight, touch, smell, hearing - water features cater to many senses at once. In addition to promoting an immersive experience, the sensory properties of fountains and waterfalls can also provide a variety of health benefits. While the sound of a waterfall can ease a racing mind, the mist from a fountain cleanses and purifies the air around it.

Although some of the emotional benefits may be subjective, conclusive evidence points to the ability of water features to lower blood pressure and steady heart rates among their beholders. Simply sitting near a body of water can lower cortisol levels, a phenomenon known as the ‘Blue Mind Effect’. Particularly as we continue to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic and the related uncertainties and concerns, being in close proximity to water can help alleviate some of the added stress and pressure that many people are experiencing all over the world. In urban centres, water features often take on this healing role.

This ‘Blue Mind Effect’ is something that many of us inadvertently experience during times of potential stress, such as getting a medical check-up. Dentist and doctor offices throughout the world are decorated with fountains, fish tanks, and other varieties of water features for reasons that extend beyond aesthetics. The pleasant scene and sounds of water in motion craft an experience that can help ease the mind and quiet the nerves of onlookers of all ages.

Waterfall feature at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle

These installations are frequently replicated on a larger scale for hospitals and medical centres. Within these facilities, water features of all shapes and sizes cater to patients, visitors, and staff alike. As with most projects, designers typically aim to create installations that draw attention while also promoting a serene atmosphere.

Vincent Helton’s water feature at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle stands as a prime example of how strategic design can generate a sense of peace and tranquility within healthcare spaces. Although the Research Centre is located in Seattle’s bustling downtown district, the installation’s cascading water creates a calming ambiance of white noise. Located within a spacious courtyard, the waterfalls and reflecting pools are integrated with stone benches that provide observers with the opportunity to sit and become fully engrossed with the structures and soundscape around them.

It’s important to note that where water can heal, special precautions are necessary to prevent it from becoming a source of harm instead. Public safety is a major factor in designing water features, and one that rightfully wields great influence over a feature’s form and function. When designed with specific health and safety guidelines in mind, water features can promote mental and emotional well-being without endangering the physical health of those who enjoy them.

From dentist reception areas to Vancouver General Hospital, water features have become intertwined with health and healthcare facilities. The calming nature of moving water allows it to be an ideal source of solace and inspiration in places where people may not always feel at ease. Although they may not have intrinsic palliative powers, these structures nevertheless form an important part of the healing process, to which the Vincent Helton team is proud to contribute.

The Healing Power: Promoting Health and Alleviating Disease Through Water Features