What makes a perfect therapy room in the garden? @ Rotunda Roundhouses – Unique Garden Rooms & Yurt Style Eco-Buildings

What makes a perfect therapy room in the garden?

… Resemble anything from nature…? What do you see?
This world is made from many shapes; the circle being the parent and the foundation of all life on earth

It’s not uncommon to find a therapy room as an essential component in the garden for many UK Homeowners. It’s heartwarming to see so many therapists, yoga instructors, Reiki Masters and practitioners and energy workers taking the opportunity to establish their practice in the garden of their home.

This one… for example. A little 3.5m Rotunda called ‘Bumble’ by her owner, Elizabeth Grover of ‘The Garden Sanctuary’ in Harpenden

Of course it’s possible to practice therapy and healing in all manner of spaces (and shapes). But, one basic fact of nature keeps us reminded that the way we live and build is out of sync with the rest of nature.

Most of the other species on this planet create nests, dens and burrows to support and nurture themselves and their young. Our species is the only one which puts itself in a square or rectilinear built habitat. (And interestingly, we seem to be the only one with a persistent and obvious disconnection from nature).

It is possible, however, to create a more natural built environment which would create therapy and treatment spaces and rooms in a form which is more in alignment with the organic forms of nature.

If you are therefore considering installing or building a therapy room in the garden we would suggest thinking carefully about the image you’d like to present to your clients and the environment you’d like to create to further enhance the healing or therapy experience.

Above is an illustration of the quantity of Yoga mats one could lay in a Round Garden Therapy room – in 6m to 8m diameter footprints.

We could count the myriad of ways in which a square space might not be the best expression of a holistic experience but it might be wise to consider the below considerations prior to installing your therapy room in the garden:

  1. Aesthetics – how does the building look – does it sit well in the landscape, has it nartural and organic form?
  2. Acoustics – is it sound-proofed and does it work well acoustically?
  3. Energy – Did you know the Victorians used to be fond of circular and curved buildings due to their belief that the “Devil hid in the corners”? There could be some truth to this! Feng Shui practitioners advise us that there is no build up of negative qi or ch’i in a space without corners. (Qi is believed to be a vital force forming part of any living entity.  Qitranslates as “air” and figuratively as “material energy“, “life force”)
  4. Ecological Consideration – With deforestation and habitat loss at an all time high it is absolutely worth checking the ethics of the manufacturer & questioning whether the timber is sourced from (a) The UK (locally grown – not flown!) and (b) from Certifiably Sustainable sources. It’s in our hands to support those who choose not to support illegal deforestation practices.
  5. Practicality – If you are looking for a building in which to base your business you’ll need something more substantial than a garden shed or single skinned summerhouse. It may cost you more in capital outlay but a Therapy room in the Garden should be Buildings Regulations compliant, fully insulated, with full electrics and equipped with the features you’d expect to enable you to work to your greatest potential (underfloor heating/hot water etc!).

We hope you’ve gathered some ideas and insight! If you’d like to ascertain whether a Therapy Room in the garden would be a step in the right direction for you please do give us a call (0161 2223350) to arrange your non-obligation site survey.