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Fircrest occupational therapist Jeanne Shepard was another key participant. In addition to chairing the project's planning committee, she instructed the students in accessibility issues. What the students finally produced is not only fully accessible, it inspires the visual, tactile, olfactory, and auditory senses and provides a safe, calming place for residents to gather or to wander.

The paths meander through the park-like yard adjacent to the skilled-nursing facility. Embedded in the concrete pathways is artwork formed with leaves, stones, or colored glass. A wooden bridge, with a deliberate, enjoyable bounce, crosses a dry stream bed. For safety considerations, no water features were included. Concrete block benches along the pathways are embedded with colorful mosaic tile in designs which the students adapted from residents' original drawings.

Raised planters bring flowers to nose height for visitors in wheelchairs. Plants were selected for their scent — rosemary, lavender, and sage, for instance. Legroom under the planters allows those who use wheelchairs to pull up close.

A grassy knoll creates a small amphitheatre for summer concerts. Trees and native plants surround the pathways to simulate a woodland feel. "For a client group so restricted in their contact with the natural world," Shepard says, "this garden means so very much."

At the end of one of the pathways is the "Memorial Circle," made of curved walls and benches surrounding a circular brick core meant to simulate a reflecting pond. Bricks along the walls are etched with the names of people and events associated with Fircrest, including donors and famous visitors.

At one point, the path branches into two forks. One path is smoother and straighter, providing an easier, more visually open route while the other offers more surface texture and greater spatial and lighting contrasts.

Copper wind chimes hang from a sculpted metal arch along the path. These can be played in the traditional manner or with a sweep of an arm or leg. The students who crafted the chimes and other metal elements had to learn welding as a part of their ten-week experience.

The course began with the students brainstorming ideas and learning about the capabilities and needs of their clients. Throughout the term, they learned to pour concrete and to enhance it with natural forms and their abstract art. What began as a university course blossomed into the experience of a lifetime.

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B.J. Novitski is managing editor for ArchitectureWeek and author of Rendering Real and Imagined Buildings.

The garden of the Fircrest Residential Habilitation Center was planted with aromatic herbs to enhance the multisensory experience. Photo: John T. Young University of Washington students learned to form and pour concrete during this design/ build studio. Photo: John T. Young Students designed and installed lighting, irrigation, and pathways. Photo: John T. Young Concrete block benches were finished with mosaics inspired by the residents' drawings. Photo: Chris Olsen Copper wind chimes can be played by residents with low mobility. Photo: Chris Olsen The wind chimes contribute to the multisensory, interactive environment. Photo: Chris Olsen Raised planting beds enable residents to participate in gardening activities. Photo: Chris Olsen A game table designed for access by a person using a wheelchair or someone standing. Photo: John T. Young   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.