Death and rebirth in Chicago: the Du Sable High School Urban Ecology Sanctuary

Healing gardens have been widely used in healthcare settings, but rarely to heal the psychological illnesses of youth in inner-city neighbourhoods who have lost friends and family to violent deaths. The Urban Ecology Sanctuary in a courtyard of Du Sable High School in Chicago serves as a model of what such a garden might be like, providing places in which young people can reflect upon their loss, regain a sense of purpose, and reconnect to the natural world. This Sanctuary shows how architecture and landscape architecture can buffer the worst effects of social disruption.