In rehabilitation, the goal is not simply improvement within the controlled walls of a clinic but allowing the patient to step from a therapy session into everyday life with greater confidence, safety, and independence. That principle sits at the heart of the investment in the Outdoor Therapy Center (OTC) at the Permian Basin Reability Center (PBRC) in Odessa, Texas. Since 1953, this nonprofit, multidisciplinary rehabilitation facility has provided physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, and other programs for children and adults. Within that mission, the PBRC therapy staff envisioned an outdoor facility that would bring therapy beyond traditional clinic walls into an engaging, real-world environment. To do so, they retained Texas-based landscape architecture and planning firm KDC Associates to design an outdoor space that would serve as a controlled therapeutic playground, complete with balancing systems, a musical garden, an in-ground trampoline and a vehicle-based training area that helps patients practice transfers in and out of a car.

More than Fun, It's Functional
Though it looks like a playground, adults recovering from strokes, injuries, or neurological conditions benefit from the site in a realistic setting in which to relearn functional tasks that rebuild endurance, renew independence, and restore self-confidence. Musical and play-based elements increase engagement while supporting coordination, timing and sensory integration. Vehicle transfer practice directly addresses one of the most important everyday barriers to community participation: transportation. In this sense, the playground is not an aesthetic add-on to therapy services, but an extension of evidence-informed functional training.

Beyond bright colors, the aesthetics are a large part of the intentional psychological effect of the design. For example, the design team felt that it sometimes helps a person with a broken body to see seemingly broken structures serving important functions. Accordingly, what could have been otherwise standard shade structures were designed with colorful shade sails mounted on posts that were severely angled into the ground. Those same shade structures are brightly illuminated at night to draw attention to the PBRC and create a thing of beauty.

 
For clinicians, the OTC illustrates the value of interdisciplinary overlap. Paula Diffie, a physical therapist for PBRC stated, "The OTC opens up opportunities for people with challenges for new forms of play. We often take for granted going to play at the park, when there are many others who are unable to participate. The OTC allows for us to not only enrich our patients with new and interactive play activities, but it also provides opportunity to learn new skills and overcome limitations."

All Ages Supported
A child receiving physical therapy at the outdoor site may work on strength, postural control, stair negotiation, and dynamic balance, while occupational therapy goals can be layered into the same setting through sensory regulation, self-care sequencing, and play-based skill development. Speech goals may also benefit from more naturalistic interactions, whether through communication during movement tasks, social engagement in shared spaces, or language practice tied to
routines and play.

In adult rehabilitation, the same environment supports mobility retraining, fall/risk reduction, confidence building, and the practical problem solving required to return to family and community roles. Because the PBRC setting is more representative of daily life, therapists can assess not just whether a patient can perform a task, but whether that performance is durable, adaptable, and meaningful outside the clinic.

From Concept to Completion
Early in the design process, the KDCA team made the decision that every piece of equipment and paving have some significant therapeutic value. That design goal manifested itself as design team members became immersed to understanding the issues patients faced and the ways carefully programmed play environments could aid them. KDC Associates worked closely with Landscape Structures and manufacturers of shade and lighting elements to help their vision become a built reality. Bold primary colors were intentionally incorporated with customized equipment to aid with visual stimulation therapy. A multitude of paving materials were utilized so that patients - including those with vision impairments - can experience various tactile challenges.

"We wanted the site to provide as many real-world challenges as possible without a patient necessarily being aware of encountering those challenges," said Kelly Cook, PLA, ASLA, and founding principal of KDC Associates. "For a child who is already going through the stresses of rehabilitation, giving them the unique opportunity of having numerous therapy sessions in a fun outdoor environment can help break the monotony and sometimes fear of therapy itself."

Jonathon Pruessner, PLA, ASLA, noted that the project was one of the most rewarding in his career. "Designing it is one thing, but seeing the interaction with the kids and the space is incredibly satisfying," Pruessner said. "The ability of designing a space where the kids are thinking they are just playing but in reality, are honing physical skills that will help them in their wellness journey, is beyond satisfying."

Summing Up
PBRC's Outdoor Therapy Center shows what can happen when design begins with a different question: how do we get the patients to continuously look forward to their treatment sessions? Cook feels that patients need places where they can comfortably practice transitions, tolerate sensory input, adapt to unpredictable terrain, and build confidence in spaces that resemble the environments they hope to reenter. That approach aligns closely with contemporary rehabilitation priorities that emphasize function, participation, and quality of life over isolated performance measures alone.

The Outdoor Therapy Center is a case study in mission-aligned design, philanthropic partnership, and clinically relevant innovation. By creating a space where therapy can mirror play, PBRC has strengthened its ability to help patients move, communicate, and participate more fully in their communities. In Odessa and across the Permian Basin, the project's results translate into practical gains for individuals and families. For Landscape Architects concerned with outcomes, universal access, and innovation in patient-centered care, the center offers a compelling example of how a purposefully designed playground environment can become an active therapeutic tool.

As seen in LASN magazine, September 2026.