Living post stroke

The film “Two of Us” has shown how the sudden change brought by stroke, affects those who depend on alternative kinships outside the normative gender constructs. The two neighbors, Nina and Madeleine, share a hidden romantic lesbian relationship over decades, and face a drastic shift when Madeleine suffers a stroke. The binary constellation of institutional care and home-based care does not make space for such a kinship.

The physical and cognitive impairments resulting from a stroke vary depending on the affected area of the brain and the timeliness of treatment. These impairments often reshape the individual’s relationship to their immediate urban environment, limiting mobility and altering daily routines. This change can be mapped against the average walking speed of 0.91 meters per second, revealing the shrinking scope of one’s accessible world. After rehabilitation, many individuals continue to need support for tasks ranging from grocery shopping to medical care like occupational therapy. In Switzerland, this burden often falls on ambulant care services (such as Spitex) and close kin, which can strain relationships and increase the risk of social isolation.

By merging rehabilitation facilities with housing, the project in the parking Pfingstweid addresses the critical absence between institutional care and home-based care for stroke. In this context, dismantling the binarism of care-giving and care-receiving means making rehabilitation economically more accessible, but also giving space for alternative kinships that are crucial when it comes to social isolation. This housing offers a stimulating environment, without having to choose between moving into a care home or being taken care of at home.

Master Thesis Spring 2024

Project by: Lea Andermatt

Teaching team: Anna Puigjaner, Dafni Retzepi, Pol Esteve Castelló, He Shen