The nursery

Starting a family is a dream for many. What every parent has in common is a certain presumption towards their role. But what if the reality is nothing like your fantasies, because the complexity of the situation is neither predictable, nor is there a concrete framework to rely on; solely high expectations and the weight of your responsibility.

The effects of childbirth are significant but rarely are the physical and psychological consequences that affect the child bearer addressed openly and explicitly. The exclusive focus that is laid upon the newborn in post-partum care often leaves parents alone with their struggles. If you consider the uneven distribution of the imminent tasks, with the increased pressure on the child bearer, the impossible task of living up to these expectations is evident.

There is a necessity to address the conflict that arises for new parents in isolated conditions. They are not only constrained by their task of caring for a baby, but also spatially in their homes, due to a lack of available resources and infrastructures. In our project, we explore the potential of care services that enable a discourse between parents and hence increase their feeling of being seen and heard, not leaving them in solitude while manoeuvring the overwhelming territory of parenthood.

It is our concern to make post-partum care broadly accessible and tailored to individual needs. We offer a space where parents can get the rest, exchange, and attention they deserve. A place that combines the therapeutic offer of healthcare institutions with the intimacy of a domestic space and the openness of a community. We do not integrate care into the domestic, but the domestic into care.

Project by: Anne-Sophie Loretan, Meret Pfiffner, Yeva Dobrovolska

Teaching team: Anna Puigjaner, Jo Baan, Lisa Maillard, Luis Úrculo, Pol Esteve Castelló, He Shen

Design Studio: Autumn 2023