/
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
Stiliyana Minkovska
Architect | Artist | Designer | Maker | Researcher
the LABOUR SILLA
The Labour Silla aims to empower those who are not comforted by the hospital environment during labour.
Through a series of parent-centred and flexible design decisions, the chair introduces a feeling of tranquillity to provide ease during this time of potential uncertainty and extreme discomfort. The chair enables the mother to prepare for parturition with ergonomic and elasto-mechanic qualities, responding to the multiple demands of the pregnant body.
The Labour Silla can accommodate different mammalian aptitudes. It aims to be inclusive of all needs and is continuously evolving. It should be seen as a companion to the mother, one that supports and responds to their body. It encourages the pregnant person to assume a range of postures to find comfort during the most laborious and painful phase of childbirth.
How it works:
The Labour Silla works as a cushion, and an aid that allows the pregnant body to take any desired position in order to prepare for parturition. It is an accommodating element, which allows the expectant parent to sit, kneel, squat, rest, lean and crawl until they find peace and comfort. It is a gradual element, where the mother could either take the journey on her own or be supported by a partner, doula or a midwife.
The material is an easily wipeable and robust vinyl. It has a soft, gradual contour. When mass-produced, the Silla could potentially be made of Technogel – a patented gel material that relieves the discomfort of individuals bound to wheelchairs and hospital beds – but, for the showcase, the prototype is made of silicone.