Transforming Birthspace: A global colloquium

Funded by Individual Connection Grant (SSHRC) $49608 CAD

Transforming Birthspace: a Global Colloquium will be a 4-day event gathering an international and transdisciplinary array of scholars and practitioners whose work is important for informing and activating a much-needed paradigm shift in birth environment design. The colloquium will accompany an exhibition entitled Transforming Birth through Architecture and Design increasing the knowledge mobilization reach of the exhibition. This presentation provides strong evidence of the diverse creative possibilities that designers can offer in improving places and spaces for birth – built environments that comprehensively support mother/infant health and wellbeing during this fundamental and universal life moment/experience. The colloquium and exhibition will provide opportunities for collective engagement with persons and groups interested in strategic actions and knowledge mobilization. Showcasing outcomes developed over the past three years within the international project Research-Creation for Birth Environment Design Knowledge Mobilization, a Partnership Development Grant (PDG), the exhibition presents ‘positive exemplar’ case studies selected and visited for the research project. The displays include images, videos, audio clips from interviews, architectural and contextual information, and researchers’ notes that identify key elements of the design, and the issues (user needs) that they address. The use of a rich conceptual framework tool developed through the research process is also presented within and in relation to the visual/sensory material. The preceding Insight Development Grant (IDG), entitled Transformational Change for Birth Environment Design brought collaborators to a realization that designers across the globe could help create much-needed change if they had deeper awareness and knowledge about birth and birthspace design. Thus the work began on development of a Knowledge Mobilization Web Resource for architects and designers, with development of case studies and a framework tool to describe the issues that require attention, and the conceptual thinking that led to the built forms.