Designing Humanistic and Salutogenic Birthplaces: A Global Initiative

Within the past 150 years, many diverse and local cultures of birth have been replaced in a precipitous movement into modernist hospital settings. Birth environment design discourse began in mid-twentieth century, with an interest in moving away from the clinical nature of medicalised birth, towards a more humanistic model of birth care and experience. The role of the environment itself in supporting or undermining birth processes and positive birth experience has come to increasing attention, as various disciplines corroborate mind-body-environment interconnectivity. Today, it is clear that environmental messaging that we take up precognitively has impact on the neurohormones of birth—and thus influence how birth unfolds. Many elements of the physical and ambient design influence (both physically and emotionally) not only the mother/infant dyad, but all those participating, whether care providers or supporters. The overall architectural experience extends beyond the labour/delivery spaces to the places of arrival, of walking and waiting, of connecting (or not) to a sense of place, locale, nature, culture. The provision/location of amenities that support and enhance birth experiences of all involved are also a part of the design mandate.