Sensory Design in the Birth Environment: Learning from Existing Case Studies
Journal article, 2023

Studies have shown how built environments for hospitals can influence psychological and physiological conditions and status for childbearing women. Sensory attributes of birth spaces can enhance comfort, feelings of wellbeing, and, to some extent, clinical outcomes. Recently, some case studies of multisensory rooms for the birth environment have been developed based on, e.g., Snoezelen room examples. The aim of this research is to develop an overview of how sensory aspects for birth environments are designed, used, and tested in current and recent studies. Case studies were selected according to sensory aspect significance, observing space factors, and relationship with the experience and comfort of users (women, partners, midwives). All case studies were analysed to collect information about the design and validation process. The collected data were organised in categories and compared for the selected case studies. Main findings were summarised in tables with the aim of underlining how sensory design processes and projects can positively influence comfort for birthing. Conclusions about how to bring forward the issue of sensory design so that it can be used and applied to support childbearing women is discussed.

Snoezelen room

impact evaluation

environmental comfort

design process

multisensory room

Author

Elena Bellini

Inter-University Research Centre TESIS “Systems and Technologies for Social

University of Florence

Alessia Macchi

Inter-University Research Centre TESIS “Systems and Technologies for Social

University of Florence

Nicoletta Setola

Inter-University Research Centre TESIS “Systems and Technologies for Social

University of Florence

Göran Lindahl

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Construction Management

Buildings

20755309 (eISSN)

Vol. 13 3 604

Subject Categories

Architectural Engineering

Interaction Technologies

Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine

DOI

10.3390/buildings13030604

More information

Latest update

1/3/2024 9