After finding that her own birth experience in a hospital maternity ward made her feel like a "medical object," London-based architect Stiliyana Minkovska created a series of birthing chairs to create a more comfortable environment. The trio of Ultima Thule chairs are designed to support different stages of childbirth and offer an alternative to the traditional birthing suite.
The first chair, Labour Silla, is designed to support the initial stages of childbirth when contractions start. There's also the The Parturition Stool with a step-like design and The Solace Chaise for recovery and the postpartum period.
In her own experience, Minkovska says she found comfort in "exploring the farthest imaginable place," which inspired the name of the undulating chairs that comes from Latin for "beyond the known world."
Image Credit: Stiliyana Minkovska
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Comfortable Birthing Chairs
- Creating a more comfortable and relaxing birthing experience with innovative chair designs.
- Alternative Birthing Suites
- Offering an alternative to traditional hospital birthing suites with unique chair designs for different stages of childbirth.
- Sanctuary-like Birthing Environments
- Designing chairs that provide a sanctuary-like environment for labor and recovery.
Sectors Adopting This
- Healthcare
- Innovative birthing chairs can revolutionize the way labor and delivery are experienced in healthcare settings.
- Furniture
- The design and production of specialized birthing chairs present new opportunities for furniture manufacturers.
- Design
- Architects and designers can explore disruptive innovations in creating comfortable and calming birthing environments.
