Native
Deconstructing Delivery
Project Overview
Tasked with fabricating a chair out of a 2”x8”x8’, I chose to build a birthing chair as a social statement regarding feminism and society.
History
Women aren’t supposed to give birth laying down. While the modern practice of giving birth in a hospital bed allows doctors easier access and makes the use of epidurals possible, sitting upright with the legs in a squatting position is more anatomically conducive as for the assistance of gravity and specific muscle groups to be used during the process. Instead of laying horizontally, birthing chairs were used to assist women when giving birth.
The use of hospital beds to give birth in a horizontal position was popularized by King Louis XIV, the French monarch who enjoyed watching women give birth and insisted all of his wives gave birth laying down. Additionally, with the increase of births taking place in hospitals in the early 1900’s, doctors preferred the modern position as it provided better view and accessibility for the practitioner.
Inspiration
Tasked with making a chair out of a 2”x8”x8’ pine board, I took inspiration from traditional birthing chairs used in home births before the popularity of hospital births. What might a birthing chair look like if it had never stopped evolving? How might we blend the traditional forms of birthing chairs with Modern design?
Ideation
Exploration combining traditional form factors with modern furniture aesthetics.
Fabrication
Use of CAD modeling to establish part sizes and cut lists. Cuts had to be planned in advance given the limited material requirements.
