Re-designing Lactation Pods

Re-designing Lactation Pods

Re-designing Lactation Pods

“Re-designing Lactation Pods” is a group project executed by Marie Christine Dimitri & Anthea Viloria which challenges the traditional existing lactation spaces available today.

The AIA guidelines for lactation spaces have designated adequate space for lactating individuals whilst providing basic amenities such as chairs, refrigerators, privacy curtains and sinks. However, we believe these guidelines do not break the ‘box'' isolated typology. It reinforces the idea of lactation as an act of secrecy which is shielded from our society. Furthermore, a lot of existing lactation spaces in environments such as workplaces and public amenities do not abide by the existing AIA guidelines. In those spaces, which are not originally designed as lactation areas, women must use the bathroom floor or a random desk in a storage room to pump milk. Some agencies such as “Mamava'' have created transportable, lightweight lactation pods. While they have proven to be more effective, the Mamava pods remain sterilized spaces that do not feel inviting or inclusive.

The objective of “Re-designing Lactations pods” is to transform the traditional hospitalized existing typologies. These pods incorporate a curvilinear and organic design, promoting inclusivity and genderless spaces for lactation. The goal is to provide and propose new intimate and non-institutionalized environments.

To better design for individuals’ needs, it is crucial to understand the environment these pods will infiltrate. Our design and project establish various typologies that are separated through three different family groups. the workplace pod, the outdoor public pod, and the indoor public pod.

The typologies range from enclosed, to semi-open, to open spaces, catering to single and multi-user situations. These pods progressively envision a future where breastmilk is normalized and open.
Additionally, the proposed lactation accommodations are designed with a spectrum of typologies, amenities, levels of privacy and different lactating “methods”. The idea is to offer a variety of preferences. Some pods encourage pumping, and others would encourage breastfeeding. Nonetheless the spaces allow individuals to choose their own lactating methods and are not bound by the form.

The design is a result of a series of experimental diagrams and massing which experimented with different curvilinear shapes to maximize the indoor occupied space while respecting the relatively small scale required to lactate. Moreover, it was important to incorporate the existing AIA guidelines to provide ethically functioning spaces.

The pods ‘physical material was vital to the feasibility of our designs. The material chosen had to be cost efficient, lightweight but above all had to be flexible and moldable generating the inclusive environment we had envisioned. ABS plastic also used in aviation designs was an ideal material we had selected to create the pods. In fact, for each family typology, parts of the pods would be modular in order to increase efficiency.

Another major component that shaped our designs were interviews held with people who had previously lactated or used lactation spaces. These discussions were fundamental and highlighted the broad range of amenities and preferences that had to be accounted for.

As a group, the visual representation style we had imagined for our project came early on. We understood that our typologies had to cater to a variety of scales and focal points, showcasing the pods as a user-friendly experience and maximizing the potential interactions through a comic book rendering style. The pods would act as a network, accessible through a mobile application connecting all the users. The application would be an interactive interface, enabling the user to familiarize themselves before even entering the pod. Thus, proposing an ethical way of producing involving an array of stakeholders and building democracy through creation.

“Re-designing Lactation Pods” is a group project executed by Marie Christine Dimitri & Anthea Viloria which challenges the traditional existing lactation spaces available today.

The AIA guidelines for lactation spaces have designated adequate space for lactating individuals whilst providing basic amenities such as chairs, refrigerators, privacy curtains and sinks. However, we believe these guidelines do not break the ‘box'' isolated typology. It reinforces the idea of lactation as an act of secrecy which is shielded from our society. Furthermore, a lot of existing lactation spaces in environments such as workplaces and public amenities do not abide by the existing AIA guidelines. In those spaces, which are not originally designed as lactation areas, women must use the bathroom floor or a random desk in a storage room to pump milk. Some agencies such as “Mamava'' have created transportable, lightweight lactation pods. While they have proven to be more effective, the Mamava pods remain sterilized spaces that do not feel inviting or inclusive.

The objective of “Re-designing Lactations pods” is to transform the traditional hospitalized existing typologies. These pods incorporate a curvilinear and organic design, promoting inclusivity and genderless spaces for lactation. The goal is to provide and propose new intimate and non-institutionalized environments.

To better design for individuals’ needs, it is crucial to understand the environment these pods will infiltrate. Our design and project establish various typologies that are separated through three different family groups. the workplace pod, the outdoor public pod, and the indoor public pod.

The typologies range from enclosed, to semi-open, to open spaces, catering to single and multi-user situations. These pods progressively envision a future where breastmilk is normalized and open.
Additionally, the proposed lactation accommodations are designed with a spectrum of typologies, amenities, levels of privacy and different lactating “methods”. The idea is to offer a variety of preferences. Some pods encourage pumping, and others would encourage breastfeeding. Nonetheless the spaces allow individuals to choose their own lactating methods and are not bound by the form.

The design is a result of a series of experimental diagrams and massing which experimented with different curvilinear shapes to maximize the indoor occupied space while respecting the relatively small scale required to lactate. Moreover, it was important to incorporate the existing AIA guidelines to provide ethically functioning spaces.

The pods ‘physical material was vital to the feasibility of our designs. The material chosen had to be cost efficient, lightweight but above all had to be flexible and moldable generating the inclusive environment we had envisioned. ABS plastic also used in aviation designs was an ideal material we had selected to create the pods. In fact, for each family typology, parts of the pods would be modular in order to increase efficiency.

Another major component that shaped our designs were interviews held with people who had previously lactated or used lactation spaces. These discussions were fundamental and highlighted the broad range of amenities and preferences that had to be accounted for.

As a group, the visual representation style we had imagined for our project came early on. We understood that our typologies had to cater to a variety of scales and focal points, showcasing the pods as a user-friendly experience and maximizing the potential interactions through a comic book rendering style. The pods would act as a network, accessible through a mobile application connecting all the users. The application would be an interactive interface, enabling the user to familiarize themselves before even entering the pod. Thus, proposing an ethical way of producing involving an array of stakeholders and building democracy through creation.

The objective of “Re-designing lactation pods” was to create a pod that would not only be lightweight but transportable, easily manufactured, and modular. We imagine these pods being built with ABS plastic as it can be molded into the three-dimensional curvilinear shapes Proposed in our designs.
The structures vary from size depending on the occupancy and occupant numbers allowed to access each pod. On average the pods are 7 x 5 feet square feet, which is the proposed dimensions by the AIA guidelines for single user lactation rooms.

The following dimensions for each pod are the following:

Workplace Pod:
Type 1: Single User / No Occupants: 12 x 8 feet
Type 2: Multiuser / No Occupants: 12 x 11 feet
Type 3: Single User / No Occupants: 7 x 7 feet

Outdoor Public Pod:
Type 1: Single User / Occupants (3): 10 x 08 feet
Type 2: Multiuser / Occupants (5) : 10 x 12 feet
Type 3: Multiuser / Occupants (5+): 11 x 06 feet / for one partition
Type 4: Single User / Occupants (1): 3 x 7 feet

Indoor Public Pod:
Type 1: Single User / Occupants (2+): 10 x 05 feet
Type 2: Multiuser / Occupants (2+): 10 x 05 feet / for one partition
Type 3: Multiuser / Occupants (2+): 10 x 05 feet / for one partition
Type 4: Multiuser / Occupants (2+): 10 x 05 feet / for one partition

Moreover, as illustrated through our video submission, the pods have been designed so that parts of them can be modular to increase feasibility and cost efficiency. Each family typology (workplace/ public outdoor / public indoor) has repetitive architectural elements which not only allows for modularity but creates a visual distinction between each pod type.

The objective of “Re-designing lactation pods” was to create a pod that would not only be lightweight but transportable, easily manufactured, and modular. We imagine these pods being built with ABS plastic as it can be molded into the three-dimensional curvilinear shapes Proposed in our designs.
The structures vary from size depending on the occupancy and occupant numbers allowed to access each pod. On average the pods are 7 x 5 feet square feet, which is the proposed dimensions by the AIA guidelines for single user lactation rooms.

The following dimensions for each pod are the following:

Workplace Pod:
Type 1: Single User / No Occupants: 12 x 8 feet
Type 2: Multiuser / No Occupants: 12 x 11 feet
Type 3: Single User / No Occupants: 7 x 7 feet

Outdoor Public Pod:
Type 1: Single User / Occupants (3): 10 x 08 feet
Type 2: Multiuser / Occupants (5) : 10 x 12 feet
Type 3: Multiuser / Occupants (5+): 11 x 06 feet / for one partition
Type 4: Single User / Occupants (1): 3 x 7 feet

Indoor Public Pod:
Type 1: Single User / Occupants (2+): 10 x 05 feet
Type 2: Multiuser / Occupants (2+): 10 x 05 feet / for one partition
Type 3: Multiuser / Occupants (2+): 10 x 05 feet / for one partition
Type 4: Multiuser / Occupants (2+): 10 x 05 feet / for one partition

Moreover, as illustrated through our video submission, the pods have been designed so that parts of them can be modular to increase feasibility and cost efficiency. Each family typology (workplace/ public outdoor / public indoor) has repetitive architectural elements which not only allows for modularity but creates a visual distinction between each pod type.

https://issuu.com/antheaviloria/docs/redesigning_lactation_pods

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzIzbR5kD24

@mariechristinedimitri @aviloria96 https://www.behance.net/gallery/126312177/Marie-Christine-Dimitri-Portfolio https://issuu.com/antheaviloria/docs/anthea_viloria__portfolio

We believe that “Re-designing Lactation Pods” should be considered for the Special Prize, “Panasonic Prize” because our project provides a place for equality and inclusivity in society through an accessible line of products. “Re-designing Lactation Pods'' seeks to give agency to its users by creating a variety of customizable nursing environments for lactating persons in our rapidly changing society. Through research, we discovered that many lactation spaces in America were either makeshift rooms with a lack of comfort or sterile, institutional-looking environments. Our design and project establishes new typologies that are separated through three different family groups; the workplace pod, the outdoor public pod and the indoor public pod. These typologies range from enclosed, to semi-open, to open, catering to single and multi-user situations. We have designed these pods as a spectrum of typologies, with amenities, levels of privacy, different lactating “methods” and preferences in mind. The project's goal is to democratize the world of public lactation by providing options to suit the needs and lifestyles of the contemporary lactating individual.

We envision these pods to be mass produced and spread throughout the city of New York to actively aid in improving the daily lives of lactating individuals. These Lactation Pods would also be high-quality low-cost products because they are designed with a repetition of curved modular parts to increase efficiency in production. We have used curvatures to promote inclusivity and a more intimate, non-institutional environment.

To make our pods more accessible, we designed an app that would aid users in finding the location of pods, identifying which pods cater to their specific needs, and creating a community interface. A person would be able to familiarize themselves with the pods and the lactating community before choosing their ideal pod, whether that be completely enclosed for a private experience or having the freedom of openness while still providing comfort. As a whole, we believe that “Re-designing Lactation Pods” utilizes the theme of "Democratic experiment(s)" to push the boundaries of what both work and public lactating choices could be.