Room for Transition by Aesthetic Empowerment?, Atmospheres and Sensory Experiences of a New Hospital Birth Environment

Birgitte Folmann (1, 2, 3)

1 the ATMOSphere-researchgroup
2 Sonic College
3 UC South Danemark

This paper focuses on how the design, aesthethics and atmosphere of a new hospital birth environment affects the experiences of new fathers. Based on a phenomenological study it shows how atmospheres are experienced in a new birthing room intended to stimulate the senses in a comforting and equanimity-evoking way, and especially how the fathers attuned themselves to the situation of being present at the birth of their new-born infant. Studying fathers’ transition to parenthood through the lens of atmosphere and interrogating the meaning of atmosphere in hospital rooms offers a more nuanced approach to our understanding of the relationship between people, space, time and event in future design of new hospital rooms.

Mots clés: Atmosphere; Aesthetics; Hospital Design; Re-Enactment; Sensory Experience

Domaines: Architecture, aménagement de l'espace

Birgitte Folmann. Room for Transition by Aesthetic Empowerment?, Atmospheres and Sensory Experiences of a New Hospital Birth Environment. Proceedings of the 4th International Congress on Ambiances, Alloaesthesia: Senses, Inventions, Worlds, Réseau International Ambiances, Dec 2020, e-conference, France. pp. 126-131, ⟨10.48537/10.48537/hal-03220281⟩. ⟨hal-03220281v2⟩