Home and Away: Mothers and Babies in Institutional Spaces

In Home and Away: Mothers and Babies in Institutional Spaces, the authors examine how health design in a psychiatric mother-baby unit can serve the needs of mothers and babies, their families, and the staff. Arguing that while mothers in institutional care are away from their own homes, they need not be away from their babies, the authors show that any examination of built space must consider how the mothers respond to the space and how the space responds to their needs for privacy, rest, routine, and wellness. Home and Away provides a comprehensive account of critical design for mental health, focusing on how health facilities can intentionally promote positive psychological outcomes through the design and use of space.