She Block Breastfeeding Centers for Mothers on the Move / Aangan Collaborative LLP
由专筑网张敬毓,小R编译
“母婴关爱空间” SHE Block—— 专为 “出行中的母亲” 打造的母乳喂养中心,是Aangan建筑事务所(Aangan Collaborative LLP)为苏拉特市政当局(Surat Municipal Corporation)打造的开创性企业社会责任项目。旨在构建包容、有尊严且便捷可达的城市空间。
SHE Block—Breastfeeding Centres for "Mothers on the Move"—is a pioneering CSR initiative by Aangan Collaborative LLP for the Surat Municipal Corporation, aimed at promoting inclusive, dignified, and accessible urban spaces.
Conceived as naturally lit breastfeeding courts, SHE Block offers a safe, secure, and comfortable environment for mothers to nurse their infants while navigating the city. The architecture is intentionally warm and inviting—the soft, curvilinear form removes the institutional stiffness often associated with public facilities. Each of the four executed blocks, strategically located at high women-footfall zones in different parts of Surat, responds to the surrounding context while maintaining the design identity of the initiative. These locations—spread across the city's transit hubs, market areas, and community nodes—ensure maximum accessibility for women from perse backgrounds.
Each block celebrates materiality and craftsmanship through its distinct brick hue, ranging from earthy terracotta to warm ochre, giving every structure a sense of inpiduality while tying them together as a recognizable civic typology. Inside, the design is guided by empathy and functionality: supportive seating for mothers, plug points for breast pumps, and thoughtfully scaled spaces for privacy without isolation. A small play court for toddlers keeps older siblings engaged, while integrated child-friendly toilets and diaper-changing platforms maintain hygiene and convenience.
This first-of-its-kind public infrastructure addresses a long-neglected urban necessity—recognizing the physical, emotional, and logistical challenges faced by women in the public realm. By embedding gender-sensitive design into civic infrastructure, SHE Block redefines how cities can and should respond to the needs of caregivers.
The architecture deliberately avoids the appearance of a "public toilet" or a "health kiosk." Instead, it asserts itself as a civic sanctuary, designed not out of charity but out of recognition of rights. It dismantles the stigma around breastfeeding in public by offering a dedicated, dignified space—acknowledging that care work is not a private burden, but a public reality that deserves visibility and respect.
SHE Block 的核心要义,在于实现城市公平。要打造真正公平的城市,就必须正视公共空间使用中的性别差异问题。母亲群体的需求,尤其是哺乳需求,在城市总体规划、交通政策或是公共设施规划中,往往处于被忽略的状态。而这项举措不仅将这些需求纳入了城市议题的讨论范畴,更通过美感呈现与舒适体验进一步提升了母亲们使用空间时的感受。
At its core, SHE Block is about urban justice. Equitable cities cannot be achieved without addressing gender disparities in access to public space. Maternal needs—particularly breastfeeding—are rarely considered in master plans, transport policies, or public amenity strategies. This initiative not only inserts these needs into the urban conversation but does so in a way that uplifts the experience through beauty, comfort, and thoughtful detailing.
SHE Block 还承载着引发思考的意义。公共设施为何非要做得敷衍、平淡,甚至让人感到疏离?美为何只能专属博物馆、纪念碑与商业中心,而母亲们却要在角落或临时场所勉强应付?SHE Block 以其亲切的空间尺度、建筑本身的庄重感以及高度的功能性,向人们证明公共基础设施完全可以既具备实用性,又能启人心智。
The SHE Block is also a provocation: Why should public amenities be perfunctory, mundane, or alienating? Why should beauty be reserved for museums, monuments, and commercial centres, while mothers manage in corners or makeshift spots? Through its intimate scale, architectural dignity, and high functionality, the SHE Block demonstrates that public infrastructure can be both utilitarian and inspiring.
By situating these four blocks at key locations across Surat with high women's footfall, the project ensures that accessibility is as important as design excellence. In doing so, it sets a precedent for civic design—placing care at the heart of urbanism, and affirming that truly inclusive public spaces must serve all bodies, all needs, and all lives.
项目信息
建筑设计:Aangan Collaborative LLP
建筑面积:约74.32㎡
项目时间:2024年
摄影:Neesarfotografy(Mr. Tarun Hirapara)、Vreidarch studio(Ar. Shivam Vasava)
类别:文化建筑
首席建筑师:Ar. Vishal Shah, Ar. Vishal Desai
项目协调员:Ar. Prakruti Desai
项目工程师:Er. Harry Icecreamwala
项目团队:Ar.Aesha Shah
景观设计:Aangan Collaborative LLP
家具和配件设计:Aangan Collaborative LLP
结构工程师:S & V Engineers, Surat
承包商:Parikshit Lathia, Samarthya Group
地点:印度苏拉特市
Architects: Aangan Collaborative LLP
Area: 800 ft²
Year: 2024
Photographs: Neesarfotografy- Mr. Tarun Hirapara and Vreidarch studio – Ar. Shivam Vasava
Category: Cultural Architecture
Principal Architect: Ar. Vishal Shah, Ar. Vishal Desai
Project Cordinator: Ar. Prakruti Desai
Project Engineer: Er. Harry Icecreamwala
Project Team: Ar. Aesha Shah
Landscape: Aangan Collaborative LLP
Furniture And Accessories Design: Aangan Collaborative LLP
Structure Engineer: S & V Engineers, Surat
Contractor: Parikshit Lathia, Samarthya Group
City: Surat
Country: India