Stallard Meek Flightpath Foundation

Status: Active

Current Project Stage: Research / Ideation

The Loti Pod is a conceptual architectural response to the social infrastructure surrounding the overall wellbeing of unpaid hospital carers who look after their loved ones in the hospital. Our architectural ideation explores the potential uses and community benefits of the Loti Pod and how it can positively impact the everyday lives of these selfless unpaid hospital carers. Derived from the Greek term “Filotimo”, this project was born out of the need to provide care back to unpaid hospital carers.

The majority of unpaid hospital carers have had to sacrifice their duties, finances and/or hobbies to attend to their loved ones residing in the hospital. This carer might be a parent, a partner, a child, a close friend. They could be young, middle-aged, elderly. They sometimes have other dependents. They could be taking on the role of an unpaid hospital carer anywhere from 2-4 consecutive weeks, to months and sometimes years.

Encouraging local South Australian businesses to volunteer their services, products and/or expertise, at no cost to the unpaid hospital carers, is a step closer to improving the day-to-day well-being of these selfless carers. It’s a space to remind them to also care for themselves and stay on top of typical life administration tasks. This might be with a new haircut or manicure, receiving assistance to complete taxes or access to legal advice, or experiencing a new gourmet menu and wine tasting. It could simply be a time for them to catch up on work emails, have a quick nap, or just watch the game live with a friend.

The design concept of the pod is required to cater to the varying needs of both the user (patient carer) and volunteer (local business). It must be flexible, adaptable, and accessible to ensure comfort, privacy, and functionality for the different types of services being provided. Situated outside the hospital building to ensure close proximity to the patient and remove the need for transport, the pod uses a booking system with an online app that allows the user and volunteer to confirm dates and times for particular services.