According to a report published by the UNFPA, 1 in 7 out of the 121 million unintended pregnancies each year, occur in India. India is also home to one of the world’s first dedicated hospital trains, the Lifeline express. The idea behind the project is to reimagine this existing public transport infrastructure and repurpose it to provide better access to care. Trains are a local means of transportation and to challenge the norms of openness around reproductive health, the updated version of the train has been designed in a performative way. Using the façade of the train to break the monotony of its tubular form, various iterations were designed in different coaches corresponding to its program and spatial needs. From foldable and pivoting to multi-scalar panels of the façade, the 12 coaches are designed to provide a holistic environment to treat the patients. Additionally, the interiors work in tandem with the functionality of the space where color has been infused with the use of bright patterns of fabric found locally. A mode of transportation that transforms into a space of interaction, care, and comfort when parked, the project intended to push the boundaries of what motion in design could mean.
