"Who Were the 'Experts' Here Anyway?": Mothering, Architecture, and Terminal Illness in Oxford, 1978–95.

This article focuses on the architectural and caregiving history of Helen House, the world's first purpose-built paediatric hospice, opened in Oxford, UK, in 1982. It highlights how the design of Helen House was deeply influenced by the caregiving expertise of non-architect women, particularly Helen Worswick's mother Jacqueline and founder Sister Frances Dominica Ritchie, integrating domestic architectural elements to create a home-like, palliative environment tailored to children with life-limiting illnesses and their families. The hospice's architecture served as a testing ground for a new paediatric palliative care philosophy that emphasized family-centered care, respite, and the blending of medical and domestic spaces. Helen House's model influenced subsequent paediatric hospices in the UK and North America, reinforcing the role of mothers and caregivers as key contributors to both care and architectural production.