Growing Pains Inc.

Author

• Abigail B. JarvisFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-22-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Architecture (MArch)

Department

Architecture

First Advisor

Emily Ezquerro

Second Advisor

Jacqueline Shaw

Abstract

In Mierle Laderman Ukeles' "Manifesto for Maintenance Art”, Ukeles describes an art practice that reveals the invisible labor of daily upkeep and care, describing development as “pure individual creation; progress; advance,” and maintenance as “keep the dust off the pure individual creation, preserve the new; sustain the change”.

Growing Pains Inc. is embodied in a collection of patterns that dresses and addresses the changes buildings of New Bedford Massachusetts have experienced. It is driven by an attention to stewardship and care for our buildings that have been with us through generations. This thesis is about Growing Pains Incorporated. It speculates old industry workers of New Bedford, Sail makers from the whaling industry in 1830’s, textile mill workers from the late 1800’s and commercial fishermen from the mid 1900’s as stakeholders that turn their practice and attention towards our buildings. Growing Pain’s interventions seen around New Bedford is a speculative world where fabric is used to identify care and repair.

Recommended Citation

Jarvis, Abigail B., "Growing Pains Inc." (2026). Masters Theses. 1655.
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/masterstheses/1655

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.