BAGNODESIGN  PUBLIC TOILETS IN POST-PANDEMIC TIMES

Event Type    : Student Design Competition

An Event of   : Kitchen & Bath Expo Bangladesh

Organizer      : WEM Bangladesh Ltd

Competition brief: 

In our modern urban living, public toilets emerged as a facility to meet citizens’ hygiene needs. However, usable public toilets are still difficult to find particularly in crowded cities like Dhaka. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the fact that access to public facilities is not just a health issue, it’s a social issue; one that disproportionately affects citizens across gender, age, and class. Spatial inadequacy in service provision for marginalized groups, inequality and inequity in terms of gender as well as right of access, and poor sanitary standards are some problematic social issues commonly linked to the discourse of public toilets. As we come into an age of increased awareness, how can a communal space like the public toilet evolve in order to effectively address these diverse social and functional needs? How can a public toilet stand the test of time?

We invite design ideas from undergraduate and postgraduate students of architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, and related disciplines. Although it is only a small-scale facility, this call for competition is to address the daunting task of thinking ‘out of the box’ that seeks to exceed the boundaries of a typical public toilet to become a ‘place’ in the urban landscape that holds immense public value. It should be viewed as a symbolic facility designed for everyone: women, men, parents with children, elderly, and people with special needs. It should accommodate different user needs including but not limited to washing, dressing, grooming, diaper changing, wheelchair maneuvering, sanitary waste disposing, etc.

Hence, we are interested in ideas that not merely fulfill the basic requirements but also offer a unique appeal that provokes a change in the common perception of public toilets as ‘unhygienic’ facilities. It may encourage more people to use the facility by incorporating new social functions ranging from a source of potable water to a canvas for urban artworks. The facility should be easy to enter, easy to use, and easy to maintain. It should provide a comfortable user experience: not only visual but also other sensory experiences such as auditory, olfactory, and tactile. It should give a sense of security and privacy. Ideas on innovative architectural forms, the use of sustainable building materials, and smart technology are also encouraged. The interior should be bright and open enough to feel the comfort of the wind and light from the surrounding environment.

A panel of three judges that includes academicians and architects from Bangladesh will rate the competitors based on the criteria mentioned above. The evaluation process will be held online.

Site and Program:

Participants are open to selecting a suitable site within their locality. The size of the facility should be limited to around 300 sqft. An additional 100 sqft can be kept for landscaping including pathways, ramp, and green area. Regarding the program, we encourage the participants to come up with context-specific programs that fit the purpose of the community and the objectives of this competition. Functional requirements given below may be considered as suggestive hints:

• Male unit: 2 WCs, 3 Urinals, 3 washbasins
• Female unit: 2 WCs, 3 washbasins, and a diaper change area
• Janitor
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