Thesis project 2016 (Public Toilets) by Devanshi Mehra

DESIGN THESIS 2016 Project by Devanshi Mehra Sponsored by Foley designs Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore Property of Unitedworld Institute of Design Foley Designs Pvt. Ltd.

DESIGN THESIS, 2016 Unitedworld Institute of Design Student, Product Design (2012 - 2016) Devanshi Mehra Sponsored by Foley Designs Pvt. Ltd. Industry Guide Mr. Michael Foley Mr. Manas Barve Mr. Bavith Balakrishnan Institute Guide Prof. Kishori Dalwadi

PREFACE At UID, all the final year students are required to undertake a graduation project which is a six months long full scale design project in the industry. The student gains industry experience during the course of this project and builds his/her creative confidence to work as design professional. This experience gives the student an opportunity to learn about an organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work culture, management and other skills required by a designer to manage timeliness and pitch ideas, concepts to concerned colleagues and clients. The student experiences how a number of project are handled at a time, the progressive stages of a project and how a fitting solution is delivered to the client. While working on a real project in the industry, the student gets a chance to test his/her learnings and realize their strengths and weaknesses. My graduation project was sponsored by Foley Designs, in Bangalore for six months from February 2016 to July 2016.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The entire team at Foley Designs showed exceptional love and support throughout the six months that I spent with them. Their part and contribution was not just restricted to the office space and projects but extended to conversations and social support much beyond it. I am grateful to Michael Foley for giving me the opportunity to work with Foley designs and learn from the team, as well as for his feedback in the project and for the creative freedom that every employee at Foley designs has, which was extended to me as well during the internship. I am extremely thankful to Manas and Bavith, for their guidance and support throughout the project. I can’t thank Manas enough for taking out time in spite of his ruthless schedule and deadlines to give me feedback and help me through the different stages of the project. He inspired me not only through his work and process, but also the energy and ethics that he brings along. Bavith, for helping me through all my self doubts. His contribution in this period has been immense, sitting with me for hours to discuss technical details as well as my process and purpose when I was losing track of the project. I hope I can someday do justice to the contributions made by both of them to this project and to me as a designer. The entire Foley Designs team, became colleagues, mentors, friends and family for the entire time I spent with them. They made me a part of everything, from working on projects, to playing table tennis, friday night plans and so many other experiences. They have added to this experience in every way. I am grateful to Tanvi, Jesal, Varun, Gautham, Aditi, Alpa, Rohit and Sakhi, for making me a part of their social life like I was an old friend, for their contributions to the project, for the “big talk” sometimes, that made me reflect on things and for so much more that I can’t fit in here. Professor Kishori Dalwadi and Prof. Varshin Vala, for their guidance in deatiling and model making. Professor Sada Sivan and Prof. Kishori for their inputs in the document. Friends and co-interns in Banglore who inspired me in so many ways. Family and friends back home, for all the love.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

SYNTHESIS

Aspirations Synopsis About Foley Designs About the Institute

10 12 14 16

Themes and insights

PROJECT OUTLINE

IDEATION

Client brief Project Approach and overview Timeline as planned Timeline as happened

20 22 24 26

Shift from Demeaning to Dignified profession Shift from Provision to Usability Shift from Facility to Civic Pride

DISCOVER

CONCEPTUALIZATION

Swachh Bharat Mission Understanding Public toilets Brainstorm Framing the Design challenge Research methodology

30 32 34 36 38

Incremental Solution Redefined brief Design principle Layout Form Identity Material Research

68 72 82

90 92 94 96 100 122

130 CONCEPT DETAILING Chosen materials Assembly Structure Details Final model Technical Drawings Reflections

132 138 150 156 168 181

182 WAY FORWARD Seminar Introduction Studying existing scenarios Survey preparation and findings Planning Public toilets Planning Bus stops Bibliography

184 186 188 190 196 198

INTRODUCTION This sections sets the background of the document, putting in place its purpose and context. Giving an overview of the sponsor company and personal expectations fromÂ the journey documented here.Â

Introduction

Introduction / Aspiration

ASPIRATION For my graduation project, I wanted to work with a multidisciplinary design consultancy and get a chance to work on, or at least observe the different processes followed in the varied projects. I was fortunate enough to land at Foley Designs, who are one of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most multifaceted design consultancies, working on a wide range of design applications with dedicated teams for communication design, product design and development as well as spatial design. I have documented this journey here, and I hope you will find something to take away from it.

Introduction / Synopsis

SYNOPSIS This project is a design proposal for ‘Pay and Use’ public toilets, in India, under Swachh Bharat Mission, for the private sector to provide these public utilities. The document contains the design process that went into arriving at the concepts. The ideation was done without constraints to explore opportunities that could be built up on later. Proposing a detailed, feasible solution was the deliverable of this project. Transforming the quality of provision of public toilets, followed by a transformation in people’s perception of them was a major focus of the project. As a design thesis project, I wanted to explore new processes and ways of analysing and using information to derive at meaningful design solutions.

Introduction / About Foley Designs

ABOUT FOLEY DESIGNS Michael Foley first made his mark with stunning, contemporary design that gave Titan Industries an aesthetic makeover. A design student from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, he joined Titan Industries as a product designer. In the latter half of 2006, Michael felt the need to move his work to a broader, more challenging platform, and the design studio, Foley Designs, was born. The studio specialises in product design, packaging, graphics, environment design, and brand identity, and consists of a team that is hand-picked by Michael, for design prowess, originality, and ability to translate consumer understanding into fresh, inviting design. Every design project at Foley Designs reflects inventive thinking, which is the hallmark of this studio. They have successfully delivered fresh and innovative experiences to their client. They develop and evolve these solutions into effective and feasible reality that creates meaningful engagement. Foley designs is a design consultancy truly knit with love and built of people who share a passion for design. The work culture at the firm represented Michael Foley’s (founder) humility and passion for art and design. Creative freedom is highly valued and seeps down to every level of the firm, even to me as an intern. I was given all the liberty to decide my own route and process throughout. I have been lucky to have had mentors like Michael Foley, Manas Barve, senior industrial designer, and Bavith Balakrishnan, spatial designer at the firm. Reflecting back on it, I can’t thank them enough for the time and effort they invested in me.

Introduction / About UID

ABOUT UID Unitedworld Institute of Design (UID) is a private educational institute in India established in 2012 under Unitedworld group, which is presently operating in many business verticals, prominent of which are Education, FMCG, Textiles and Hospitality. Education is their major focus area & maximum thrust has been put into this endeavour. Unitedworld Group is committed towards qualitative education & excellence. UID is an institute of national repute that follows the philosophy â&#x20AC;&#x153;Have a passion to create something new & influence changeâ&#x20AC;?. The institute prepares students to understand the intrinsic values of design. The Institute of has nationally recognized faculties, teachers and equipment. They undertake to impart education that cultivates artistic capabilities and in-depth design knowledge to foster a creative education. It offers professional bachelor and masters courses in fields of fashion design, product design, lifestyle and accessory design, visual communication and interior design.

PROJECT OUTLINE This part frames the context of the project with brief explanation on the approach and process followed. I experienced a huge gap between the timeline as planned and as executed in this project, owing to various external factors as well as personal conflicts, which I intend to portray here with all honesty.

Project Outline

European references sent by client Project Outline / Client brief

CLIENT BRIEF Design proposal for public Toilets with European design language.. • To have 3 urinals, 3WCs, 2-3 WBs and Mirrors. • Very basic fixtures/ hardware for mass public. • To have provisions for overhead tanks, bore well for water inlets, flushing • No use of exhaust, may be roof to have louvers for natural ventilation. • Waste bins • Storage space to be provided for cleaning tools. • Provision for only cold water- no need for hot water. • Easy to use - “only push” hardware for taps and flush • No need for tissue paper holder, hand dryer - theft an issue • To be well lit, Lighting to give a perception on cleanliness • MAINTENANCE- is a big concern. Should be maintenance friendly • Size_ 30ft x 10ft

This is a hypothetical client brief for practical constraints and targets the stakeholders for a pitch project. Its a design pitch for the private sector investors who wish to build public utilities such as public toilets in India under Swachh Bharat Mission.

PROCESS To analyze the vast data from research, I chose to follow IDEOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Design KIT process. It helped me put my design challenge in human centered terms and connect the dots throughout the process.

My reference material for this process are the below mentioned publications:

Project Outline / Project overview and approach

PROJECT OVERVIEW AND APPROACH WHAT? Public toilets are meant for floating population i.e. for people on the move. They serve the needs of whoever happens to be passing by, whether a local or a stranger. The public toilets in this project address the PAY AND USE on-street conveniences rather than ‘off-street’ privately provided public toilets like those in malls, petrol pumps, cinemas etc.

WHY? Toilets meet vital user needs and have a huge impact on a nation’s health, as pointed out by Clara Greed in her book, Inclusive Urban Planning for toilet Design. When it comes to public toilets, they are often perceived as dirty, stinking spaces. The facilities are often poorly maintained and user studies have shown that they are the last resort for users after restaurants, cafes, pubs etc.

HOW? After receiving the brief and further discussions in the company, we decided to approach the project to come up with an incremental proposal, that is easily viable, feasible and hence acceptable by the client, keeping intact the basic functionality, with little interventions in detailing and strong identity of the toilet block, to transform the perception and experience of users towards public toilet. As Clara Greed puts in her book, Inclusive Urban Planning for toilet Design, “Toilets are culture”, that differs from place to place and from community to community. Its hard to deviate people from their culture or force them to adopt a new one, which meant that the toilet design had to satisfy the toilet culture(s) prevalent in India. As an obvious observation that is pointed out in so many debates, “the challenge is not building toilets, but maintaining them.”. The client clearly mentions this concern in his brief as well. With that concern in mind, I went to explore and understand the nuances responsible for the poor maintenance of these utilities and pointing out potential sub-systems that could be tapped into, to bring about a gradual but solid impact in the system and culture of using and maintaining public toilets. 23

TIMELINE

Project Outline / Timeline (as planned)

AS PLANNED

TIMELINE

AS EXECUTED

Discover

Initial Research

Past experiences / System thinking

System overview

Instant ideas, opportunities / problems, Approx. timeline

Environment study geography, demography, psychology Market research Secondary research ( Internet )

Other short projects User research

February

March

Synthesis, Ideation and Redefining brief

Extensive Research

Data categorization - inferences, problems, opportunities

Studying sub systems

Scenario building Problem statement, target audience, design criteria, Scope, Redefine Timeline

Extensive market research

User Research

Form Identity It

Brainstormin Generating moo inspiration boa

Sketching and fidelity modeling / prototyping

Shortlisting ide

Defining desig direction

Jun

May

April

Brief Discription of Methodology Planning the research, brainstorming on the scope and the dept of the research. Also, recording past experiences regarding the subjects in he brief.

Based on the scope, projecting the functioning of the system and carrying out relevant field research, secondary research and recording interviews of the commuters

Project Outline / Timeline (as executed)

Organizing the data into themes and separating major insights from observations and picking out opportunity statements for ideation. Based on these redefining the client brief

After brief generation, revisiting the prime sites to verify themes and insights while keeping myself open for more information.

Taking reference secondary research experiences for ex new forms and id visual identity with of skectching and lo modeling.

teration

Conceptualization

Prototyping

Documentation

ng, od / ard

Shortlisting Concepts

New system infographics

Way forward

low / Rapid g

Concept detailing , high fidelity modeling

Testing of Ideas

Feedback / reviews, Improvisation

Model Making

eas

Formalities

es from h and past xploring deas for h the help ow fidelity .

July

August

Selecting the ideas and forms showing potential by taking feedbacks. After that, developing concepts by combining and iterating on different ideas. The next part was figuring out the details for the selected concepts.

September

October

November

Finalizing the details for the selected concept by prototyping and testing of ideas and also after talking a number of experts from relevant fields. Making a scaled model of the final design for a proper communication of the concept,

Working on the conference for â&#x20AC;&#x153;women safe Women smart citiesâ&#x20AC;? Developing concepts for Ahmedabad and documenting the entire work.

These were the major steps where the process was delayed. A lot of details were figured out after coming back from the internship, with internal mentors and a few other experts. The model making took a lot more time than expected. Working with Prof. Minal Patel, on the conference for the National consultative Seminar, took around 15-20 days of November.

DISCOVER This part outlines the initial understanding of the design challenge and stakeholders, along with research planning and methodology.Â

Discover

SWACHH BHARAT MISSION

INTRODUCTION On October 2, 2014, to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated the Swachh Bharath Mission, or the Clean India Mission. Unlike the earlier state programmes, it recognizes that “availability” does not guarantee “acceptability”. The central objective of the mission is to eliminate open defecation in India by 2019. The target is to transform villages and cities into “open defecation-free” communities, meaning they demonstrate: toilet access, toilet use and toilet technology that keeps both people and the environment safe. The programme invests in capacity building in the form of trained personnel, financial incentives and systems for planning and monitoring to ensure behavioural change. By Public Toilets, it is implied that these are to be provided for the floating population / general public in places such as markets, train stations, tourist places, near office complexes, or other public areas where there are considerable number of people passing by. Care should be taken to ensure that these facilities have adequate provision for men, women and facilities for the disabled (e.g. ramp provision, braille signage, etc.) wherever necessary.

Discover / Swachh Bharat Mission

CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE MODELS

PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGEMENT

Toilet blocks owned and maintained by municipal agencies. Usually no charge is levied on the users. they are becoming rarer as cleanliness and maintenance are generally poor, there being no real obligation or incentive for caretakers to provide a good service.

PRIVATE LEASING

Toilet blocks using municipal funds, but operated by NGOs, private contractors or individuals who are responsible for routine maintenance and charge user fees. The municipality may provide water and power supplies free of charge and / or retain responsibility for structural repairs. The NGO, Sulabh International operates a huge number of Pay-and-use toilets on this basis.

The design pitch in this project addresses clients adopting either of the Private models.

PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT

Toilet blocks funded, constructed, operated and maintained by the private sector, usually on land provided by the municipality. User fees apply. Under build, operate and transfer contracts, ownership of the premises transfer to the municipality when the lease period expires, typically after five or seven years.

TYPES OF PUBLIC TOILETS? ON STREET CONVENIENCES

MOBILE / PORTABLE TOILETS These can be put in place where and when needed, e.g. for a festival. In this sense, it is a temporary outdoor enclosure which can either be connected to the local sewage system, or store the waste in a holding tank to be emptied by a vacuum truck. They are usually free of charge and can used by anybody attending the event.

PERMANENT STAND ALONE TOILETS (PAY AND USE) They are often installed and maintained by private firms, without requiring funds from the municipal budget. These facilities are usually automated and do require an attendant.

PERMANENT TOILET BLOCKS (PAY AND USE) These are small buildings containing a number of toilets and commonly separated into male and female facilities. Attended by a janitor who is also responsible for collecting charges from the users of these facilities.

OFF STREET CONVENIENCES PERMANENT TOILETS These are facilities build in malls, cafes, restaurants, railway stations etc. Entry to these facilities is restricated by physical barriers and therefore, not truly public.

Discover / Understanding Public toilets

UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC TOILETS WHAT ARE PUBLIC TOILETS? A public toilet is a room or small building containing one or more toilets (and possibly also urinals) which is available for use by the general public or the floating population i.e. for people on the move. They serve the needs of whoever happens to be passing by, whether a local or a stranger. They are usually provided in places such as markets, train stations, tourist places, near office complexes, or other public areas where there are considerable number of people passing by. Public toilets may be provided by the local authority or by a commercial business. They may be unattended or be staffed by a janitor or attendant (possibly with a separate room).

This project targets on-street Pay and Use toilets blocks, monitored and maintained by an appointed attended.

What do we know? • Most public toilets are poorly maintained. • Middle class to higher income groups dread using public toilets. • Public toilets are the last resort for majority of the people • The word “public toilets”, prompts “stink” and are tabooed • The job of cleaning toilets severely lacks dignity of labor and looked down upon, engaging people

with very low income groups. • People cleaning toilets are perceived to be unclean and in many communities, “untouchables”. • Higher income groups care about hygiene and the diverse and unknown user group, leads them to avoid using public toilets.

OWNER / MAI AUTHO

PUBLIC T

USERS

Assumptions to test • The janitor does not do his job responsibly, because it is considered to be of low dignity and goes poorly appreciated or rewarded. • Higher income groups never / rarely use public toilets and the facility holds little importance for them.

Discover / Brainstorm

• Low income groups do not care about hygiene and are okay with using poorly maintained facilities.

BRAINSTORM

What do we not know?

INTENANCE ORITY

TOILETS

ATTENDANT

• What are the major factors responsible for the poor maintenance of these facilities? (Politics? Culture? or social behaviour? Attitude of the labour?) • How can we improve the situation? • Where does the potential of transformation lie? • Importance and impact of aesthetics on people who are dependent on the facility and regularly use it for their daily business. • Technical knowledge of materials and fixtures and what works best in theory?

Discover / Framing the design challenge

FRAMING THE DESIGN CHALLENGE What is the problem that we are trying to solve? Designing pre-fabricated, low maintenance, reliable onstreet public toilets. What is the ultimate impact that we are trying to have? Reliable sanitation conveniences around the city. What are the possible solutions to the problem? Self-cleaning toilets Systems in place for regular check and maintenance of existing facilities. Low maintenance toilets Training for efficiently cleaning public toilets. Context and constraints Management / owner and the appointed caretaker of the facility has a critical role in maintaining these facilities. Solution should work across different cities. Prefabrication to facilitate assembly of the structure within a week. Minimal technology intervention / avoid using hi-tech systems.

How can we design easy-to-install, reliable public toilets around the city? How can we make the experience of using a public toilet, pleasant?

RESEARCH TOOLS

LEARNING FROM PEOPLE Individual Interviews Conducted with the attendants and users of public toilets to gain a better understanding of their perspective. Field Research / In-context immersion Visiting different toilets and speakign to the attendants as well as observing their behaviour helped take insights from their actions. Online User survey A online survey was floated to verify certain assumptions about usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; priorities, concerns and perspectives. Expert Interviews Talking to an expert from CISTUP (Urban Planning) for macro level insights about how decisions at government level affect the availability and maintenance of these facilities. Meeting with Mr. Muthu Raj from Enable India to understand the plight of the differently abled when it comes to toilet provision. Opinions and feedback from an established designer, Mr. Rajesh Mistry on how spaces and aesthetics affect peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perceptions.

Discover / Research methodology

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Qualitative research was done to understand people’s social, economic, and cultural backgrounds and to gain a deeper understanding of the problem and people’s behaviour and reasons behind them. In later phases of the design process, quantitative research becomes a good complement to understand, for example, the potential adoption of a new solution or to understand how the effect of solutions will vary from region to region.

SECONDARY RESEARCH

ANALOGOUS INSPIRATION

Studying existing literature and other Internet sources. Clara Greed’s Inclusive Urban Design: Public Toilets especially has been a very helpful source to verify certain insights gained from primary research as well as for certain guidelines regarding users’ behaviour and provision of facilities.

Studying similar behavior / activities in different contexts

FIELD RESEARCH IN BANGALORE

Sulabh Shauchalya at St.Marks Road

Sulabh Shauchalya at MG road

Portable toilets near M. Chinnaswamy Stadium

Cubbon Park Discover / Research Methodology / Field research in Bangalore

Nirmala toilets at bus stand near Hudson Circle

Cubbon Park

Indira

Cubbon Park

Toilet Comm 40

Toilets at Shivajinagar Bus stand

Toilets at Majestic Bus stand

E-toilet in Kormangala

anagar Metro station

t block at mercial street

Chikpet 41

SYNTHESIS In this section, all the research is put into themes to make sense of all that I learned from the design research, organizing all the stories and information into categories by finding similarities, differences and relationships between things. Themes then became the headlines for clusters of similar learnings. In the next step, I articulated meaningful and actionable insights from raw observations and conversations and placed them under these themes. Questions from these insights generated exciting design opportunities that formed the basis for ideation.

Synthesis

CLEANLINESS AND MAINTENANCE FROM PEOPLE

What are your major concerns while using a public toilet?

“I clean them everyday. For damages, I only have to inform the guy when he comes to collect the day’s collection from me in the evening, then they send a person to take care pf it within a couple of days. There was a bathing unit for women, but we converted into a store room. Some women still come and bathe in the toilets.”

“Its a long and tedious process to report damages, so I do everything myself, cleaning them and fixing plumbing and everything. They don’t come regularly to collect revenue. Only sometimes, once a month. But there’s no regularity.”

Conversation with the attendant, privately owned and maintained toilets at Cubbon Park, 26 years

“I have had to hold on for long hours as most of the public toilets are not even

flushed out for the next person to use so I often end up at the hotel to go to a rest room.” Working lady (user), 45 years

Conversation with the attendant, Shivajinagar Bus stand, 38 years

Synthesis / Cleanliness and maintenance

INSIGHTS

OPPORTUNITIES

Clean toilets are the key to a user’s experience of using a public toilet.

How can we build hygienic public toilets for all user groups?

Dignity and accountability of the janitor are important factors in driving the maintenance of these facilities.

How might we build toilets that are always clean for the next user?

Maintenance is the hardest part due to the diverse, unknown group of users. Wet floors are a major turn off for the users. Corners and crevices collect dirt and are often spots used for spitting. Due to hygiene concerns, users avoid touching things in pubic toilets. Hence, contact points in the system should be minimized. Odors plays a vital role in people’s perception of cleanliness. An effective system for reporting damage and prompt service are crucial for long term maintenance. A lot of people from low income groups bathe in these facilities, leaving the toilets wet for the next user.

How can we design toilets that are easy to clean, maintain and service? Can we train and educate the attendant on efficient cleaning and its importance? How might we maximize light and ventilation in the toilets? Opportunity for bathing facilities for low income groups. Can we have an agency of well trained professionals for cleaning and maintenance of such public conveniences? 45

RELIABILITY FROM PEOPLE “When I really have to go, like while traveling, I usually send someone to check if they are clean or I go and check for myself. If they are decent, I go.” Poornima, working woman, 45 years

“Usually I don’t use public toilets. But, since I used Sulabh Shauchalya in Delhi once or twice, which were quite decent, I realized I could rely on them. Now, if I am ever on the road and need to go, if I see a Sulabh Shauchalya nearby, I just go.”

Availability (Its a great relief to just be aware of availability around when You are out) and Cleanliness (Icing on the cake) are 2 extremely important things. If that’s cracked... its sorted! Working woman (response from online survey)

Aditi, Spatial designer

Where all have you used a public toilet?

3.7% 18.5%

Use them whenever they are out depending on how clean the facility is

77.8%

Use public toilets only when other options (like cafes, restaurants, hotels, pubs etc) are not available

Synthesis / Reliability

Use public toilets very often

How often do you use public toilets and when?

INSIGHTS

DIRECTIONS

The type of users and their frequency is largely dependent on the location and surroundings of the public toilet.

How can we encourage more people to use public toilets whenever they are out?

The first / initial experiences of a facility drives the user’s reliability towards it. Availability of reliable public toilet facilities are a relief and empowers people to travel around the city without stressing about their sanitation needs. On-street pubic toilets are the last resort (in absence of no other choice) for users of higher income groups. Travelers are highly dependent on public toilets due to limited options and time.

How can we build reliable sanitation conveniences around the city? How can we empower people to move around the city without worrying about their sanitation needs? How can we promote tourism through public toilets?

PERCEPTION FROM PEOPLE

“Whenever anybody says public toilets, our first reaction is to hold our noses. It just reminds us of how they stink, doesnt it?” Snehal, working male, 42 years

“I never use public toilets. I just have this perception that they are never clean and very unhygienic.” Chinamayi, working woman, 28 years

EXPERT’S VIEW “Aesthetics are important and can go a long way in impacting perceptions. They are not a given. In my own experience. I once designed a retail store for client. It wasn’t a huge brand or anything, but the aesthetics were so strong and beautifully done that the customers thought that it was the kind of shop where they couldn’t bargain. It worked very well for the client as they started receiving a more sophisticated audience in their store.” Rajendra Mistry, Industrial Designer

SECONDARY SOURCE An impression that the toilet ‘belongs’ to the community and is under surveillance will improve the situation. A nation’s image is judged by its toilets as they are often the first thing that tourists see when traveling to a country. Adequate public toilets will increase tourism and benefit the whole economy. Source: Inclusive Urban Design: Public Toilets by Clara Greed

Synthesis / Perception

INSIGHTS

DIRECTIONS

A lot of people completely avoid using these facilities due to preconceived notions of stinking and unhygienic public toilets.

How can we design toilets that to connect with the community and instill a sense of belonging?

Surroundings of the facility is crucial to people’s perception of how clean and reliable they are. Aesthetics can have a powerful impact on perception and behavior of the users. Odors plays a vital role in people’s perception of cleanliness. A property is respected when perceived to be monitored and well kept.

How can we remove the taboo associated with public toilets? How can we change the perception of high income groups towards public toilets? How can we make the experience of a public toilet pleasant?

LOCATION AND LAYOUT OBSERVATIONS The toilet in Cubbon park near the city court, and visited by lawyers, clients, people visiting the park and passers by. The Sulabh Shauchalya at the complex was mostly used by shopkeepers and customers visiting there. At majestic bus stand - Heavy footfall due to location. Used regularly by the waiting commuters, bus conductors, bus drivers and passers by and the policemen.

EXPERT’S VIEW “Provision of such facilities (public toilets) are a huge challenge in a country like India. Nothing works. It would be much easier and sustainable if the different tires and departments of government could coordinate and cooperate with each other. For example, if the people making toilets could coordinate with the planning commission, these facilities can directly use water from the existing borewells in public spaces like in parks, gardens etc and they don’t need to dig another borewell on their own. Unfortunately, coordinating with the government is a long and tedious process that nobody wants to go through.” Expert from CISTUP, ISSE

SECONDARY SOURCE DISTRIBUTION OF FACILITIES When developing guidance on the location, distribution and design of public toilets, it is vital to see the problem in terms of a hierarchy of levels of provision ranging, for example, from supplying large facilities in central locations serving large numbers of people converging on the main transport termini; to the distribution of a strategic sprinkling of smaller facilities in local neighbourhood centres serving a smaller catchment area; and ‘down’ to the installation of individual facilities in less frequented areas where nonetheless the passing motorist or walker might desperately need a toilet. Source: Inclusive Urban Design: Public Toilets by Clara Greed

Synthesis / Location and layout

INSIGHTS

DIRECTIONS

The kind of people using and relying on a public toilet depends upon its location and surroundings.

How can we ensure proper planning and distribution of public toilets?

Proper distribution of public toilets increases peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reliability on them. The maintenance of a public toilet is also dependent on people living and working nearby. The visibility of a toilet is crucial and determined by its location.

How can we increase the visibility of a public toilet? How can we design the layout of a toilet to best suit the users and the attendant?

The layout should enable the attendant to carry out his duties efficiently. The structure should be surrounded with low vegetation instead of tall trees and plants blocking its visibility.

DIGNITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF LABOUR TOILET ATTENDANT PERSONA

A toilet block is built and maintained by a private agency

Scenario 1

Shiva, 24 years

An attendant is appointed for its upkeep

His duties are: Cleaning and maintenance

Scenario 2

Balbeer, 38 years

Revenue collection Keeping a check on vandalism Opening and closing on time Reporting damage and repairs

Synthesis / Dignity and accountability of labour

Background

The toilet is located in Cubbon park - open surroundings with a room for the janitor. The janitor is a young man, Shiva, from a low income family in Bihar, who has come to Bangalore in search of a job. He comes across this job and takes it up because he is uneducated with limited skills and the salary satisfies his expectation.

The toilet is located at Shivajinagar Bus Stop.

The janitor is a middle aged man, Balbeer, from a low income local family. He has been working there for a long time.

Perks of the job and authorities’ behaviour

Attendant’s behaviour and aspirations

• Accommodation - a room in the toilet block in Cubbon Park that he has now started sharing with another friend.

He works honestly and keeps the toilets clean and maintained. He also allows his friend, who studies in a nearby college and some other students (mostly, from low income groups), to use the facility for free.

• A salary of 6000/- per month • And incentives at the end of everyday if the collection goes above 300/-, by the person who has come to collect the revenue.

This adds accountability to his job and keeps him motivated to keep the toilet clean.

He gets a monthly salary and due to the irregularity of checks or visits from authority to collect revenue, he probably gets to keep a huge percentage of the revenue for himself and the authority also probably does not wish to earn from the facility and has highly neglected it.

Although the job satisfies his monetary expectation or he has stuck to it due to lack of better job opportunities, he in unhappy as the job fails to dignify him in the society.

Balbeer maintains the toilets himself and even repairs most of the things as it is a long and tedious process to report damages and the authority has failed to send a professional on time in the past. This means that he would have to pay from his pocket to get call a plumber or any other concerned professional or to replace fixtures. This is the major reason for the poor condition of the facilities.

DIGNITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF LABOUR FROM PEOPLE

OBSERVATIONS

“These toilets were built by the government but the tender for maintenance has been given to some private agency. But its a long and tedious process to report damages, so I do everything myself, cleaning them and fixing plumbing and everything.”

The tedious process of reporting damages meant that the janitor would end up paying for repairs when there was no response from the authority, which led to him to do the repairs himself (instead of calling a professional), leading to the poor condition of the toilets.

“They don’t come regularly to collect revenue. Only sometimes, once a month. But there’s no regularity.” “These (pointing at accessible toilets) have been closed because nobody used them. If somebody with a disability comes now, which is rare, they use the regular toilets.“ Conversation with the caretaker of public toilet, Shivajinagar Bus stand

“I get a place to live, and a salary of Rs.6000/- per month and incentives everyday for any collection above Rs.300/-, for other expenses.” Conversation with the caretaker of public toilet, Cubbon Park

Synthesis / Location and layout

INSIGHTS

DIRECTIONS

The caretaker / janitor is motivated to keep the toilets clean when he is held accountable.

How can we change people’s perceptions towards the job of cleaning toilets?

Well being of a toilet depends on the system in place for reporting damage and prompt service. Irrespective of the pay and incentives, the job of a janitor fails to bring a sense of dignity. The job does not keep one engaged enough throughout the day, leading the janitor to take breaks by engaging in other activities like carrying out personal tasks, chatting with acquaintances around, etc.

How can we transform this into a more mainstream profession? How can we empower attendants to lead a dignified life?

ACCESSIBILITY The quality of being easily reached, entered, or used by people who have a disability

WHO ALL ARE ENTITLED TO USING ACCESSIBLE TOILETS? Disability includes a wide range of conditions: it covers more than the obvious such as blindness or confinement to a wheelchair. Breathlessness, pain, the need to walk with a stick, difficulty in gripping because of paralysis or arthritis, lack of physical coordination, partial sight, deafness and pregnancy can all affect a person’s mobility in the environment. Access for the disabled will also benefit parents with buggies and the elderly.

FROM PEOPLE “These (pointing at accessible toilets) have been closed because nobody used them. If somebody with a disability comes now, which is rare, they use the regular toilets.“ Attendant, Shivajinagar Bus stand toilets, male, 38 years

Accessible toilets are needed everywhere, train, Hotels and resorts. Even when I go for a overnight stay on a picnic, I find it very difficult to use the toilets in the resorts, bus stands, and gardens. Response from user survey, Working male with Cerebral Palsy, 26 years

EXPERT’S VIEW “Accessible environments are made with very little thought and most often things are done for the sake of publicity. An example is putting up braille signs at a railway station. There’s no guide for the visually impaired to reach to the sign and they forget that even the differently abled do not want to touch things in a public space.” Muthu Raj, Guide for accessible environments at Enable India, Bangalore

Synthesis / Accessibility

RHOK (Random Hacks of Kindness) Hackathon, where I got the opportunity to discuss the problem of accessible toilets with Muthu Raj

INSIGHTS

DIRECTIONS

There is a serious lack of accessible facilities for the differently abled and the elderly.

How can we design reliable accessible toilets?

Often in spite of the facilities being part of the plan, they are either not built at all or shut down and converted for alternate use such as store rooms, due to less number of users and high maintenance.

How can we ensure the maintenance of accessible toilets?

Using a toilet is a very personal activity, making it difficult for the differently abled to ask for assistance as they do in many other scenarios. The facilities go unused as they are oftenÂ inadequately built in terms of space provision and fixtures.

INFORMATION COMMUNICATION Communication is the act of conveying intended meanings from one entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs and semiotic rules.

FROM PEOPLE “I was once using this toilet, and I couldn’t figure out where to flush from. After a while I realized that it was a foot flush “ Michael, designer

“Sometimes, at concerts or even at hukka bars, I have seen signs which are just weird symbols and it can get quite confusing and embarrassing.”

“The other day I saw this sign pointing towards public toilets near the crossroads, which was just a paper stuck to the pole and it kept flying up and down. How is anybody supposed them out?” Minal, architect

Saakshi (user) 22 years

Synthesis / Information Communication

INSIGHTS

DIRECTIONS

Different facilities have different revenue models and user charges, depending on the authority responsible for maintenance, leading to disputes between attendants and users in absence of clearly mentioned charges.

How can we increase accessibility of public toilets through information communication?

Appropriate steps and directions should be mentioned if a new technology or system is introduced. Signs to discourage certain behaviours (like spitting, vandalism etc) do not work if the toilets are not maintained and properly monitored. Clear wayfinders should be placed to find public toilets in crowded areas.

Can we use information communication to engage users while using the facility? How can we use signage to bring behavioural change? Can we transform perceptions through communication design?

WOMEN’S NEEDS

FROM PEOPLE “I don’t remember the last time I used a public toilet. Maybe long back at a petrol pump while traveling. I always prefer to control and I can control for a very long time. They are just dirty and stinking with water dripping everywhere” Priti, working female, 44 years

SECONDARY SOURCE Women visit the toilet more frequently because of pregnancy, periods and cystitis; to check on worries about vaginal discharge (or to check ‘constantly’ on one’s ‘whites’ if one is using natural birth control to determine fertile days), and simply to check if one’s knickers (pants) or tights are about to fall down, or if one’s period has actually started; because they feel ill, breastfeeding (as a last resort) or to assist the elderly, children and disabled people. All these uses and visits require good ‘access’, lots of public toilets, plenty of internal space and a welcoming atmosphere. This is quite a different agenda from the cultural priorities dominating male toilets, which appear chiefly concerned with creating a ‘fortress’, defended against drugs, vandalism, cottaging and criminal activity. Source: Inclusive Urban Design: Public Toilets by Clara Greed

Synthesis / Women’s needs

INSIGHTS

DIRECTIONS

Women need privacy to adjust their clothes and make up before leaving the toilet.

How can we encourage more women to use public toilets?

Most women would like to use western style toilets for comfort, but choose to use an Indian style toilet in public spaces due to hygiene issues. (Choosing Hygiene over comfort)

How can build public toilets that are safe and sufficient for women users?

Women prefer an individual dustbin in the cubicle to dispose sanitary napkins and are forced to flush it down in the absence of it as they feel embarrassed or conscious in front of others. Women are bound to dispose off used sanitary napkins without wrapping in case of emergencies and unavailability of required material, causing hygiene issues. Female users are more cautious than men about using public toilets, due to the biological differences.

Can we use public toilets as a tool to educate women from lower income groups about the importance and of hygiene and sanitation and improve their health? How can design public toilets to empower women to be more mobile? Can we bring a shift from usage of cloth (which unhygienic due to reuse of the same material) to sanitary pads(disposable and more hygienic) among women from low income groups? 61

INTERACTION WITH SANITARYWARE FROM PEOPLE “I prefer western seats in public toilets because even if somebody hasn’t flushed, I can still manage, but looking at that in Indian toilets is just disgusting.” Response from user survey

77.8%

11.1% No

11.1%

Maybe

Yes Would you prefer a foot flush to the hand push ones?

Exploring the opportunity for a foot flush through user survey

Synthesis / Interaction with sanitaryware

INSIGHTS

DIRECTIONS

Most women would like to use western style toilets, but choose to use an Indian style toilet in public spaces due to hygiene issues and the poor condition of the toilets seats.

Opportunity for testing foot flushing system in India

Locks are the most fragile fixtures and need to be replaced very frequently. People perceive white ceramic sanitaryware to be cleaner than steel. Back to back flushing is a major inconvenience for users as they have to wait for the tank to be refiled.

How can we minimize the contact points for users in a public toilet? What interventions can make fixtures safe and hygienic?

Adequate shelves for users’ belongings are important and the lack of them leads to disputes between the attendant and users if the user’s belongings are damaged or misplaced.

SUSTAINABILITY Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level Conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources

FROM PEOPLE “There are no water problems here, but there is no overhead tank and everything is directly connected to the borewell. So, if the electricity goes out, the flushes don’t work.” Conversation with attendant of public toilet, Cubbon Park

Synthesis / Sustainability

INSIGHTS

DIRECTIONS

Advertising is the most common and effective method of revenue sustainability for maintenance of such publicÂ facilities.

How might we maximize naturalÂ light and ventilation in the toilets?

Prompt service and installing robust fixtures is crucial for sustainability to avoid wastage of resources such as water leaking through broken pipes / taps.

How can weÂ optimize water usage and tamper resistant plumbing system?

Due to high risks of vandalism, natural light and ventilation is maximized.

Provision for rainwater harvesting and solar power.

Natural Ventilation works better than inducing artificial smells. (Insight from Inclusive urban design)

Plumbing installation that is easy to service and hard to tamper with? Can the toilets become energy producers?

IDEATION For Ideation, I have defined certain Shifts. Shifts are fundamental changes in an individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s or a societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s view of things. Putting ideas under these shifts has helped me define the kind of transformation that an idea can bring about and see it in a bigger picture. Certain ideas are mash ups here, that is taking up two existing brands or concepts to explore new ideas.

Ideation

Shift from DEMEANING to DIGNIFIED PROFESSION The attendant is responsible for cleaning the toilets, collection of revenue and several other duties as mentioned in the research and its important to increase job satisfaction and dignity here as cleaning toilets is seen as an undignified, shallow job in India, going back to the times of manual scavenging by the untouchables in rural areas. There has to be a transformation in societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perception of the job to make it a mainstream, dignified profession.

Ideation / Shift from demeaning to dignified profession

What can be the UBER of public toilets? The job of driving cabs in India was not as dignified and rewarding as it has become today with the coming in of centralized services like UBER, OLA etc. The customer feedback and respective incentives to the driver, keeps him motivated to improve service quality. The occupation has become more mainstream, elevating the lifestyle of the drivers as well.

Motivation and job satisfaction

Increased customer satisfaction

Increased rewards

How can we educate the attendants like STARBUCKS? Starbucks—like a handful of other companies—has succeeded in teaching the kind of life skills that schools, families, and communities have failed to provide. With more than 137,000 current employees and more than one million alumni, Starbucks is now, in a sense, one of the nation’s largest educators. All of those employees, in their first year alone, spent at least fifty hours in Starbucks classrooms, and dozens more at home with Starbucks’ workbooks and talking to the Starbucks mentors assigned to them. The program is sufficiently structured to earn college credits by completing the modules. Excerpt From: Charles Duhigg. “The Power of Habit.”

Ideation / Shift from demeaning to dignified profession / ideas

Concept

Agency X

Central agency that hires and trains the attendants in cleaning and management skills for a space as well as life skills, to grow personally. People from low income group get a chance to acquire skills and education through this.

They hire attendant from the agency and pay a fixed monthly amount to the agency. The attendant is paid a fixed plus maintenance assistance from the agency itself. He becomes in charge of the space and develops a sense of belonging.

Public toilet

The attendantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s salary and rewards are based on these ratings.

Users locate public toilets through an application of Agency X. They can rate the toilets and write reviews, to help other users rely on these facilities.

Users

Shift from PROVISION to USABILITY / RELIABILITY

India has been focusing largely on providing toilet facilities across the country to omit open defecation. While there is a need to increase the number of facilities, the providers often neglect putting enough thought in their usability and accessibility. The facilities end up neglected, in a sorry condition. Importance of ergonomic usability and systems in place for maintenance cannot be underestimated for the sustainability of public toilets. Also, in a lot of cases provision is not enough to encourage people to use toilets and avoid defecation in the open. A majority of the urban poor prefer defecating in the open and need to be educated and motivated to use toilets.

Ideation / Shift from provision to usability

How can we clean and disinfect the toilets?

DISINFECTING BY COPPER PLATING OF FIXTURES The surfaces of copper and its alloys, such as brass and bronze, are antimicrobial. They have an inherent ability to kill a wide range of harmful microbes relatively rapidly – often within two hours or less – and with a high degree of efficiency. The research also suggests that if touch surfaces are made with copper alloys, there is reduced transmission of disease-causing organisms. This is widely used in hospitals, reducing patient infections in hospitals as much as 58%.

AUTOMATIC ANTIBACTERIAL SPRAY AND HIGH-PRESSURE JETS TO WASH WALLS Overhead outlets for washing and sanitizing

Outlets on skirting for steam clean / air outlets for quick drying of floors

Ideation / Shift from provision to usability / ideas

How can we design toilets that are easy to clean, maintain and service? Wall drains directing greywater from cleaning directly outside into plants around the perimeter.

Wall urinals - easily washed down and cleaned

Common piping units

Easy to service from outside Openable back-door to access plumbing lines from outside without shutting down the entire facility.

How might we build toilets that are always clean for the next user? E-toilets by Eram Scientific in Bangalore seem to answer this challenge as the toilet washes itself before a user enters. The toilets are programmed to flush 1.5 liters of water after 3 minutes of usage or 4.5 liters if usage is longer. It can also be programmed to clean the platform with a complete wash down after every 5 or 10 persons use the toilet. I visited one toilet in Kormangala, Bangalore where it was also being used by the slum dwellers nearby, challenging our assumption about reluctance and intimidation of these groups to use technology. Easy and robust technology can be quickly learned, adopted and accepted.

• Easy to find through mobile application • Robust technology • Portable • Economic manufacturing and installation

UNFORESEEN SOCIAL ADVANTAGE E-toilets have also become a good option for transgender and "third-gender" people. It is a single-seat automatic toilet, made for one person at a time to use, rather than a public lavatory with multiple stalls. Once someone gains access, the doors cannot be forced open. This ensures safety. Transgendered people can use them without fear of people barging in or being stared at.

Ideation / Shift from provision to usability / ideas

How can we bring behavioural change to discourage vandalism? Situation: People are physically constrained in a space, but not mentally engaged. People are bored and tend to fiddle with the property. Analogous behaviour: A similar behavior is observed in elevators which are highly prone to vandalism in the same manner. This behavior is discouraged by installing CCTV cameras in lifts, which has now become a common practice. Also, glass lifts in malls strongly controls this behavior by engaging the users as well as providing natural surveillance. A sense of being monitored or mentally engaging a user will discourage vandalism.

ENGAGING SPACE / UNIQUE FEATURES TOTO toilets at Narita Airport. From the outside, the facility appears to have translucent walls that reveal the silhouettes of the toilet users behind. But these are actually LED screens, playing prerecorded sequences that include dance parties and cleaning.

MAKING IT NOT TOO COMFORTABLE The Portland Loo has been a huge success offering a unique and balanced blend of privacy and security, The structure is designed with an open top and bottom, enabling law enforcement to know when there is more than one set of feet inside. The openings allow sound to flow, letting pedestrians hear the grunts of the person inside and the person inside hear the footsteps and conversation of pedestrians. Nobody is interested in sitting on such a toilet for long.

How can we maximize natural light and ventilation? NATURAL LIGHT:

Tensile structure

Glass window

Tensile structures, glass walls, skylights, glass blocks are common means for brining more natural light into the facility. Angled mirrors to reflect the sunlight has also been used in a public restroom in Norway.

NATURAL VENTILATION: Meshes of different kinds, mechanical ventilators or cut through patterns running at the top of the top of the walls for both light and ventilation.

Mirrors to reflect sunlight inside

Ideation / Shift from provision to usability / ideas

How can we encourage the urban poor used to defecating in the open to use public toilets? BRINGING THE INSIDE OUT OR OUTSIDE IN Designing toilets to bring in nature can satisfy their habit and perceptions of going in the open.

PROVIDING BATHING FACILITIES Provision of bathing facilities along with toilets by Sulabh (Toilet and bathing complexes) has encouraged more of the urban poor to use these facilitates for morning business.

How can we make it easier to locate public toilets?

GOOGLE TOILET FINDER

SMARTPHONE APPLICATION According to a 2012 census, 60 percent of Indian households surveyed have one or more mobile devices while only 36.4 percent of households have a toilet. Given these statistics, a new partnership between Google and Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) seems like a match in clean sanitation heaven: the introduction of a Google Maps tool that points users in the direction of toilets that are clean, safe and open for public use. 79

How can we empower the differently abled and elderly to rely on public toilets? ACCESSIBLE APPROACH TO THE FACILITIES Accessible toilets are built in toilet blocks but often there is no ramp or a steep ramp without grab rails to reach the toilet, making the facility inapproachable. Toilets are on the footpath, with no curb ramps or provision to get on the footpath with a wheelchair. Unfortunately, in India such a provision leads to two wheelers using the ramp to drive on the footpath in heavy traffic areas.

BRAILLE SIGNS ARE NOT ENOUGH Braille is often a tokenism by the government for publicity. There are no guides to know where the information in braille is placed and nobody wants to touch things in a public space to read braille.

Ideation / Shift from provision to usability / ideas

TRAINING THE ATTENDANTS TO HELP THE DIFFERENTLY ABLED ALLOWING A LARGER GROUP TO USE THE ACCESSIBLE TOILETS These toilets should be open to the elderly, differently abled and even to people with invisible disabilities such as poor bladder control. Even children should be allowed to enter with their parents, giving the parents more space to handle and position them on the toilet seat. This will enable larger population to reply on public toilets and regular use will help in maintenance.

How can we empower people to move around the city without worrying about their sanitation needs? SUSTAINABLE COMPACT TOILETS Placing self cleaning, sustainable compact toilets around the city at regular intervals can help people to rely on public toilets everywhere.

Shift from FACILITY to CIVIC PRIDE Public toilets are perceived to be dirty, unhygienic, highly neglected spaces. This attitude towards the provision and maintenance of public toilets as well as user’s perception towards these facilities needs to shifted from neglected, vandalized ruins to reliable, pleasant facilities, addressing vital human needs. As Clara Greed mentions in her book, an impression that the toilet ‘belongs’ to the community and is under surveillance will improve the situation. Culturally, providing adequate toilets at all hours will facilitate the development of the 24-hour city, help clean up the streets and alleyways and contribute to citizen choice, freedom and the quality of life.

Ideation / Shift from Facility to Civic pride

How can we encourage healthy social interactions around toilets? Insight: Women’s toilets are sociable locations. Women frequently talk to their friends, and even strangers, while using a loo.

SPACE FOR COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS

These public toilets by architect Rohan Chavan are built around an old tree in the Indian city Thane, and includes a hot-pink sitting area where women can socialize. The three-by-nine-metre toilet block by Mumbai-based Chavan is named The Light Box – Restroom for Women. The space also includes vending machine for female hygiene products, as well as mobile phone charging points, a panic alarm system and room for the future inclusion of a cash machine. “Beyond the obvious toilet blocks, the restrooms aim to provide women an exclusive social space, something that is atypical of urban landscape in India,” said Agasti founder Sahej Mantri.

LANDSCAPING AROUND THE TOILETS

Ideation / Shift from Facility to Civic Pride / ideas

Can we transform perceptions through colors and graphics?

PLEASANT / VIBRANT COLOR SCHEMES TO LIFT THE MOOD

PERCEPTION TOWARDS WHITE

Sanitary towels and other sanpro are traditionally white, and nowadays often bleached sparkling white with dangerous chemicals when brown is the real colour of unbleached cotton. Blue symbolizes ‘hygiene’ and nowadays we find washing-up liquid, wet wipes and disinfectant with blue dye added. Similarly, the online survey established people’s preference for white ceramic toilet seats instead of steal as its easier to spot dirt on white and they often associate steel with railway toilets. White or light colored walls are also useful for reflecting natural light within the facility.

ENGAGING ILLUSTRATIONS, GRAPHICS

Can public toilets be energy producers?

Sulabh biogas plant The human excreta from the Sulabh Public toilet does not go waste. It is linked to the Sulabh Biogas Plant where it is treated and converted into gas. This Sulabh biogas is then used for cooking, lighting lamp, electricity generation, warming oneself and also street lighting.

Ideation / Shift from Facility to Civic Pride / ideas

CONCEPTUALIZATION

This section explains the steps involved in the concept development for client, including material research and shortlisting and assembling of the final structure.

Conceptualization

our solution

WAYS TO GROW FRAMEWORK

Conceptualization / Incremental solution

INCREMENTAL SOLUTION FOR CLIENT I have adopted the Ways to Grow Framework (on the left) from IDEO, to place my solution and offering to the client. A more incremental innovation is easier to implement and may actually offer the biggest impact to the community. Our solution lies in the incremental quadrant, but is close to inviting new users as it intends to transform the quality of service, and hence, peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perception towards public toilets. The offerings for the users remain the same, while introducing changes in the functioning of the system, to benefit both the providers and users.

REDEFINED BRIEF A new brief was developed to address both the client (stakeholder) and user requirements in the design process.

PROBLEM STATEMENT:

To design prefabricated public toilet blocks (pay and use) that are privately owned, with provision for accessible toilets for smoother functioning, low maintenance structures.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

Primary: Toilet users - men / women from diverse backgrounds. Secondary: Toilet attendant

CRITERIA • Privately owned and maintained • Life cycle: 5yrs+ • Low maintenance • Provision for advertisement(s) - at least one overhead horizontal advertisement panel • Overhead tank and provision for borewell • Maximize natural light and ventilation • 3 urinals, 2WCs in men and women and 1 accessible toilet. • Janitor should be placed inside while doing the layout • Storage for cleaning equipment • Provision for nappy changing (optional) • Prefabricated structure to be installed under a week after the foundation is ready

CONSTRAINTS: • Civil work for drainage / foundation • Fixtures can be off the shelf • No automation

Conceptualization / Redefined Brief

FOCUSING ON:

Perception

Form identity and function

How can we make the experience of a public toilet pleasant? How can we change the perception of high income groups towards public toilets? How can we design toilets that instill civic pride and respect? How can we design toilets that are easy to clean, maintain and service? How might we maximize light and ventilation in the toilets?

DESIGN PRINCIPLE PLEASANT Giving a sense of happy satisfaction

Conceptualization / Design Principle

The design principle drives the design language, aesthetics and feel of the final concept. It aims to transform the current perception and the dreaded experience of using a public toilet from “stinking” to “pleasant “, targeting the taboo attached with them.

OPEN / BREATHABLE: Natural light / ventilation, Transparency, Big, Spacious, Mesh

CLEAN: Smooth, Minimal, Transparency, Fresh, Breathable

LIGHT: Suspension, Levitation, Reflective Surface, Hollow, Bold Contours, Transparency

LAYOUT ITERATIONS

low wall

Nappy changing

low wall

SHORTLISTED

Conceptualization / Layout iterations

FINAL LAYOUT Rainwater from roof

Overhead tank

Conceptualization / Final Layout

Freshwater lines Soiled water

Greywater from cleaning can either be reused after filtration or directed to the sewer

Connection to muncipality sewer

Filter for collected rainwater

Borewell

Muncipality water supply or water tanker

Pumping water to the overhead tank

FORM IDENTITY ITERATIONS Defining themes for identity gave a clear direction and constraint for iterating extensively in few directions A strong identity becomes important here, as the client aims to earn revenue through advertisements. A strong visual identity becomes a mark of recognition and credibility that can go a long way to leave an impression on people.