We were asked to design a new public toilet for the Hutong area of Beijing, adjacent to Tiananmen Square, one of China's most significant cultural sites. The existing facility had been decommissioned due to ill repair, and the site presented two very particular challenges: the interior had to be solid, functional and hygienic, and the structure had to have a minimal footprint that would not compete visually with the surrounding historic stonework. We deliberately avoided becoming pseudo architects. Instead we used our experience within industrial and interior design to create an awning structure that we felt would be dutiful, considering light, airflow and respect for the locality in equal measure. The solution was a framework of glass tiles that reflect the architecture of the Hutong area while bringing a fresh point of view to the problem. The tiles deflect both sunlight and rain, provide inherent insulation against Beijing's extreme seasonal temperatures, and allow diffused light to filter through to the interior while maintaining privacy. The interior is divided into four private stalls designed for easy cleaning, airflow and drainage, a significant improvement on the typical arrangement of five holes in the ground with no partitions or flushing mechanism. The concept was also developed to be applicable to other buildings of varying size, giving it potential well beyond the single site.
Further Reading
Designboom https://www.designboom.com/design/michael-young-designs-public-toilet-for-beijing-09-30-2013/
Tuvie https://www.tuvie.com/modern-public-toilet-in-beijing-by-michael-young/
