Garden Restroom
GARDEN RESTROOM
LAAB Architects
ARCHITECTS
LAAB Architects
AUTHORIZED PERSON
Ronald Lu & Partners
FACADE ENGINEER
Arup
CLIENTS
Leisure and Cultural Services Department, HKSARG; New World Development Company Limited
MEP ENGINEER
WSP
INTERIOR CONTRACTOR
Yearfull Contracting Limited
SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANT
Arup
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Arup
INTERIOR LIGHTING DESIGNER
Lightswitch
MANAGING CONTRACTOR
New World Construction Co. Ltd
FACADE & STRUCTURAL CONTRACTOR
ICGL
MANUFACTURERS
LOTTE CHEMICAL, Kast, Arpa Fenix , Imola, Logan
DESIGN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
James Corner Field Operations
EXECUTIVE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Speirs + Major
EXTERIOR SIGNAGE DESIGNER
Pentagram
FACADE & STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Arup
EXTERIOR LIGHTING DESIGNER
Speirs + Major
PHOTOGRAPHS
Studio UNIT Ltd., DCinematic
AREA
100 m²
YEAR
2017
LOCATION
Salisbury Garden, Hong Kong
CATEGORY
Public Architecture
Text description provided by architect.
Garden Restroom is an award-winning public toilet in Salisbury Garden in Hong Kong.
Unlike a conventional boxy approach, our toilet design challenges the boundary between public and private space by bringing in natural surroundings (e.g. sunlight) into the washroom while maintaining a sense of privacy to optimize user experience.
We also maintain a coherent experience of Salisbury Garden by borrowing the architectural language of adjacent buildings and using timber fins to design Garden Restroom.
The diagonal pitched roof creates a dynamic spatial experience and provides a visual surprise for those standing from afar.
Inside the toilet, we construct a curvilinear wall to create enclosure with a sense of privacy, while concealing light bulbs, speakers, and exhaust fans underneath.
Garden Restroom plays the sound of flowing water, users can enjoy a moment of privacy with comfort and ease.
We also document the historical prominence of Tsim Sha Tsui by erecting mosaic murals featuring the historic views of Victoria Harbour and Salisbury Road.
We use anamorphic perspective to produce distorted images that can be perceptible only from a certain angle at the entrance.
We also document Hong Kong toilet development by illustrating toilet typology behind cubicle doors, such as "Back Alley" and "Vacuum Toilet.”
Outside the Garden Restroom stands a stone-sculpted drinking fountain and a washing basin. The curvilinear shape responds to the profile of Garden Restroom; the dynamic form also caters to different heights of adults and kids.
The green plants in the centre provide a relaxing environment for visitors to rest and refresh in the garden.
Garden Restroom has received accolades from various design communities, including the Japan Good Design Award, the DFA Design for Asia Award, and the AIA (International Region) Award.
