A public toilet design is built and/or managed by a government or public agency. A privately managed toilet is available for public access in common areas. Public toilet design are common in places such as malls, theaters, markets, play areas. They are also common on roads for travelers. Lately, there have been various initiatives by the Indian government for the development and maintenance of public toilet designs. Also, the designers have been an active part of the initiatives by providing various ways and materials for public toilet design.

Looking at every public space, we can see that there is a requirement for every public toilet differs for each one of them. Every public toilet design keep in mind the requirements for every age, gender, and disabled person. At the same time, one has to focus on the required facilities for high traffic. A good public toilet design must be:

• Clean and dry
• Well ventilated
• Easy to maintain
• Carefully planned layout
• Handicap friendly

1. Entrance

Providing a single entrance or exist is efficient for a public toilet. They do not allow the paths of the users to cross each other and create chaos within the area. The doors must be wide enough for two people to enter at a time. Hence, the width of the doors must be 3–4 feet wide.

2. Screenings

There are several screening arrangements made for proper layout. For example, the access entrance in male toilets should not open directly to the urinal areas. Also, one must avoid entrances that open onto a wall surface with mirror-reflecting urinals.

3. Proper Signage

A public toilet design includes directional signs leading to the toilets. The signage used should be sufficient and prominently displayed in all main traffic passageways, such that the user does not need to ask for directions. The signage should show a contrast of a dark, solid figure against a white background and be significant enough to be visible.

4. Lighting

Adding natural light enhances the efficient public toilet design. It has the ability to create a warm and light environment. Also, a well-thought-out incorporation of lights in a public toilet would help save energy. In the case of artificial lighting, one must think properly about the light fixtures that are provided inside.

5. Sanitary Fittings

A public toilet design analyses the demand for its use. The fixtures of toilets, such as urinals and water closets, should be fitted back to back with common pipe ducts in between.

6. Wash cubicles

The WC cubicles are an important part of the public toilet design. They must be at least 900mm x 1500mm in size. They must be provided with easily closable, swinging doors with locks that are accessible from inside. The partitions in between must be rigid and hang from the ceiling floating above the ground for the purpose of easy cleaning.

7. Materials

A public toilet design must be very considerate about the choice of construction materials. This must include good-quality tiles for floors and walls that are highly stain-resistant. Also, the ceiling material used must be easily maintainable and cleaned easily. It should also be taken care that the floors are nonslippery.

8. Colors

The color used in the public toilet design must brighten up the atmosphere. Color achieved with materials and lighting is one of the vital ingredients in creating ambience. Also, it can be used over stone surfaces as a finish. The colour of the finishes also matters in creating an environment and includes the usability of the toilets. Using dark colours must be avoided, as it would not complement the overall look of the toilet.

9. Wash Basins

The size of the wash basins used in a public toilet design must be a minimum of 500mm x 400mm, which facilitates hand washing and minimises water splashing. They must be placed 450mm away from any ends of the wall while having a 900 mm centre-to-centre distance. The precision in dimensions of such faucets in public toilet design would ensure hygiene and cleanliness.

10. Provision of accessories

Every public toilet design must have proper accessories such as soap dispensers, hand dryers, litter bins, and paper towel dispensers. All of these are very minute details that can generate hygiene and cleanliness in public toilet designs.

A public toilet is placed near public spaces such as parks, railway stations, markets, bus stations, and other tourist attractions. In India, there are a lot of people who live on roads and desperately need public toilets for their daily use. Also, there are places, such as markets, where public toilet design is very necessary for the vendors staying there every day. Giving a good public toilet design in such areas is a necessity for making the city clean and hygienic. To keep the city clean and create awareness for cleanliness, the Indian government has started many initiatives to build public toilets and increase awareness.

Government Initiatives in India

Under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the government took the initiative to build more public toilets in India.

The government also launched a drive to maintain 1.5 lakh public toilets across the country under the campaign “Clean Toilet Challenge.”

Under the national flagship programme, the Swachh Bharat Mission, launched by the government of dia, the construction o of individual, community, and public toilets in urban areas has made remarkable progress. There have been innovations in terms of technologies, behaviour changes, waste disposal treatment, etc. Gender sensitivity, user-friendly design for the differently abled, implementation with a public-private partnership, corporate social responsibility, etc. were rigorously experimented with for public toilet designs by the government. This initiative was then taken by the Innovation Hub for Urban Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Solutions (IHUWASH) to build more public toilet designs in India for better sanitization.

Public Toilet Designs Implemented Over The Years.

Grosan Toilet – environment-friendly toilet with a closed resource loop.

Child-Friendly Toilets

E – Toilets

The She Toilet – Gender Sensitive and Women-Centric

NAMMA toilet – Modular, Easy to Install, Public Toilets

BIOLOOS – onsite waste treatment solutions

Smart Public Toilets DUAC – Design sourcing, Manufacturing, Modular, Low cost

Permeable Reactive Barrier Toilets – Low-cost toilet to protect groundwater source

Nirmala Saulabhaya

SAPL Smart Toilets – Public Toilets with innovative revenue model

The Sunidhi Toilet – Female-friendly, Hygienic, and Pre-fabricated public toilet

There are cities where building a public or community toilet has been proven to be beneficial in creating awareness for hygiene and health. Due to such public toilet designs, one tends to maintain discipline and cleanliness around themselves. To create and support the awareness movement, some architects have made efforts to build public toilets in innovative ways.

There are cities where building a public or a community toilet has been proven to be beneficial in creating awareness for hygiene and health. Due to such public toilet designs, one is inclined more towards maintaining discipline and cleanliness around themselves. To create and support the awareness movement some architects have made efforts to build public toilet design in innovative ways.

The Light Box, designed by Architect Rohan Chavan, Thane 

Built Year : 2016

This public toilet design has been done with the aim of providing women with exclusive social space in an urban context. Along with the tree as the context for the public toilet design, it provides shade from the sun as well as filtered light in the space, protecting it from rain as well.

The public toilet design has a women’s toilet cubical of size 10’ x 30’ surrounding the tree, whereas a garden of size 15’ x 10’ is used as a place to rest, a free gallery to display art, and a place for lectures for awareness campaigns.

The public toilet design also includes facilities such as a nursing room, sanitary pad vending machine, incinerators, CCTV cameras, mobile charging points, and panic alarm systems.

Roof Design

The roof here is made of polycarbonated sheets that allow natural light to pass, making the place safe and disinfectant. The flooring of the toilet was made with polyurethane, which was an economical and easily maintainable option for the public toilet design.

The walls are made of perforated metal sheets that not only enhance the look of the public toilet design but also allow cross ventilation to happen. The plumbing and electrical lines have been concealed in the steel structure. 70% of the area of the building is open to public use for different activities, which makes it organic in the area.

Looking at such public toilet design projects happening in India in various areas with different approaches, the awareness for a clean and sanitized India is slowly being fulfilled. Having public toilets available in small areas of any city gives a message for the growth of hygienic India. These public toilet designs can lead to the use of various eco-friendly materials that are economical and easy to maintain. Hence, the right and efficient public toilet design will aim towards cleanliness more. Along with health and hygiene, these public toilet designs can also turn into places for social interactions in urban city areas. Hence, more and more public toilet designs must be thought of while thinking about the development of any rural or urban areas in the country.

Content Writing And Research By: Ar. Rajeshwari Pandya Modi