ida & billy design sustainable washrooms for mix-use complex in guangzhou

ida & billy design sustainable washrooms for mix-use complex in guangzhou
(above) the toilet is expressed as a bright grotto – a contemporary abstraction of nature
all images courtesy of ida & billy

situated in the commercial center of guangzhou, china, the taikoo hui is a mixed-use complex incorporating a shopping mall, two grade-a office towers, a hotel, and serviced apartment. the shopping mall receives tens of thousands of visitors daily, and its amenity facilities require an upgrade. created by hong kong-based studio ida & billy, the sustainable design washroom aims to raise the environmental awareness in the public realm and to become the role model of sustainability in the commercial and retail sector. the design wants to tie back to nature, formally as well as environmentally. sustainability, spatial sculpting, and human comfort were the key points that drove the whole design.

the original walls were removed in order to reveal the structure

minimum alterations were made to the original efficient layout, minimizing structural and piping alteration. the program consists of three corridors of cubicles, washbasins, and urinals. the wall coverings were removed, discovering round and tilted square columns that were painted to form a homogenous white mass to engage the space with a unique shape and angle that hints the underlining structures. the white and round setting is applied to give a bright and clean ambient  –walls join the ceiling seamlessly and smoothly with curved surfaces, to diffuse light for plants to duo-function as general lighting. glass fiber reinforced gypsum panels (GRG) are used to form the curved surfaces, for their durability and use of recycled materials. the curved edges also eliminate possible dark, dirty edges.

waterless urinal, water-saving WC, and vacuum toilet are applied to largely save water and to reduce waste volume

indoor plants are grown to purify the air, raise indoor oxygen level, and add life and colors of nature. the plants are grown above human level for better management and tidiness, hiding the pots inside the GRG applications, to enable the plants to form pure strokes of green. irrigation utilizes gray water collected from the wash basins, supported by a local filtration system. the floor is a newly-casted dark gray terrazzo stone, where the original sandstone and gray tiles were crushed as aggregates for the new terrazzo, forming unique golden chips that reveal the idea of recycling.

the water tap has been integrated with the hand dryer, saving space, paper towels, and avoiding dripping water

the new washbasin counter is an all-in-one station. the white corian counter curves up to join the LED lighting strip, mirror, and ceiling as one integral piece, with a tree-shaped icon echoing to its collection. an integrated water tap and hand dryer product are installed for sustainability and cleanness: it avoids dripping water on counter-top and floor, saves spaces and paper towels. in total, the new toilets save water usage by 80% and reduce waste volume by 60% on a daily basis. two fans are added to enhance fresh air movement, to replace mechanical cooling in winter and to reduce the cooling load in summer.

indoor plants are grown above human level for better management and tidiness

the baby-caring rooms are also upgraded with improved facilities and a playful design. the original layout is given minimum alterations to allow for a seating area and an additional baby-caring room, the resulted kinked passage, and simplified arches continue the ‘grotto’ idea. within this white grotto rooms are differentiated by their graphic patterns, each consisting of a simple geometry or theme that lead through arched openings of varying heights – higher ones for the baby-caring room, and lower ones for the kids’ toilets.

the white and ‘cyclorama’ setting gives a bright and clean ambient

the toilet forms a whole integrated grotto space, with a playful sense of hide-and-seek

the design utilizes the original efficient layout to minimize structural and piping alteration

looking from the entrance, the kinked passed and the simplified version of arches continue the grotto idea

magnified patterns give a sense of playfulness for the baby-caring room

each room consists of a simple geometry or theme, as a self-contained world for the family and the kids

the whole facility is a collection of rooms of patterns within a white grotto

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: juliana neira | designboom