Garden Restroom
Salisbury Garden, Hong Kong
2018
Bringing the garden into the restroom
Garden Restroom is a public toilet situated in Salisbury Garden, a major public park in Tsim Sha Tsui. LAAB was commissioned to redesign the public toilet, along with a few other pavilion-scale architecture near this area as part of a larger revitalization scheme of the Victoria Dockside.
Challenging the public and private spatial divide
Our toilet design challenges the boundary between public and private space by bringing in natural surroundings into the washroom while maintaining a sense of privacy. The translucent facade rolls up to the roof, bringing natural sunlight to the interior; at night, the architecture lights up like a lantern in the dark.
We maintain a coherent experience of Salisbury Garden by borrowing the architectural and material language of the adjacent buildings. The diagonal pitched roof creates a dynamic spatial experience and provides a visual surprise for those standing from afar.
Creating enclosures using curvilinear wall
Inside the toilet, we construct a curvilinear wall to create enclosures 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.
Documenting history
As a public park in an iconic cultural district, we wish to document the historical relevance of Tsim Sha Tsui. Mosaic murals featuring the historical views of Victoria Harbour and Salisbury Road were designed at the entrance of the interior. The female restroom shows an image in the 1960s, featuring the former Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower and Terminus building (demolished in 1978), with Star Ferry Pier and the then-Peak-skyline in the background.
The wall in the male restroom shows Salisbury Road in the 1950s, with the original Peninsula Hotel and the double-decker bus from the colonial era. Shown in an anamorphic perspective, the images are only perceptible from a certain angle. Illustrations of a brief history of toilet development were captured behind cubicle doors, such as “Back Alley” and “Vacuum Toilet.”
Form follows height
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 provide a relaxing environment for visitors to rest and refresh in the garden.
Design Anthology Award (Urban Redevelopment)
Winner
DFA Design for Asia Award
Merit
American Institute of Architects International Design Award
Commendation
Taiwan Golden Pin Design Award
Winner
Japan Good Design Award
Winner
Architecture, Interior, Signage, and Urban Design
2018
1000 sqft
Leisure and Cultural Services Department, HKSARG
New World Development
Ronald Lu & Partners, James Corner Field Operation, Urbis, Speirs Major, Pentagram, Arup Structure, Lightswitch, WSP, Arup
Otto Ng, Sherry Fung, Yin Lih Tham, Gordon Yuen, Anderson Chan, Hon Chan, Catherine Cheng, Minjung Kim, Kelvin Lam, Janis Poon, Alfred Pun, Charlie Wong, Happy Yam, Chun Hang Yip