The Light Box

by Ar. Rohan Chavan

Programme: Restrooms and Convenience Centre | Location: Bombay-Goa Highway

Site area: 230 sq.m | Built Up area: 152 sq.m

‘Restroom’ is not just a polished word for toilet, here a Restroom is a public toilet that is unique in terms of both form and function. Beyond the obvious toilet blocks, the Restrooms aim to provide women an exclusive social space, something that is atypical of urban landscape in India.

The Restroom for women measures 10’ x 30’ is built around an existing tree. It has four blocks at two ends. At one end there are two toilets with a common wash basin and at the other end, there is a nursing room and a toilet for handicapped and senior citizens. The center of the restroom is a garden measuring 15’ x 10’ that is used for various activities like a place to rest, a free gallery to display art for amateur artists, a place for lectures and awareness campaigns, celebrating festivals, seasonal activities, and events. The central garden is a metaphor for spaces where people can sit and relax under a tree in shade and socialize.