Toilet

The toilet room is defined by protection and enclosure. It provides a space for activities that are not meant to take place in public. It creates a specific form of intimacy, a moment without the gaze of others, in which a person is alone with their body. The aim of this project is to rethink the boundaries of the toilet room and to explore the layered transitions between private and public space.

The project is located within an existing parking structure, at the edge of the inner circle of a circular ramp. At the center of this ramp stands a single tree a rare moment of calm and greenery within an otherwise hard concrete environment. Despite its central position, this space currently has no clear function and cannot be enjoyed as it could be. This small oasis becomes the starting point for the concept.

The “Rest Room” is understood quite literally as a room for rest. The existing tree remains at the centre of the project and defines its spatial core. Around this core, a minimal architectural layer is added along the edge, gently framing the natural space. Beneath the ramp, in the most sheltered area, lies the toilet itself. Here, the act of using the toilet becomes an intimate moment in a space protected from above, while the surrounding zones remain more open, communal, and permeable. In this way, a gradual spatial sequence emerges, shifting between public and private.

To minimize the impact on the existing vegetation, the project is placed on an elevated grid structure with only a few point foundations transferring loads directly into the soil. This permeable floor allows the ground beneath to develop freely. Above this base, a simple timber frame forms a continuous ring that integrates all functional elements. Toward the parking structure, it is closed, forming a protective layer that filters views and noise.

Most of the courtyard remains open to the sky. To ensure usability in varying weather conditions, a lightweight, double-sided aluminized textile roof is added. It provides protection from rain while allowing soft daylight to filter through, creating a sheltered yet not fully enclosed atmosphere. The roof follows the incline of the ramp.

Within the timber ring, communal seating areas, water points, storage niches, technical systems, and toilet cabins are integrated. An ecological composting toilet system establishes a circular process, returning nutrients to the plants in the courtyard.

Autumn 2025

Project by: Linda Albisser, Leonie Omoregie, Alessia Mazza, Sara Pina Alves

Teaching team: Anna Puigjaner, Dafni Retzepi, Ethel Baraona Pohl, Lisa Maillard, Luis Úrculo, Pol Esteve Castelló, He Shen

Images by Luís Úrculo