Mirroring Decomposability: The Toilet at The Faculty of Architecture [STRAND 2022]

Abstract

MIRRORING DECOMPOSABILITY: The Toilet at the Faculty of Architecture Architecture students spend a significant portion of their day within the confines of the faculty building. Consequently, the spaces and facilities within the faculty become more than just physical surroundings; they become integral to how a student perceives the world and, by extension, their chosen profession. The assignment at hand was to reimagine an ostensibly ordinary and utilitarian space—the restroom—and explore its connection to its broader environment. Surprisingly, the restroom can carry a greater depth of implied meanings than nearly any other space. It stands as a compact yet vital arena, where the convergence of tactile sensations and the efficiency of installations orchestrates a ritualistic experience. Beyond its conventional utility, this space reveals nuanced and intricate dimensions. The deliberate materialization of elements within this space, offering reflections and refractions of light and air, introduces a spectrum of social and technical implications that are entwined with various purposes, norms, cultures, and systems. In this way, even the most seemingly mundane of spaces can serve as a canvas for the exploration of broader architectural and societal themes.