While bathrooms might not be high on the road trip ‘too see’ list, most people will appreciate a nice rest stop during a long car trip.
Malborough District Council’s rebuilt public conveniences at Seymour Square, Havelock and Anakiwa have hit the mark, with recent awards for their architectural design at the NZ Architecture Awards, Nelson Marlborough, run by Te Kahui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects.
Arthouse Architects designed all three.
Council’s parks and open spaces manager Jane Tito says the new facilities were a huge change from the previous ageing concrete blocks with basic amenities.
"The three public toilets recognised for their design and features are all unique, especially compared to what we had.”
Many elements were taken into consideration in the redesign, says parks and open spaces officer Grahame Smail, who was instrumental in the construction of the new facilities and in securing funding through the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment Tourism Infrastructure Fund.
Grahame managed the projects and collaborated with the architects to achieve a quality outcome for the community," Jane says.
"Since 2019 we have completed major upgrades (almost rebuilds) on 11 toilets around the district.
“We have succeeded in securing for funding to cover 50 per cent of these toilet upgrade costs through the Government’s Tourism Infrastructure Fund, with Council part-funding the remaining 50 per cent," she says.
Councillor Jenny Andrews says the awards were a brilliant result for Council and everyone involved.
"The new, high-quality facilities will be enjoyed by the community and visitors for a long time," she says.
Public toilet facilities presented a complex brief with a small footprint, the award judges said.
"Taking into consideration elements of safety, natural light, ease of use, sustainability, wayfinding and community, the architects have upgraded three separate facilities in a way that is consistent yet unique in their individual response to each site's context and history," their comments noted.
Renee Williamson from Arthouse Architecture praised the Council for its foresight in engaging architects to be involved with the redesign.
"A massive thank you to MDC for seeing the value of design in these community facilities," she says.
