HYDERABAD: During the construction of fancy hotels, shopping malls and other such places for the public, a lot of thought is put into the architecture and aesthetics, however, such venues are usually lacking in spots for public convenience like toilets.
While toilets are usually not an item of fancy or wonder, a Hyderabad-based organisation, Toilets, and Toilets Private Limited is looking to challenge that perception while also offering functionality.
They have built a bootstrapped ‘Urban Loo’ at the Secunderabad Railway Station that will be inaugurated by Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalaxmi on Monday.
Raising hygiene standards
Director of the organisation Kumud Ranjan Kumar tells Express that places of public convenience are important facilities of an emerging landscape of any modern city. ‘’It speaks volumes of who we are as a society and how we perceive our city. Providing basic but essential public convenience with dignity and comfort is key in raising health, hygiene and safety standards in any city’’, he says.
In today’s urban lifestyle when most people spend the majority of their time outdoors, the need for modern, hygienic, and multi-purpose public convenience spots is critical. Urban Loo provides state-of-the-art public toilets, which are aesthetically designed, energy-efficient and safe, adds Kumud.
“The mission is to revolutionise the common man’s experience of using public toilets,” he mentions. The Urban Loo set up outside the Secunderabad Railway Station takes inspiration from the city’s old clock towers to help people get connected. “The idea is to change the perception of public toilets and depart from the dirty, smelly, and unhygienic structures to arrive at a memorable, joyful, and airy public structure,” Kumud explains.
He says the foraminous façade enables natural cross ventilation and sunlight to come through, helping remove the foul smell while also eliminating the need for artificial lighting.
Multi-purpose use
The lobby space can act as a transition space that can accommodate an ATM kiosk, or a tea and coffee vending machine. The toilet for women also has a sanitary napkin dispenser and a baby changing station. The toilets are also fitted with waterless/odourless urinals and shower facilities. The toilet also utilises slate stone from Telangana.
Changing the perception
The Urban Loo set up outside the Secunderabad Railway Station takes inspiration from the city’s old clock towers to help people get connected. “The idea is to change the perception of public toilets and depart from the dirty, smelly and unhygienic structures to arrive at a memorable, joyful and airy public structure,” Director Kumud explains