“Toilet, No Toilet” is a mixed-use public toilet in Bhateliya, Uttarakhand. This social infrastructure project aims to address the challenges of poor public toilet maintenance in India while simultaneously promoting environmentally sensitive architecture, local techniques, and community development.
The project is strategically situated amidst a bustling market in Bhateliya, which also serves as a gateway to Mukteshwar, Uttarakhand. It utilizes materials that are locally available and economical, such as stone, wood, bamboo and tin sheet. It sits seamlessly on a hilly terrain and creates a possibility of being used from the lower road as well as the upper road. The lower level is a solid stone structure housing the public toilet, while the upper level features a wooden truss structure encased with bamboo screens. This design not only provides essential sanitation facilities but also incorporates a commercial space (café/local shop) on the upper level, which is leased to a private entity, generating a regular monthly revenue for the government, which inturn helps in maintaining the public toilet below.
The use of local techniques, such as locally stitched bamboo panels for the false ceiling, showcases the region's rich architectural heritage and supports the local economy. It not only promotes eco-friendly construction practices but also serves as a platform for preserving and revitalizing traditional craftsmanship.
The public-private model adopted for this project ensures the coexistence of essential public facilities and revenue-generating commercial spaces. This approach not only addresses the issues of poor toilet maintenance but also contributes to the economic growth of the community by serving as a catalyst for local employment. This hybrid toilet block has become a model that will eventually get replicated in other such geographical conditions in Uttarakhand. This makes a public toilet much more than just a toilet; Toilet, No Toilet!
Photography credits : Nishant Singhani
