Results announced for "public restroom near the Akamon (provisional title)" design competition
Overview
We hosted a design competition inviting ideas from students and researchers of the University, which addressed a design theme for a public restroom to be constructed near the Akamon, which is a symbol of the campus of the University of Tokyo. The competition attracted 63 design proposals. Although it is only a small-scale facility, it was to address the difficult task of giving due consideration to a public restroom that will be viewed as a symbolic facility representing an inclusive society. It also pressed the entrants with the reality that their proposals may be implemented. The many proposals submitted were well-thought-out and of a high level.We held the entire evaluation process online due to the restrictions in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the second phase evaluation, which included presentations and Q&A sessions with the seven participating teams shortlisted by the first phase evaluation, we selected one recipient of the First Prize and three recipients of the Award for Excellence.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to those who cooperated in implementing this unprecedented design competition for the University, and to the students and researchers who took a serious approach to the given theme and created design proposals for submission.
(For Application Guidelines, please visit https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/focus/en/events/z0506_00003.html)
Winner
First Prize; “Public Restroom for the People”Nairu Kimura (1st Year Master’s Program, Department of Socio-Cultural Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences)
Kosuke Saito (4th Year Undergraduate Program, Department of Political Science Course, Faculty of Law)
Ryo Kawamoto (4th Year Undergraduate Program, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine)
Award for Excellence; “Public Restroom in Tokyo, Roof of the University”
Yu Uchikura (2nd Year Master’s Program, Department of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies)
Junya Yokoyama (2nd Year Master’s Program, Department of Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering)
Award for Excellence; “UT Palimpsest ─ Wall Overwritten in Red”
Satavee Kijsanayotin (2nd Year Master’s Program, Department of Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering)
Satoshi Hirono (1st Year Master’s Program, Department of Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering)
Award for Excellence; “Tree-ring of <Open Space>”
Hiroki Kobayashi (3rd Year Undergraduate Program, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science)
Marin Takeda (3rd Year Undergraduate Program, Department of Aesthetics, Faculty of Letters)
Rin Kikuchi (4th Year Undergraduate Program, Department of Legal Profession Course, Faculty of Law)
(Award for Excellence is in order of registration numbers)
Comments by Kengo Kuma, the Chief Judge of the Competition
Taking a small public restroom as the gateway, how one could step into such a profound world ─ I, honestly, would never have imagined it.
I believe nobody would refute that realizing an inclusive society is important. However, even those who agree with such a general statement would be lost in deep thought if they were asked what kind of planning and designs should be introduced to restrooms in order to embody inclusiveness. Admittedly, as we spend our days, we use restrooms subconsciously, exclude all kinds of people and discriminating against them unintentionally. People who engage in the architecture profession and create architecture may, in fact, have been among those most unconscious and ignorant about this problem.
When judging the entries, I was confronted with this fact and as a result, I have gained an invaluable experience myself.
A university should be a significant place where experts—who are vulnerable to arrogance and prejudice—are taught lessons, rather than being simply a place where they are nurtured. I got the feeling that this competition managed to communicate this very important message through a small restroom.
Judges
Chief Judge Kengo Kuma: University Professor, The University of Tokyo
Deputy Chief Judge Atsushi Deguchi: Professor
Vice Dean, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo
(Specialty: Urban Planning, Urban Design)
Special Advisor to the President. Director of the Campus Planning Office
Judges (in Japanese syllabary order)
Kiyomi Akita: Professor
Dean, Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo
(Specialty: Research on Classroom Lessons, Study of School Education)
Koichi Kato: Professor
Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
(Specialty: History of Architecture, Architectural Theory)
Member of the Campus Planning Office
Shinichiro Kumagaya: Associate Professor
Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo
(Specialty: Pediatrics, User-led Clinical Research)
Director of the Disability Services Office. Member of the Campus Planning Office
Akiko Shimizu: Professor
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo
(Specialty: Feminist, Queer Theories)
Manabu Chiba: Professor
Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
(Specialty: Architectural Design)
Deputy Director of the Campus Planning Office
Yu Nakai: Professor
Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
(Specialty: Civil Engineering Design, Principles of Landscape)
Deputy Director of the Campus Planning Office
Evaluation Process
| Friday, 5 November | First Evaluation Committee Meeting |
| Friday, 13 November | Announcement of Application Guidelines |
| Friday, 13 November ~ Thursday, 10 December | Period for registering entries Number of entries registered: 121 entries |
| Tuesday, 5 January ~ Monday, 11 January | Period for submitting design proposal Number of proposals submitted: 63 proposals |
| Friday, 15 January: | Second Evaluation Committee Meeting (First phase evaluation) Number of proposals shortlisted: 7 proposals |
|
Wednesday, 17 February |
Third Evaluation Committee Meeting (Second phase evaluation) |
Location Map of Designated Site
First Prize
“Public Restroom for the People”
Nairu Kimura (1st Year Master’s Program, Department of Socio-Cultural Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences)
Kosuke Saito (4th Year Undergraduate Program, Department of Political Science Course, Faculty of Law)
Ryo Kawamoto (4th Year Undergraduate Program, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine)
<Comments from the judges>
The plan is ostensibly a simple-shaped architectural structure, but it combines three toilet compartments which vary in function and forms based on scrupulous attention paid to a diverse range of users. This is a proposal that symbolizes a next-generation public restroom demonstrating excellence, creativity, and originality. The presentation was also outstanding.
Award for Excellence
(in order of registration numbers)“Public Restroom in Tokyo, Roof of the University”
Yu Uchikura (2nd Year Master’s Program, Department of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies)
Junya Yokoyama (2nd Year Master’s Program, Department of Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering)
<Comments from the judges>
The design of the long eaves extending toward the neighboring Communication Center was superb as it captures the characteristics of the planned site and creates harmony with the surrounding environment. It presents a well-balanced framework between the area for the front corridor with burnt timber louvered cladding arranged and the area for two relatively spacious toilet compartments.
Award for Excellence
(in order of registration numbers)“UT Palimpsest ─ Wall Overwritten in Red”
Satavee Kijsanayotin (2nd Year Master’s Program, Department of Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering)
Satoshi Hirono (1st Year Master’s Program, Department of Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering)
<Comments from the judges>
Following a process based on a self-built construction method using gabions filled with stacked bricks and tiles, the proposal attempts to incorporate a sense of passage of time on Hongo Campus into the design. Although there is a slight problem applying the proposal to a public restroom, it is a work that combines a beautiful image and an attractive narrative.
Award for Excellence
(in order of registration numbers)“Tree-ring of <Open Space>”
Hiroki Kobayashi (3rd Year Undergraduate Program, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science)
Marin Takeda (3rd Year Undergraduate Program, Department of Aesthetics, Faculty of Letters)
Rin Kikuchi (4th Year Undergraduate Program, Department of Legal Profession Course, Faculty of Law)
<Comments from the judges>
This proposal has an appealing perspective in that it brings the characteristics of a historical landscape, and it attempts to materialize the quality of a public restroom that encompasses not only a building but also its surrounding ambience. Its planning gives careful consideration to the needs of an inclusive public restroom and presents an excellent overall balance.
Entrants Shortlisted by the First Phase Evaluation
(in order of registration numbers)“FLIP DOT TOILET”
Luciana Tenorio (2nd Year Doctoral Program, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, School of Engineering)
Saul Trujillo (2nd Year Master’s Program, Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences)
<Comments from the judges>
This is an ambitious proposal that turns the façade of a public restroom into an information board with a FLIP DOT display having a rear mirror finish. Changing images transform its appearance minute by minute while projecting daily information and the surrounding scenery, demonstrating new possibilities for the location between the Akamon and the Communication Center.
Entrants Shortlisted by the First Phase Evaluation
(in order of registration numbers)“House of Knowledge”
Tetsuki Nakakura (2nd Year Doctoral Program, Department of Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering)
<Comments of the judges>
This proposal is characterized by an organic space where pointed arches in the Uchida Gothic style are resolved in three dimensions. It is a superb work that unfolds historic aspects of Hongo Campus beyond space, rather than treating them as mere signage. Furthermore, elaborate designs including structure and materials allow for an extremely high level of perfection.
Entrants Shortlisted by the First Phase Evaluation
(in order of registration numbers)“Fitting In—A Public Restroom Taken for Granted”
Tomoki Goda (4th Year Undergraduate Program, Department of Urban Engineering, Faculty of Engineering)
Ayane Tsukishima (4th Year Undergraduate Program, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Letters)
<Comments from the judges>
This proposal is highly evaluated as it gives careful consideration to how a public restroom built on the University campus should look against the scenery, and how it should secure visibility, rather than simply how it should function. This design proposal should be regarded as an exemplary concept that is applicable to similar developments at other locations within the campus.
Contact for the Secretariat Office
Projects Planning & Community Collaboration Team, Facilities Planning Group, Facilities Department, Administration Bureaue-mail: jigyokikaku.adm@gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp
