Out of more than 2,500 students, 21 candidates were shortlisted, and Ullas M was the finalist in Bengaluru among the short-listed at the Nippon Paint 2019 Asia Young Designer Awards (India) edition, curated by Ethos, for attempting to redesign public toilets to be eco and user friendly. “I aim to reinterpret the idea of public washrooms and convert them into barrier-free toilets,” says Ullas.
The idea emerged from a college project assigned to Ullas. “I wanted to rethink the design of public washrooms. I visited public toilets in the city, at metro stations for example. And the two major problems I found were odour and the fact that they aren’t designed for everyone, particularly for the differently abled and the third gender.”
The pods can be placed at frequent intervals. “There are sensors on the façade that is able to discern the height of the user and thereby the floor height can be adjusted this makes it suitable to use for everyone. The pods also come with foldable ramps for wheelchairs, keeping in mind the differently abled,” says Ullas.
Explaining how the toilet pods are eco-friendly, Ullas says “The toilets have solar funnels that tap solar energy, which artificially lights up the toilet at night — this will be of aesthetic value as they will look like street lamps from the outside. The funnel also collects rain water and channels it to the pod below, thereby recharging ground water. There is even a compost tank below that manufactures compost from the waste.” As of now Ullas is in talks with municipal corporations for the implementation of these toilets, which will take some time.
“I also want to present the idea at various platforms.” Ullas says these toilets are cost effective. Communities can build and therefore take ownership of the toilets, and maintain them.”
