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51 sq.m.
549 sq.ft.
A public toilet which was completed in Ibukijima Island of Setouchi Inner Sea. It was one of artworks in Art Setouchi Triennale 2013.
From the periphery to the center
In the traditional local house in Ibukijima Island, the toilet is mostly established in a small cottage separated from the main house. In Ibukijima Island, the toilet is a peripheral space that is repelled and excluded from the main house.
The relation between the main house and the separated cottage resembles the relation between the main land and isolated Ibukijima island or between a big city and a remote district somewhere. Now, Ibukijima island is only connected with liner from Kanonji city of the main land, and the small isolated island serves as the periphery of the main land and the country of Japan.
However, if it goes back, in Edo period, Ibukijima island was a place where liner connected directly with capital and the upper fashion came immediately, and, as a vestige of that period, the capital dialect of the old time remains.
Once, it was the independent small center of Setouchi Inland Sea.
House of Toilet tends to change the peripheral space into the center of Ibukijima Island and to give intensity to Ibukijima Island that has been used as the periphery.
When the toilet repelled from the main house gathers, nestles up to one and forms a house, it comes to have the power as a core.
Locality / Internationlity
To the house, the time peculiar to Ibukijima Island and the relation with the world centering on Ibukijima Island was overlaid.
According to the solar orientation at 9:00 a.m on the day when three traditional ceremonies are held and the day of the summer solstice and the winter solstice, the slits of the natural light pass in the architecture. When the ray of sunlight passes in the house at 9:00 a.m once per year, the locals konw the visit of the season.
It is a mechanism in which the identity of Ibukijima island is clarified.
Meanwhile, the lines of the natural light which go to the major cities of 6 continents (Tokyo, London, Nairobi, New York, San Paulo, Sydney) by the shortest distance from Ibukijima island also pass in the architecture.
I considered that Ibukijima island regains the self-respect of the once by being conscious of relation with the world.
When the relation with the world ( Internationality) is added to the identity of Ibukijima Island ( Locality), the direction of the natural light of 2:00 PM would be founded to coincide with the direction of New York and they aware that the internationality exists along the extension of the locality.
Moreover, the place where the axis of these six angles crosses is the coordinates point that indicates the position of Ibukijima island, so, the relation with the world is also the locality itself.
Relation with the landscape of Ibukijima island
The exterior appearance resembles the ordinary local house of this island.
I didn't design it with the form where the contemporary architecture abruptly appeared.
It is a consideration to the landscape of the island where the traditional sign remains.
The inclination of the roof is united with the surroundings and the color of the outer wall is based on color investigation of the local house of the island.
It is not finished by the color of the 1st group that is overwhelmingly predominant but the 2nd group, because I wanted to realize the state that is continuous with the landscape and independent to an extent that it doesn't generate discord.
The alley created between 3 buildings that was cut by the slits of the light goes to the alley of Ibukijima island like a maze.
The wall of the alley and the interior wall of washroom are based on the image of the burnt cedar board as a typical finish but are not necessarily the same as it. For example, the polycarbonate corrugated panel that reflects the scenery is layered on the board. Those have a delicate difference by which they catches their mind somewhere.
In the booth at the depth of the indoor, the big opening is opened on the roof.
The natural light and the rain fall indoors. It is as if they have looked up from the bottom of the local well for collecting the rain wate peculiar to the island lack of the water.
The alley, the burnt cedar board and the well for collecting the rain water are not special for the locals but conspicuous as a Ibukijima island identity for the visitor.
I hope that the visitor who starts for an island walking after a short breath in House of Toilet will find easily the peculiar landscape of Ibukijima island and the locals is re-conscious of the identity of the island that they used to seeing and, therefore, have forgot to see.
Loaction : Ibukijima Island, Kanonji, Kagawa, Japan
Client : Kanonji CIty
Architect : Daigo Ishii + Future-scape Architects
Structure Engineer : Syoichi Nagumo + Takumi Architectural Design Office
Mechanical Engineer : Akeno Mechanical Design Office
Construction : Ii Koumuten Construction Company
３D Modeling and Precut of Timber: Sanno Housing
FRP waterpfoofing : Hamanetsu
See the alley of House of Toilet from the north side with the warehouse on the left hand and the entrance of gentlemen's toilet room on the right hand in the late afternoon.
See House of Toilet and the village of island on a slope in the morning. It is located at the point where the tourists take the breath after going up a steep hill.
Eleven slits of light related to the island's time and space overlap on the architecture.
Diagram of the concept of the house of toilet. It shows the localization in time and space, and the reflection of various landscapes of island.
See the south side elevation and one of the slits which goes to Sao Paulo through the interior of the building and the alley.
See the east side elevation. Beyond the slanting part of the wall is a break space. The floor of the break space is covered with the Japanese cypress board and they take off shoes and sit there.
The pitch of roof is united with the typical roof of the local house of Ibukijima island.
One of the slits which goes to Sydney passes inside the building and goes to the other side.
（Left) See the alley between 3 parts of building. （Right) Detail of a slit of light.
（Left) See the alley in the late afternoon. （Right) See the alley in the late evening.
See the alley in the evening of the winter.
（Left) See the alley of House of Toile from the east side. The entrance of the gentlemen's toilet room is at the depth of the alley. （Right) See the alley from the center. Two of the slits of light on the right hand and in the front go to the other side beyond the building.
See the alley of House of Toilet from the west side with the ladies' toilet room on the right hand and the break space in the front.
See the interior of the washroom of the ladies' toilet room. The slits of light cross, and the state of the light in the interior changes according to the time.
See the interior of the washroom of the ladies' toilet room. The white room at the depth serves as the closet-bowl booth A.
The slits of light cross, and the state of the light in the interior changes according to the time.
See the interior of the washroom of the ladies' toilet room. The slits of light cross, and the state of the light in the interior changes according to the time.
See the interior of the washroom of the gentlemen's toilet room. The light falls from the slit of lights on the ceiling. The chamber pot is arranged in a position that avoids the people’s eye walking the outside through the slits.
See the interior of the washroom of the gentlemen's toilet room. The light falls from the slit of lights on the ceiling.
See the interior of the washroom of the gentlemen's toilet room. The white room on the right hand serves as the closet-bowl booth. The entrance from the alley is seen on the light hand.
See the closet-bowl booth of the ladies' toilet room. The room has an opening on the ceiling and light pours and air passes.
See the closet-bowl booth of the ladies' toilet room. The booth is quite large and its use is unaffected even in the rain. Under the gravel on the floor is a drainage hole to pick up rain.
See the blue sky through the opening on the ceiling in the closet-bowl booth of the ladies' toilet room in the daytime.
See the opening on the ceiling in the closet-bowl of the ladies' toilet room. The heart shape appears in the late afternonn from sprint to autumn.
See the top light in the toilet room for the handicapped. Since it is difficult to install an opening to use there with a wheelchair, it is covered with fiber reinforced plastic plate.
The model indicates how the light passes the slit of light.