Nirmal – An Inter College Architectural Design Competition 2020-21

Subject	Nirmal- An inter college Architectural Design Competition
Session	2020 - 21
Year	B. Arch - 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Year
Date	30th November, 2020
Venue	Zoom webinar, Youtube
Faculty	Prof. Smita Dalvi, Prof. Kavita Sawant
Youtube Link	https://youtu.be/nX1NLsVtFi4

MES Pillai College of Architecture, New Panvel (PiCA) in association with the Soroptimist Welfare Association (SIBC) announced ‘NIRMAL’– an inter-college design competition to observe the World Toilet Day, an official United Nations international observance day on 19 November every year to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis. This action is linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goal of “water and sanitation for all by 2030”. https://www.un.org/en/observances/toilet-day.

The design competition was open for students of architecture currently studying in Pillai College of Architecture, New Panvel and Pillai HOC college of Architecture, Rasayani. It aimed at raising awareness about access to sanitation and to explore the role of architectural design in improving the quality of such facilities.

The event was graced by the appearance of chief guest Ms. Yvette Lee , President of Soroptimist Welfare Association (SIBC), Principal of Pillai College of Architecture Dr. Sudnya Mahimkar, Principal of Pillai HOC College of Architecture, Rasayani, members of SIBC, faculties and students of PiCA and PHOC institutes.

Details of the Competition:
NIRMAL 2020 Competition Brief

The theme for this year was about exploring the Architecture of Public Toilets in the Post COVID World. The competition aimed at raising awareness about access to sanitation and to explore the role of architectural design in improving the quality of public sanitation facilities.

The participants were expected to address the following concerns in their design proposals:

The role of space planning of public facilities in achieving good standards of hygiene.
The role of architectural design in changing the prevailing perceptions of public toilets.
Imaginative site selection and appropriate design response to the chosen context and users.
Innovation in public toilet architecture for a better imageability in a public space.

The participants were supposed to select a real world context of public places from anywhere in Navi Mumbai and Panvel Municipal boundaries and locate their design of public toilet facility.

Schedule for NIRMAL 2020
1st November: Announcement of competition brief and opening of online registration
8th November: Last date for registration
19th November: Screening of the award-winning film Q2P by the acclaimed documentary filmmaker Paromita Vohra. (Online mode)
22nd November: Last date of submission of competition entries by the registered participants.
30th November: Announcement of the result, jury comments and display of winning entries.

We received 33 registrations for the competition. Team one handled the process of registration. Participants registered for the competition by filling up the online form. They were provided with unique team numbers. The final submissions were accepted as anonymous entries. 15 shortlisted entries were forwarded to Team 2 which was led by Prof. Smita Dalvi. It was then sent to the jurors Jury members Dr. Uma Sankar Sekar and Dr. Mustansir Dalvi to select the winners.

Result of Nirmal 2020 Competition :
Winner: 20WTDP002

Ajay Kushwaha, PHOCA
Tejas Shinde, PHOCA
Lalit Kadu, PHOCA

The design by the winning entry

The jury appreciated this entry as the best in the competition because of the juxtaposition of the toilets with the intermediary covered spaces that can be used for a variety of purposes determined by the users themselves. These spaces also allow for spread, bringing social distancing. Although the form is inspired by the forts in the vicinity, the metaphor is not overburdened. There is a certain flexibility that allows the design to be seen as a prototype as well.

First Runner Up: 20WTDP017

Krunal Ambre
Rutuja Devadkar
Jagruti Kurhade

Design of First Runner Up team

The jury appreciated the differentiated designs for the gents and ladies toilets, the prominent location of the handicap toilet as well as the spread out nature of the plan. We were not quite taken by the positioning of urinals in the ladies and the efficacy of the magic cone in a public toilet. While the whole site is too spread out, we think that a design such as this would work in a public park rather than in the middle of a city.

Second Runner Up: 20WTDP003

Sanskar Chavan
Sagar Dhole
Harsh Panchal

Design by Second Runner Up team

The jury liked the idea of the clearly separated waiting areas for ladies and gents. These were well segregated and so allow social spaces to form. The compact form allows the design to be a prototype on other urban sites. The alternating WCs have plumbing complications but solutions are possible. Also the design seems easy to maintain and is well ventilated.

Prizes:
1st Prize: Rs 3000/- and Digital Certificate
2nd Prize/ 1st Runner-up: Rs. 2000/- and Digital Certificate
3rd Prize/ 2nd Runner-up: Rs. 1000/- and Digital Certificate

Digital certificate to all participation

Dr. Sudnya Mahimkar congratulated all the winners and addressed the students on this occasion. Chief Guest Ms. Yvette Lee as well expressed her gratitude for collaborating with Pica for the World Toilet Day initiative.

Publication team of PiCA released two issues of biannual newsletter ‘Picagram’ and annual magazine theme for VOX under guidance of Prof. Neha Korade and Saif Mistree.

The Event was concluded by Prof. Kavita Sawant by giving vote of thanks.