As part of an international design workshop focused on the “Toilet Revolution” initiative in Longgang District, Shenzhen, Studio MBJ was selected to design a municipal public toilet within Pingdi Park. The goal was to create a well-designed, functional, and cost-effective toilet to enhance the overall quality of municipal facilities in the district.

Situated site in the center of Pingxi District, Pingdi Park is surrounded by urban villages and high-rise residential buildings. The toilet site is approximately 200 sqm and is located near the park entrance but not directly connected to the main walking path. The site is surrounded by trees and vegetation, and its steep slope visually separates it from the surrounding environment.

The design aims to strike a balance between being outstanding and low-key, public, and private, as well as compact and flexible. Modular pavilions integrated into the landscape deconstruct the volume of the toilet, while light well structures act as guiding markers for facilities and new retail functions. These elements create new pathways and open spaces, connecting previously parallel and disconnected areas and enhancing pedestrian flow. The flowing roof design serves as a rain-collecting interface, working in harmony with light wells to integrate nature into the architectural concept.

Overall, the structure becomes the connection between the city and the park, the exchange between the new city and the old town, and the fusion between nature and community, blurring the boundaries between private and public.