[Photos] Vietnamese Solar-Powered, Green-Roofed Toilet Design Wins Architecture Award

A restroom/garden design constructed in Vietnam's northern province of Cao Bang by Hanoi-based H&P Architects has taken home the Social Good Award at the 2015 AZ Awards.

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The awards, hosted by the Canadian architecture magazine Azure, judged 720 designs from 43 nations among categories including Best Residential Architecture, Best Commercial/Institutional Architecture, Best Landscape Architecture and Best Temporary/Demonstration Architecture, reports Bernama.

The design, dubbed “Toigetation,” is made primarily from bamboo and seeks to address the lack of restrooms available in Vietnam’s rural hinterlands.

“Son Lap school, located in the cao bang province, has a total of 485 students ranging from kindergarten age to the mid-teens, yet no bathroom facilities that met minimum standards,” wrote design website, Designboom.

Atop of the bamboo frame sits thick layers of trees and herbs that help regulate the indoor climate. Integrated solar panels provide energy, while the waste is harvested and recycled.

Lead designer, Doan Thanh Ha, said that the structure can be built in three weeks for around US$3,000.

Most importantly, the design seems fairly simple to implement as in Cao Bang, many villagers assisted with its construction. 

However, given the relatively high price tag, it will be interesting to see if the design will be applied in other impoverished rural areas in Vietnam.

This isn't the first time H&P has found success with its low-tech designs. Its modular bamboo home project won a Highly Commended Prize at the 2014 AR House Awards.