Aerial view of Isaac Moore Park in Kenilworth where a new set of designer public toilets will be seated. Image: Sunshine Coast Council.
There are only so many ways to create a stylish set of public toilets, but Queensland’s Sunshine Coast Council wants to create a ‘dunny’ structure that will present a big challenge to those who design and build it.
In a seemingly unusual local government initiative called the Kenilworth Designer Dunny competition, the council has asked for artists, designers, architects and students from around Australia and the world to submit their entries to create a new public toilet structure in Isaac Moore Park in Kenilworth.
But this will be no ordinary public toilet structure – the entrees will need to consider seasonal flooding, where to hang the toilet roll and how to put a small country town on the cultural map.
And whoever has the winning entry will receive a royal flush of $10,000 in prize money from the Kenilworth community in partnership with the council.
Division 10 Councillor Greg Rogerson has championed the project from its inception and can’t wait to see what creative thinking a “country loo” can inspire.
“The Sunshine Coast has a wealth of talented businesses and individuals working in the creative sector and through the development of national art competitions such as this, we are committing to supporting and growing this sector even further,” Mr Rogerson said.
He said the site poses some “interesting design problems”, such as being affected by seasonal flooding and therefore dictating that the structure must be located at least 3.6 metres above the existing ground level.
“Whilst these and other technical challenges are identified in the design brief available on Sunshine Coast Council’s website, it’s important to remember that great ideas and inspiration can come from anyone and that professional, students, individual and teams alike are welcomed to enter,” Mr Rogerson said.
According to the council, leading Brisbane architect John Mainwaring will join Mr Rogerson, Lynne Seears, Curator Queensland Art Gallery and Shirley Moreland, President of Kenilworth Arts Council to sit on the judging panel for the inaugural prize.
The council said Mr Mainwaring is looking forward to the different interpretations entries will have of the space.
“The Kenilworth Designer Dunny competition recognises the importance of a building’s impact on its environment and concurrently how the environment can influence the design of a functional and utilitarian structure,” Mr Mainwaring said.
“Isaac Moore Park sits at the entry of Kenilworth on the banks of the Mary River and will be an important welcoming statement for the town.”
