Renowned Thai architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee, founders of HAS Design and Research, completed a sustainable public facility in the heart of Bangkok’s park—Benchakitti Rain Forest Observatory. This project offered Bangkokians a place to rest, exercise, and connect, while also providing a micro-climate oasis in the bustling city.
Building on this success, Hung And Songkittipakdee (HAS) continued to play a pivotal role in shaping Bangkok’s public spaces. They unveiled a new design for one of the city’s most important parks, Benchakitti Forest Park, introducing a project called the “Bangkok Eden Toilet.”
Bangkok Eden Toilet is an architectural manifesto that honors the natural environment while elevating the often-overlooked importance of space quality and public service facilities, specifically public restrooms, which have been neglected in Bangkok for over 30 years.
In this design, architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee seamlessly integrated natural light, wind ventilation, and site-specific greenery into the architectural space, demonstrating how design can uplift the aesthetics of everyday public life and create meaningful, healthy, and culturally rich environments.
Nestled within Benchakitti Forest Park, Bangkok Eden Toilet follows the park’s ethos of nurturing urban biodiversity and offering a place for city dwellers to unwind. The project presents the restroom as a gift to the citizens of Bangkok.
With its soft, organic form, the structure creates a public fountain plaza—a space where people can gather, interact, and rest. Surrounding the building are seating areas for family activities, turning the public restroom into a chapel-like space that cares for its users and fosters community well-being.
The structure comprises three sections: a universal restroom, a male restroom, and a female restroom. The universal restroom was designed with careful attention to user feedback, ensuring both comfort and accessibility, while embracing natural elements like light, air, and greenery.
In the male restroom, natural light filters through the space, creating a serene, otherworldly experience. A tree was preserved in the urinal area, with green plants lining the floor, transforming the act of using the restroom into a ritual-like interaction with nature. In the female restroom, vertical greenery and reflective aluminum panels create a secluded space, immersing users in the feeling of being surrounded by forest.
Bangkok Eden Toilet, designed by HAS Design and Research, represents a new chapter in public restroom architecture. It reflects the Bangkok government’s long-standing commitment to harmonizing people and nature. By weaving natural elements into the space, the design encourages users to reflect on the coexistence of architecture and the environment.
More than just a restroom, the Bangkok Eden Toilet is like a chapel—a place where citizens can gather, reflect, and nurture their hearts, symbolizing the city’s care and attention to the well-being of its people as they enter the 21st century. Source by HAS Design and Research.
- Location: Bangkok, Thailand
- Architect: HAS design and research
- Design team: Jenchieh Hung, Kulthida Songkittipakdee, Tapanee Laddahom, Chiwen Chang, Huanchih Lin
- Site area: 300 sq.m
- Gross built area: 70 sq.m
- Images: Courtesy of HAS design and research
