Juxtaposing Modern and Traditional
Rupande Shah, Founder & Principal Architect, Rupande Shah & Associates highlights the role of culture in washroom design and how to blend westernisation in the Indian context.
Indian culture is entwined with spirituality. This facet is embodied in Indian interior design which is not just about aesthetics but also about health and overall well-being. Washroom designs have transformed considerably over the centuries. Likewise, toilet designs have changed from ancient latrines with a basic flush system to advanced electronically powered sitting bidets. We Indians are quite conscious of our bathroom habits, for example, the faucet is always installed on the right side of the WC as it is more convenient to use.
Explaining how culture plays an important role in washroom designing, Rupande Shah, Founder & Principal Architect, Rupande Shah & Associates shares, “Bathroom culture is different all around the world in one way or another. Including culturally inspired features in your bathroom can add comfort and beauty to your bathroom. Due to this, it is beneficial to understand how you can implement some of the best aspects of different trends into your bathroom environment.”
She further states that there are a lot of good things about western toilets in terms of their practical usage of space planning, and the possibility of closures for not just the shower but also for the WCs. “They are very convenient and practical so it is important to incorporate them into your designs. Whereas traditional aspect is mainly kept on the aesthetic purposes in terms of the right kind of colours, patterns and designs that we use in our bathrooms.”
“Bathroom culture is different all around the world in one way or another. Including culturally inspired features in a bathroom can add comfort and beauty. Due to this, it is beneficial to understand how one can implement some of the best aspects of different trends into the bathroom environment.”
Universal Design vs Personalisation
Washrooms are very functional spaces; they have to cater to all age groups from 2-100 years. “However, when we are keeping in mind designing for the older generation, we do make provisions to ensure that it does become anti-skid, have anti-slip mats, adequate grab bars and bath seats for the support system. Right colour and lighting is also an important aspect for both younger and older generations,” explains Rupande.
According to her, Universal Design is the ultimate blend of aesthetics and function for those without or with special needs. In universal design, it’s important that a special needs function does not make the space unusable or uncomfortable for one without the need. Universal washroom designs can easily work if you do not want to make a personalised design.
“When we design model flats and when we cater to corporate spaces, a universal washroom design is talked and thought about because it is catering to a large number of people where the client profile is not even known to us, but when we are designing a residential space, we are very interactive and collaborative with our clients and we like to understand their likes and dislikes in terms of colours, materials, functionality, and then we design each bathroom which is very personal and intimate, accordingly,” adds Rupande.