Three Rivers is a free floating social arts agency located in Bexley, who steward TUMP 39, a new public green space situated in the former military area of the Royal Arsenal which has been closed for the past two decades. The space has now flourished with trees, plants, and protected wildlife. Three Rivers Bexley are setting up a local group to steward TUMP 39, and are running a two year cultural and ecological programme that reflects the needs and interests of the community.
Three Rivers came to us to construct a compost toilet to improve the accessibility of the space and to connect the local community with the soil community that exists below the surface.
We were all keen for a co-design process, but the budget was limited - we came up with the idea of a workbook, so that community members could follow their own co-design process and let us know their dreams for the toilet.
The workbook guided them to think about location - and once there, to imagine what could be...
Sit in / near your favourite location, close your eyes and imagine Tump 39 in a few months or years.... Imagine that the site is thriving, with a diversity of birds, mammals, amphibians, insects, plants and trees following your communities’ ongoing efforts to care for this land. It is offering something really special and rare to the local ecosystem, and you and your neighbours feel resourced and nourished by this place in so many ways. Take 2 minutes to close your eyes and imagine this feeling... There are lots of things you love about being here, and one of them is the toilet that you helped to design. Everything about the toilet reflects the hopes, care, life and joy of this place and its communities. Please describe this future toilet as you imagine it...
Some striking ideas from the co-design process included incorporating bug hotels into the structure, choosing wood which adds nice smells to the space, using natural materials such as a woven willow door, and having space to store found treasures.
In June and July, we built the temporary toilet with the local community, and created a care and maintenance plan together. The ongoing plan is a great example of what's possible without regular staff, as toilet users are empowered to take care of it and understand how it works.
