TO the LOO! - TPSC Toilet Design Challenge

The Toronto Public Space Committee is launching a global design competition to imagine the future of public washrooms. They invite you to propose design solutions for inclusive, innovative public washrooms in Toronto.

This global design competition emphasizes the essential nature of washroom access. It brings awareness to the lack of access in the City of Toronto, while also demonstrating innovative ways to incorporate public washrooms into the public realm.​ They invite designers, architects, urban planners, and creative thinkers from around the world to reimagine the future of public washrooms in Toronto.

Despite the necessity of public washrooms, Toronto has a severe shortage, leaving many residents—particularly unhoused individuals, gig workers, families, and people with disabilities—without access to this fundamental urban infrastructure. This competition seeks bold ideas that integrate spatial justice, accessibility, sustainability, and cultural inclusion into the design of a multi-user washroom hub and single-user washroom, adaptable to different locations throughout the city.

In this competition, you are tasked with designing a network of public washrooms for the City of Toronto that includes:

• One single-user toilet (#1), washroom designed to be flexible for installation at multiple sites.
• One multi-user hub (#2) washroom sited at Dufferin King Parkette.

They have chosen Toronto’s South Parkdale neighbourhood as the site for your design, but these washrooms should be flexible enough to be sited across a large diverse city, from urban to suburban centres. Check out the design brief and participant resources for more details and specifications of the submission.

Eligibility

• This call for entries is open to all participants globally. All entries must be in English,
• There will be a non-refundable $25 CAD entry fee to participate (early bird price is $15 CAD until March 27).
• All entries must be received with payment by 11:59 PM EST on May 27, 2025 to be eligible for judging.

Prizes and Evaluation

The top three competition winners will receive a cash award, have their work published in Toronto’s Spacing Magazine and showcased along with selected entries in a public exhibition in Toronto in July 2025.

• First prize: $1,500 CAD
• Second prize: $500 CAD
• Third prize: $500 CAD

Key Dates

• Registration: March 4 – May 27 (early bird offer ends March 27)
• Submission: April 15 – May 27 2025 11:59 PM EST
• Judging: June 2025
• Results Announced: July 10 2025
• Exhibition: July 2025