MAINDEE TRIANGLE
The challenge: how could the community of Maindee, an inner-city neighbourhood in Newport, reopen and maintain essential public toilet services?
Image courtesy of Maindee Unlimited
The closure of Maindee’s public toilets in 2017 was been a blow for shoppers and traders in the local shopping centre, and to people living nearby. It deepened inequality - disadvantaging the people who rely on public toilets, and was leading to anti-social behaviour. Maindee Unlimited with architects KHBT started a creative process to develop design ideas. Creativity was key in re-engaging local people with a site which had suffered long-term degeneration and was impacted by negative perceptions of street drinking and drug taking. Artists were commissioned to create events and projects on the site, in order to develop positive associations, new memories of the space and expand the perception of what is possible. This eventually led to the asset transfer of the site from Newport City Council to Maindee Unlimited and funding was secured from the Welsh Government and the National Lottery in order to create a fully renovated and landscaped community café, community garden and public toilet.
More information here: Case Study: Maindee Triangle, Newport - Design Commission for Wales (dcfw.org)
