The small toilet block, known as the Bread Local Amenities, was built to support and improve the amenity of the growing Bread Local Bakery, which resides in Esperance on the land of the Kepa Kurl Wudjari people. The existing site is hidden among the gum trees on a 1.3 hectare bush block, located 4 kilometres west of the Esperance Town Centre.
The existing site has a unique mix of residential and commercial land use. It contains the clients Weatherboard Farmhouse, along with the Bread Local Bakery, Bakery Sales Outlet, Large Tin Storage Sheds, Patron Outdoor Dining Area, parking and garden zones. Designing a toilet block that responds to the varied residential and commercial land uses of the bush block site drove the decisions of form, location, space activation and materiality.
The amenities are framed by a low slung, rustic steel structure. Its intent is to sit at ease between the existing rain water tanks and large Bakery storage sheds contained on the site. The steel structure uses negative space to create a walkthrough pathway, navigating patrons from the carpark, through the site, towards the Bread Local Bakery. Steel wire through the portal frame allows for the future passionfruit vines to grow up and over the canopy, creating a green entry portal to the site.
Window locations have been carefully considered to frame views of the surrounding bushland. The louvered windows can be opened up to enable natural ventilation to flow through the toilets. The large highlight windows above the entry doors and bathroom vanities allow the toilet block to maintain clear views through the building, out towards to bush beyond.
The selection of white, light filtering polycarbonate cladding to the toilet external walls provides ample amounts of natural light internally and allows the structure to gently glow in the evenings, creating an atmospheric, festive feel.
