Toilet Time

Until now the use of the Folly has been severely limited by the lack of on-site toilet, wash facilities and sheltered outdoor space.

“I’m one of those people who have had to leave sessions early in order to use the toilet at home. The Folly is such a local landmark and much loved. It’s an ideal community venue for community events, but its use has been really limited. It would be great to offer the venue to everyone.” – Participant, The Form of Clouds

The inclusion of onsite toilets will increase accessibility and comfort for participants. We will not only be able to increase session times but be more ambitious in session content. 

The inclusion of a toilet will help secure the long-term future of the building through a more expansive community and visitor offer such as concerts, exhibitions, festivals, health and wellbeing activities, celebration events.

CAPITAL WORKS _ DETAIL

The toilet has been designed by the Architecture Social Enterprise, Studio Polpo. The new structure sits between the boundary walls and the brick base of the Folly and is designed as a lightweighttimber framed structure that does not take any load from the existing building.

A butterfly roof allows rainwater to be taken to a re-positioned existing gully or diverted to water-butts for use outside and reads as a lighter, independent element as opposed to a lean-to.

The new roof sits above the folly window and this wall are left exposed, with the wall of the structure to the north and west lined internally in bespoke ceramic tiles, co-produced as part of an engagement program and workshops run by Re. Future.

GROUNDWORKS

The groundworks posed a significant challenge for the loo. We are situated new to the Edgbaston Waterworks Tower, the main water-pumping station for Birmingham. We are consequently connected to large pipes at 4.5 meters deep. This is bigger than a double decker bus! The folks from Wilkinson Environmental were fab!

We also worked with Sundragon Pottery Studios to design a series of tiles for the toilet, hand built from scratch with the local community.

The build has been a very difficult process, but we are nearly there! The toilet will be ready for action in autumn 2024 and we look forward to sharing it with you!

With thanks to our brilliant funders who have been wonderfully supportive through this process.

Severn Trent Community Fund

Asda foundation

Children in Need

Birmingham City Council

Coronavirus Support HLF

Ibstock Bricks