(VNF) - On November 25^th, at the Ly Thai To statue square, the Department of Civil Architecture of the National University of Civil Engineering in collaboration with ActionAid Vietnam (AAV) and Aid for social protection program Foundation Vietnam (AFV) together held an awarding ceremony for the design competition entitled “Creativity for Space in 2017”. The 2017 theme “Public WC” will help realise the policy on the use of toilets in public places that should have been recommended.

This year theme is the topic of the second annual design competition launched for students of architecture nationwide, as part of the activity within the framework of Fund for Architectural Training (FAT) raised and administered by the Department of Civil Architecture under the Faculty of Architeture and Planning.

The first prize “The Origami Colour Box” by a group of two students received award at the ceremony.

In Vietnam, AAV’s research offers alarming numbers: 87 per cent women and girls had experienced sexual harassment in public places such as streets, parks, buses and public toilets. 31.1 per cent of women and girls do not use public toilets because of the lack of clean toilet facilities.

"We have the same determination to build a safe and friendly city where people - especially women and girls - are free to work and live, access or use public services," said Nguyen Phuong Thuy, representative of ActionAid Vietnam at the ceremony.

Through this design competition, the organising board wanted to find good design concepts for public toilets in the city towards safety and user-friendliness, particularly for women and teenager girls; improve the accessibility to public toilets and sanitation for underprivileged communities and low-income groups in remote areas with hardship towards concept transfer to local community to self-satisfy their needs with all sources available; establish a database for standard public services in consideration of safety and gender sensitivity for all service providers; enhance the quality of public toilets; promote and send the messages “Action for changes” and “Stop sex violence to women and teenager girls in public places to the wider public by way of the future designers’ participation in this competition.

Hanoian youngters look at award-winning designs.

Basing on the criteria about practical functions, creativity and fine design of 59 projects received, the jury panel evaluated and selected nine most outstanding designs for the official awards given by the organising board and seven awards granted by sponsors and partners.

According to the representative of the jury, the contest aims to realise the policy recommendations on the use of toilets at public places and at the same time, connect the creative ideas of the youth with the social resources, and theoretical learning with practice through practical topics.

An exhibition for all award-winning designs will be hosted in the pedestrian zone near Hoan Kiem Lake this weekend in order to introduce the outcomes of the design competition to the public and gather feedbacks and attention from enterprises in trying to realise some of the design concepts that would bring great benefits to the community, especially women and girls./.

Minh Phuong