Artistic toilet decor wanted

Waipa mountain bike carpark is getting new facilities, and Rotorua artists are being invited to send in their designs for the toilets.

Rotorua artists are being invited to send in their designs to help decorate toilets at the new Waipa mountain bike carpark.

The Rotorua District Council is asking artists to submit expressions of interest for eight internal screen designs to be integrated into the new toilet and shower building under construction at the Waipa mountain bike carpark.

The new facility will feature 12 toilets, including provision for disabled users, and four showers with changing room space.

The building will also provide an iconic entranceway into the Whakarewarewa Forest with cycle pathways for entering the forest through the middle of the building and over the roof line.

The art screens will need to be constructed from all-weather robust material that allows privacy without compromising visual safety. Each panel must fit within a concrete block opening with dimensions of 2200mm x 1010mm.

Council community arts officer Marc Spijkerbosch said while the design brief was broad, it was hoped the selected art works would reflect the scale, location and uniqueness of the building and surrounding mountain bike area.

"We want the interior artworks to reflect the area's prominence and use by the local and international mountain bike and forest walking fraternities."

To register interest in this project, artists need to provide a brief description and preliminary visual concept for the intended artwork, a description of proposed materials and construction methods, an indication of costings and time frames and a brief CV and relevant samples.

It is expected that the completed panels will need to be supplied for installation by the end of February.

The new toilet and shower facilities are part of the council's strategy to improve public toilets across the district and follow on from the recent opening of new toilet facilities at the Redwoods Forest & Visitor Centre. They also support the council's successful joint bid, with the Home of Cycling Trust, for the National Mountain Biking Centre of Excellence to be based in Rotorua.

For an information pack, contact Marc Spijkerbosch (07) 351 8154 or email him at marc.spijkerbosch@rdc.govt.nz. Submissions close Wednesday, December 18 at 3pm.