2023 Winners > Winners of Malaysia

1st Prize

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Title: Changing & Care, Multi Function - Convenient - Safety

Name: Grace Wong Jing Yee

School: Taylor's University

What is the inspiration for your design?
My design was inspired by my grandmother, we live with her. But we always faced the issue when using the toilet, especially during morning time. My house only has two bathrooms in total, one attached to the master bedroom and another shared with the other three bedrooms. I notice that Grandma urinates a little too frequently, and it causes us problems taking turns using the toilet. In that case, I started to think about the solution, which is to divide all the activities so that we won't affect each other while doing the washing. At the same time, the elderly's safety is the priority, so I made an effort to design the space, with separated parts.

How does the design fulfill the need of the target user?
As mentioned above, the bathroom was designed for a multigenerational family. My design considered safety, function, convenience, and also multifunction. I focus on safety and convenience for the ELDERLY, which includes safety ramps, foldable seats, a hand shower, a smart toilet, and handles all around the wet area's wall. For KIDS, I provided a sink so that they don’t need to climb on a stool to brush their teeth. For the ADULTS, the sink has been separated from the toilet, so they are able to use it even though someone else is using the bathroom.

How does the design fulfill the design challenge?
The design combines multi-function and ease-of-use for children and the elderly. At the same time, it won't trouble our daily lives. When designing for a multigenerational user, it is difficult; to make it easier, list each of the user's requirements, which are then combined at the end to make it simple and easy to understand. The layout of the bathroom is planned to be connected with the elder’s bedroom (the parent’s bedroom), because they are inconvenient to move. The bathroom is planned to be in the middle of the house, so that it is easy to access for everyone from every different space.

How does the choice of products contribute to the purpose of the design?
The products are chosen based on their function and convenience. For example, in the toilet PLAT series, I chose the Plat 4/6l Smart Toilet because it has an auto seat and cover. Only two smart toilets have this feature, which is very convenient for the family, especially the elderly, because they don't have to bend down to open the cap. Furthermore, the signature series of products was used in the design to provide a high-quality visual style, as well as a more rounded shape that provides user safety. Another addition to the shower area is the separation of the hand shower and shower head, allowing thehand shower to be installed on the lower level for the elders to sit and shower. All of the buttons are designed to be simple and easy to use for the entire family, as they include auto temperature adjustment.