Concept

Creating a Place Where Ji Ai (Compassionate Love) Circulates

This project envisions a bio-toilet that achieves complete water circulation by utilizing EMBC technology—complex fermentation by microorganisms—to purify human waste into drinkable water.

The form of Wa Chigai, composed of two overlapping circles, symbolizes co-creation and represents the cyclical process of waste and purification.

Within the natural cycles of water, light, earth, and roots, the architecture gently merges with the environment, constructed from biodegradable and recycled materials.

From the opening between the overlapping Wa Chigai roofs, light pours in—signifying the connection between people.
Like the unseen roots of water lilies that intertwine underground, this place quietly nurtures and connects all beings.

Though it is a toilet, it also serves as a space of contemplation—offering a tranquil moment to encounter Ji Ai, a Japanese concept of compassionate, unconditional love that embraces all living things.

Adaptable in size and specification depending on use and context, this version includes a universal-access toilet unit and a separate tank structure. The toilet is finished with earthen walls, and the tank structure is clad in cedar boards.

This system proved effective during the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, having been used in evacuation centers.

The number of units and roof configuration can be customized to fit budget requirements.

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© Photos, Drawings / Tono Mirai architects

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