Disposable Corrugated Board Toilet
An emergency sanitation concept made from corrugated cardboard.
The Challenge
Rather than improving a conventional toilet, the project began with a different question: how can people meet basic sanitation needs when permanent facilities are unavailable? The concept explored a simple, low-cost emergency toilet designed for easier transport and deployment in disaster relief and temporary shelter settings.
Materials & Constraints
Corrugated cardboard was selected as the primary material. The design needed to balance material availability, cost, transportation, and structural support while allowing the unassembled product to be stored flat. Early structural attempts proved less effective, prompting a search for a simpler supporting structure.
Structural Insight
The structural inspiration came from the intersecting dividers commonly found inside fruit boxes. By using slots and interlocking panels, simple sheets of cardboard can form an organized supporting structure. This principle was applied to the emergency toilet, using five corrugated cardboard panels to create its main support structure with fewer connecting parts.
Assembly & Use
The cardboard components can be transported flat and assembled through an interlocking system, reducing the complexity of transportation and setup. For environments without flushing facilities, the concept also explored the use of disposable liners for waste collection.
Design Prototype
The project resulted in a physical prototype of an assembly-ready emergency toilet made from corrugated cardboard. The prototype brought together the material, structural system, and intended method of use as a product concept for emergency sanitation needs.
International Design Recognition
The product received an IDEA Gold Award.
Design Participation
- Deep Involvement
- Collaborative Support
- Not Involved
- Research
- Strategy
- Concept
- Design
- CMF
- Engineering
- Production