Two colorful public restrooms are installed in parks in Tokyo, Japan that are fully transparent when empty, but are frosted and opaque when in use. The state-of-the-art facilities are part of a design project that sees artists and architects create custom, innovative and interesting restrooms that will fascinate and delight the public near Shibuya.
The two futuristic facilities were designed by Shigeru Ban architects as part of the Tokyo Toilet project and are located at Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park and Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park. With vibrant reds, oranges and pearls as well as blues and greens, the toilets are striking and peculiar, and are well lit and transparent when empty. The exterior walls are constructed of a special glass that is immediately opened when the key is turned, giving privacy to the user. Unlike a nice public amenity, the toilet serves a secondary function of creating atmosphere as the sun goes down. “At night, it becomes a toilet that lights up the park like a beautiful paper lantern,” the architectural firm said.
The Tokyo Toilet project has seen 16 makers come up with ideas for 17 public restrooms for the Shibuya area. The first three toilets opened in early August for public use, the third of which was flanked by a series of concrete walls installed with bright lights in Ebisu Park.
“Japan is known as one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Even public toilets have a higher standard of hygiene than in much of the rest of the world. However, the use of public toilets in Japan is limited due to stereotypes that they are dark, dirty, smelly and scared. To dispel these misunderstandings regarding public restrooms, the Nippon Foundation has decided to renovate public restrooms in Shibuya. In addition to the construction, we have arranged for ongoing maintenance so that people will feel comfortable using these public toilets and foster a spirit of hospitality for the next person, ”said the Nippon Foundation.
A map of the toilets has been made available on the official website of the Tokyo Toilet project.
