THE TOKYO TOILET PROJECT

Posted by Jonny Wright,
November 16, 2020

I know what you’re thinking. Public toilets can often be a thing of nightmares, but a group of architects in Tokyo are here to change our perception.

Toilets are considered a symbol of Japan’s world-renowned hospitality culture (in case you didn’t know). So a team of world renowned and revolutionary architects came together for The Tokyo Toilet Project, by the Nippon Foundation. The foundation is working with the local government to deploy two of Japan’s national strengths – devotion to cleanliness and design.

One the most eye-catching designs has to be the transparent toilet block in Shibuya Park. “There are two things we worry about when entering a public restroom, especially those located at a park,” according to architect, Shigeru Ban’s firm. “The first is cleanliness, and the second is whether anyone is inside.” It is worth mentioning that the walls turn completely opaque once the door is locked, but being able to see inside the toilet reassures the user they can expect a clean and safe number 1 (or 2.)

Public toilets will be redesigned in 17 locations throughout Shibuya with the help of 16 creators invited from around the world. You can learn more about the project here.