Tokyo Designers Bring Transparency to Public Restrooms ? Literally
“Inviting” and “appealing” aren’t exactly words typically associated with public restrooms. In an effort to change that perception, a Japanese architecture firm has created brightly colored, transparent restrooms for two of Tokyo?s busiest parks, turning commodes into full-fledged works of art.
Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning company Shigeru Ban Architects, the two sets of glass-walled restrooms are part of the Tokyo Toilet Project, an initiative launched by the Nippon Foundation to increase public restroom use by dispelling stereotypes that they are ?dark, dirty, smelly, and scary.” The new see-through lavatories, which become opaque when locked, were designed to address these specific issues. ?There are two things we worry about when entering a public restroom, especially those located at a park. This first is cleanliness, and the second is whether anyone is inside,? the architects explain on the project website. The transparent walls allow passers-by to judge the tidiness of the toilets without even entering. They also make it obvious if the facilities are in use or not. When a bathroom stall is locked, crystals in the tinted glass are realigned by an electric current, restricting most of the light from passing through. This creates a frosted look, giving the occupants sufficient privacy. As soon as the door is unlocked, the walls become transparent again.
Another measure of safety intersecting with art is the way the restrooms...
Source:
dornob
URL:
http://dornob.com/design/architecture/
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