Tokyo Transforms Uninviting Public Restrooms Into Unique Works Of Art
Image via The Nippon Foundation
How many of us, when nature calls, would rather hold it until we get home? This inclination to stay composed extends, unsurprisingly, to the Japanese public, a community with high hygiene standards.
So to quell stereotypes of public toilets being dark, dirty, and smelly, the Shibuya City government and the Nippon Foundation have commissioned 16 globally acclaimed designers and architects to transform 17 existing restrooms into unique yet accessible artworks as part of a massive Tokyo Toilet project.
Among the newer installations is A Walk in the Woods by Kengo Kuma, which has taken over a brick public bathroom block in Nabeshima Shoto Park. With five huts clad in cedar and aligned along a stepped walkway, the structures also intertwine with the park’s lush greenery and trees, truly recreating “a walk in the woods.”
In addition, a public restroom shaped like three mushrooms in a forest finds a home at the foot of the Yoyogi Hachimangu shrine. Designed by architect Toyo Ito, the domed structures provide ample room even for the elderly and people with children, while their raised roofs invite natural light and air into the cubicles.
“I didn’t want to use public toilets as much as I could, even as a man,” shared Ito in a statement obtained by Archinect. “Therefore… I would like to try a casual design that can be used calmly and with peace of mind… I hope that the Yoyogi-Hachiman Public Toilet installed this time will be a toilet that gives women a sense of security that can be used even at night and a toilet that has an inconspicuous design and can be used casually.”
And what could be more inviting than a loved one’s home? In streetwear designer NIGO®’s interpretation, a Harajuku public bathroom sits comfortably between Tokyo’s high-rise urban buildings in the form of a house. Inspired by the traditional American house, the concrete restroom comes hatted with a tall roof for a more spacious feel.
Currently, nine out of the 17 renovated facilities are open to the public, with the entire project scheduled to be ready by March 2022.
[via HYPEBEAST, Floornature, Archinect, Dezeen, images via various sources]
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