THE TOKYO TOILET, an initiative launched by the non-profit The Nippon Foundation to create save, clean, and appealing public restrooms throughout Tokyo's Shibuya ward, just completed its latest facility: Jingu-Dori Park, designed by Pritzker Prize laureate Tadao Ando, features a simple, functional layout realized in the architect's trademark elegant and minimalist formal language.
Five of the 17 planned restroom facilities, designed by Shigeru Ban, Fumihiko Maki, Masamichi Katayama/Wonderwall, and Nao Tamura, already opened to the public earlier this summer while more are expected to launch in 2021, including toilets created by Toyo Ito, Kengo Kuma, and Sou Fujimoto.
"I sought for this small architecture to exceed the boundaries of a public toilet to become a 'place' in the urban landscape that provides immense public value," Tadao Ando describes his concept. "Using this clear and simple reasoning for the concept of this structure, I chose to utilize a circle floor plan with a spanning roof and engawa. It was vital for me to make a space that was comfortable and safe."
"Visitors can move inside a cylindrical wall of vertical louvers to feel the comfort of the wind and light from the surrounding environment. A feeling of safety will be emphasized by the free and centripetal circulation which passes through to the other side. This toilet tucked away in the greenery that is Jingu-Dori Park will be known as 'Amayadori.'"
Find more THE TOKYO TOILET projects here.
5 Comments
Also, unrelated to this project, happy belated birthday, Tadao Ando! He turned 79 on September 13th.
Please stop aging.
Can someone explain the difference between the two urinals? There's a line in front of one, but seems too close to the front of the urinal to be a divider.
Grab bars probably
Interesting, and very likely. I found this in google. Thanks, monosierra.
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