Hut with the Arc Wall by Tato Architects
A shelter with a single curved wall sits beneath a shade canopy in this restroom by Japanese architecture firm Tato Architects for visitors to the Setouchi Triennale, an art festival on Shodoshima Island. The architect designed the restroom to mimic the shapes of local soy sauce factories, where large cedar barrels are contained inside timber warehouses.
Zhejiang Public Toilets, Jinhua Architecture Park
These curious structures look more like sculptures than restrooms, as fitting for their location at Jinhua Architecture Park. The bending tube shape provides ventilation and natural lighting while providing privacy.
Aurland Public Toilets by Saunders Arkitektur & Wilhelmsen Arkitektur
Have you ever seen a public restroom with a view this beautiful? This one is part of the Aurland Overlook in Norway by Todd Saunders and Tommie Wilhelmsen. The lookout itself is a light, pale wood structure, while the bathrooms reflect the mountainous landscape with rock and heavy black concrete forms. The windows of the bathroom jut out over a cliff, so visitors can look out, but nobody can see in.
Roadside Rest Stop by Manthey Kula
This small rusty cabin located along one of Norway’s tourist routes is suggestive of vernacular architecture as well as the surrounding mountains, but in a way that is modern and practical for the location. Located north of the Arctic Circle, the structure replaces another public restroom that was swept away by strong winds. This one is made of welded Corten steel walls so it can stand up to weather extremes.
Perry Lakes Bathroom by Rural Studio
This striking restroom is part of the Perry Lakes Park Project carried out by Rural Studio, a hands-on university architecture program that puts students to work on projects within the community. The students designed three different ‘toilet experiences’ using materials similar to a central pavilion.
