If you were zooming down a familiar street and suddenly saw a bunch of concrete steps floating in the street in front of you, would you hit the brakes? The strange sight would likely be enough to slow you down a bit, especially as your ‘driving brain’ perceives an obstacle and instinctively reacts. Officials in the small Icelandic fishing town of Ísafjörður are counting on it with their first 3D crosswalk, intended to reduce drivers’ speeds on the narrow street.

They've painted this 3D effect zebra crossing in Iceland to slow traffic and it seems to be working pic.twitter.com/G14fHSlNUc

— Chris Choi (@Chrisitv) October 20, 2017

When you’re approaching the optical illusion crosswalk, your brain perceives it as a 3D object well before you actually cross it, preventing panicked brake-slamming. The illusion is only effective from one direction, though (and when looking at it from above.)

Inspired by similar projects instituted in Russia, China and India, the crosswalk by road painting company Vegmálun GÍH is fully permitted, and street painters had to practice 3D painting a lot before they put it in place. These ‘optical speed bumps’ not only encourage drivers to slow down (in theory), but also call attention to pedestrian crossing points, potentially making them a little safer.

So, do illusions like these actually work? That’s debatable. In cities like Beijing, where traffic tends to be a chaotic free-for-all, officials say they’re helping, and that at the very least, they can keep pedestrians visually occupied until the light changes so they don’t jaywalk. Critics of the technique say local drivers will disregard the effect after the first time, which may be true, but at least it’ll garner a reaction from visitors.

Little architectural effort is typically spent on public restrooms – they’re perfunctory, with looks reflecting embarrassment about the functions carried out within. But they’re a necessary part of every city, and, as some architects have proven, they can stand as impressive landmarks, conversation pieces and works of public art.

Kumutoto Toilets by Studio Pacific

These two headless dinosaur things in Wellington are actually – believe it or not – public restrooms. Studio Pacific architects took their inspiration from “the crusty saltiness of the sea” in the nearby harbor, comparing the structures to crustaceans or sea creatures, though they call to mind armored slugs. Each one has a concrete base containing one accessible public toilet, while the cantilevered appendages provide natural ventilation.

Don’t Miss a Sec Restroom by Monica Bonvicini

We’ve all had this nightmare: needing to use the restroom, and having no place to go but in front of a room full of people. Artist Monica Bonvicini has recreated that feeling, but without actually requiring indecent exposure, with a glass cube restroom outside London’s Tate Britain gallery. The work, called Don’t Miss a Sec, is based on prison bathrooms. It’s mirrored on the outside, but from inside, it feels like you’re on display.

Public Toilet Proposal by FAT

In the Victorian and Edwardian eras, British public toilets were the best in the world, and a matter of civic pride. The Royal Institute of British Architects sought to revive that tradition with a challenge for architects to design outlandish restrooms that could stand as “a center piece for urban regeneration and to ultimately improve people’s lives.” Does FAT’s decapitated Hercules head do that? The answer is subjective, but it’s certainly an eye-catcher. The architects are presumably being a little cheeky when they say, “It is hoped that Hercules will inspire those who enter to conjure up whatever strength they require to complete their transactions within. Inside will be a view of the sky through an oculus in Hercules’ truncated neck.”

Gravesend Public Toilets by Plastik Architects

The Gravesend Public Toilets features a pointy prow rising up into the sky as a ‘minor landmark’ for public convenience, as requested by the local council. The toilet likes along a new public footpath linking the heart of the town to public park land, and is shaped according to the topography and geometry of the site.

Hiroshima Park Restrooms by Future Studio

A colorful series of structures located throughout the city of Hiroshima are public restrooms inspired by origami cranes. The concrete facilities are dotted with round ventilation holes and acrylic windows to let in air and sunshine. There are seventeen in all, each one pointing in the same direction, with the entrance moved to various sides as needed at specific sites.

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Rad Restroom Designs 15 Actually Awesome Public Potties

Making the most of limited living space requires modular solutions that can be moved around and altered at will, and that includes bathroom fixtures. Smart, compact modular or all-in-one bathroom solutions add extra luxuries to tiny rooms, rather than taking them away, making room for tubs, saunas, spacious vanities and storage along with necessities like toilets and sinks. Here are 15 intriguing space-saving bathroom concepts.

Fold-Up Bathtub

Few people in small urban apartments are lucky enough to have a bathtub. But that kind of relaxing amenity would be more possible if more bathtub designs resembled this one. Designer Dominik Chojnacki envisions a fold-up tub that nestles up against the wall when not in use. Too bad it doesn’t double as a shower for ultimate adaptability.

‘Oneself’ For the Person Who Lives Alone

In a one-room apartment where privacy isn’t a problem, perhaps something like this would work (though it would be better if it was at least partially walled off): a gridded wall that opens to reveal a sink, toilet and shower along with storage for towels and other items.

Super-Compact Flight Concept

This modular all-in-one bathroom concept combines a shower, sink, tub and vanity in one compact unit. A portion of the ‘Flight’ cabinet folds down to become an elevated bathtub.

Bathroom on a Wall

Here’s another concept that hides bathroom fixtures in a wall so they’re out of the way when not in use. Each panel of the Fluid Wall has identical hidden mounting points so various components can be swapped out as desired by the user including sinks, toilets, shelves and storage.

Space-Saving Tulip Shower

The Tulip Shower is an actual dual-usage, fold-up fixture that serves as a shower when standing or a tub when laying down. It looks sort of like a futuristic space pod full of high-powered massagers and underwater jets. The back surface of the shower provides a space to lean against when you’re lounging in the tub.

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Small Space Design 15 Fold Up All In One Bathrooms

We spend at least one-third of our lives in our bedrooms and bathrooms, yet the design of these essential domestic spaces is nearly always an afterthought. But smart, sleek design can transform an otherwise bland room into a relaxing space that packs in as many features as possible without visual clutter. Instant lofts, bedroom tree houses and bathrooms that unfold like origami to reveal their components are just a few of the 12 beautiful bathroom and bedroom design and décor ideas that follow.

Hanging Bedroom in a Box

Those living in small spaces have to be creative about dividing up the space, but putting up screens only gets you so far. This ingenious solution is an entire loft bedroom that securely hangs from the ceiling, providing a sleeping space that makes use of high ceilings. Positioned as it is within this particular room, the loft still leaves enough room for adults to stand up beneath it, but is low enough to easily walk into from the elevated portion of the space. The back surface of the loft could even be used as a movie screen.

High-Tech Futuristic Bathroom Design

At first glance, this bathroom appears to be incredibly simple – a ceiling-mounted showerhead and a slatted wooden floor in a large, empty room. But there’s much more to this elegant, minimalist space than meets the eye. The floor opens up to reveal what lies literally just beneath the surface – a set of benches on either side of a luxurious tub.

Awesome Bedroom Treehouse for Kids

What kid doesn’t love a treehouse, especially one you can sleep in? This loft bedroom design for kids not only expands the usable space in the room, making use of an upper corner that would normally be empty, but it’s incredibly fun, too.

Modular Portable Bathroom for Small Spaces

While porta-johns aren’t exactly coveted additions to modern homes, this modular portable bathroom by Fernando Silva has many of the bells and whistles small-space dwellers want. It fits a commode, shower, scale, fan and sink with mirror into one simple portable package in customizable designs.

Simple Loft Bedroom Design Idea

Homes with open floor plans are bright and versatile, but what about privacy when it comes time to turn out the lights? This lofted mini-bedroom idea sections off a little bit of space, putting a bed on an elevated platform and leaving plenty of storage space underneath it.

Transforming Modular Bathroom Design

Imagine the space that could be saved in a bathroom if every fixture – from the shower to the toilet – was hidden behind a wall. This modular bathroom design features pull-out fixtures that can easily be tucked away when they’re not needed.

Space-Saving Furniture Creates Instant Loft

How much function can you possibly pack (comfortably) into a tiny room? These incredible furniture sets, including this instant loft with a bed, desk, storage space and closet, fit an astonishing amount of utility into the smallest of spaces. In terms of aesthetics and materials, these designs are best for children and teens, but the concept could easily be applied to adult rooms as well.

Sleek, Luxurious Black Bathroom

Who says bathrooms have to be filled with cold, shiny white surfaces? This bathroom design goes against the grain with exotic dark hardwoods and the curving, ergonomic shapes of Morphosis high-end bathroom fixtures. The design of the steam shower in particular is anything but the expected, with a sloping wooden seat that’s both comfortable and beautiful.

Bedroom-in-a-Box Design

It’s pretty amazing how many items of furniture designers can pack into a relatively small package, as in this colorful all-in-one room-in-a-box. A trunk unfolds to reveal a desk, bed, wardrobe, shelves and storage boxes – perfect for travelers or just for living a bit more lightly.

Modular, Mobile, Transforming Bathroom Fixture Set

Another space-saving solution for bathrooms is this rather futuristic-looking column of compact fixtures, including lights, a sink, storage space and a toilet. Since the components rotate out, they’re easy to access but tuck out of the way when not needed.

All-in-One Children’s Bedroom & Playroom Set

H20 Architects came up with a brilliant way to divide up a small children’s room shared by a baby and a young boy: a central wall that provides privacy on both sides, but also serves as an interactive play space and storage. It incorporates twists and turns, stairs, cubby holes and a loft – much more fun than a simple wall would have been.

Integrated Bathroom Interior & Fixture Design

For a minimalist, there’s nothing more unsightly than a jumble of components like pipes muddling up an otherwise great design. This series of ultra-modern bathroom fixtures eliminates visual clutter, with sleek white and glass bathtubs, lights and other bathroom elements that fit together seamlessly for the ultimate in simplicity.