5. Februar 2024
THE TOKYO TOILET, an urban renewal project realized by the Nippon Foundation, saw the construction of 17 public toilets in Shibuya. TOTO provided their expertise as a consultant and supplier for the sanitary facilities.
Japan is known as the world’s cleanest country – you’ll even notice this in the nation’s public toilets. It’s no wonder that world-renowned architects like Pritzker Architecture Prize award-winner Tadao Ando, Toyo Ito, Shigeru Ban and 13 other architects and designers accepted the Nippon Foundation’s invitation to rethink public toilets. Each of the constructed toilets is a work of art, drawing global attention to the project. The goal was to reimagine the concept of public toilets and create clean, safe spaces for everyone, whatever their age, gender or physical ability, to use anytime – day or night.
The Nippon Foundation and everyone else involved wanted to give people access to a clean, comfortable toilet in line with Japan’s well-known culture of courtesy and hospitality, or omotenashi. The aim was to create a space that was both impeccably clean and put people at ease. These facilities are designed to be inviting, safe, hygienic and easy to use. Inclusivity also plays an important role. The public toilets needed to be fully accessible to all genders as well as people with physical and visual limitations. They differ in their configurations and furnishings, chosen especially to meet the needs of elderly and pregnant people, or those with small children. In addition to their carefully curated functionalities, the toilets were each intended to be examples of outstanding design: singular, unique and welcoming.
THE TOKYO TOILET Project is now complete. Junko Kobayashi, Marc Newson, Sou Fujimoto and Miles Pennington designed the four most recently constructed facilities.
The toilet designed by Marc Newson is located next to a massive bridge pillar right under the city’s very busy no. 4 motorway. Known for his work for clients such as Louis Vuitton and Nike, the prestigious designer references traditional Japanese architecture often found in shrines, temples or rural areas with the curved copper roof. Combined with the solid, compact shape of the building, it is designed to bring calm and comfort to the hypermodern environment of this bustling metropolis. With its exposed concrete façade and the evolving patina on the copper roof, the toilet will blend into its surroundings over time. In contrast, details like the rounded corners of the cube, doorways and warm illumination under the edges of the roof give this structure a harmonious, even cosy feel. To emphasize the cleanliness and safety of the space, Marc Newson designed the entire interior as a smooth, seamless surface in light turquoise. In addition to TOTO WASHLET, the toilet includes a child’s seat and special stoma care equipment.
Design professor Miles Pennington collaborated with DLX Design Lab at the University of Tokyo to completely reimagine the public toilet. It’s prominently situated at the intersection of three streets. Its function as a toilet takes a backseat to the multifunctional community space, which can be used for exhibitions, as a pop-up kiosk, information centre or outdoor cinema. It’s possible to connect the bollards driven into the ground with wood planks to create a variety of different seating arrangements. Pennington hopes that bringing this space to life with other features and possibilities can keep this public toilet from going unused and falling into disrepair, as has been the case with so many others.
The individual toilet cabins are located on three sides of the partially covered outdoor public space of the all-white building. There are two fully accessible gender-neutral toilets equipped with TOTO WASHLET, changing tables and child’s seats, as well as another with urinals.
International architect Sou Fujimoto designed a public space with access to water – a fountain in the city. The brilliant white, curved building has an open, oval-shaped courtyard with handwashing stations and drinking water fountains at different heights for children, adults and people in wheelchairs to use. There’s space here for people to meet and have conversations, even if they don’t use the toilet. Fujimoto reinterpreted this traditional concept of a meeting place at a town’s watering hole to go beyond a simple public toilet. The white interiors and façade reflect cleanliness and hygiene, especially when it comes to maintenance. TOTO and the Nippon Foundation are constantly improving the cleaning techniques for all facilities in THE TOKYO TOILET Project. The city of Shibuya will be responsible for maintaining them starting in spring 2024.
For an overview of all toilet pavilions, please see: https://tokyotoilet.jp/en/
Düsseldorf, December 2023
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TOTO brings luxury to bathroom culture, creating innovations that deliver the ultimate in design, comfort and hygiene without revealing the sophisticated technology integrated within. Japan’s leading supplier of bathroom products, TOTO develops comprehensive solutions for high-end private and public spaces around the world, including the European market since 2009. The company is shaping bathroom design with innovative sanitary ware, faucets, and, most importantly, WASHLET – selling over 70 million worldwide. TOTO’s Japanese design philosophy reflects a respect for others. It centres on people and their needs, inspiring intuitive, easy-to-use products and elegantly understated designs. TOTO shows this same respect for the environment, developing water-saving technologies that help conserve resources while pursuing its sustainability strategy in internationally recognised initiatives like Climate Group RE100 and the Science Based Targets Initiative.