Tokyo Toilets

The map of Shibuya, Tokyo, highlights where they all are. The five still to be completed are in grey and the other 12 already in operation are in red. These are places of essential interest to be visited and, above all, used. We are talking about 17 public toilets designed by 16 architects of international renown, who were called on to redevelop existing buildings by way of a competition set up by the Nippon Foundation with the Shibuya City Government and the Shibuya Tourism Association (which are also responsible for ongoing, daily maintenance). As far away as possible from the less salubrious areas where one might usually find such facilities, they are functional and aesthetically pleasing architectural gems at the service of locals and tourists alike. In the name of inclusion, each one has been designed with its own unique, light-hearted characteristics. Each one conceals a “manifesto” of contemporary design. Go on a journey with the directors to discover them all.