Ureddplassen beach is known as the best place to watch the northern lights. And as a memorial, dedicated to the memory of the crew of the submarine "Uredd", which sank here during the Second World War.
Photo: Steinar Skaar
The embankment was designed by Haugen/Zohar Arkitekter (HZA) studio architects from Oslo. They created an amphitheater of concrete steps that descend to the surf, installed red marble benches on the upper tier, and extended the path north, where a wave of poured concrete rises against the stark Nordic landscape, concealing a public toilet for tourists. However, hiding is not quite the right word. The building, which glows matte in the polar night, in addition to creating comfortable conditions for travelers, works as a ... lighthouse.
Photo: Steinar Skaar
"We are very pleased with the result - we managed to emphasize the unique qualities of the landscape, as the architects planned," said Steinar Skaar, Helgelandskysten route manager
The architecture of small forms, in particular public toilets, has long been an opportunity for self-expression both for large architectural bureaus and for young architects. For example, the Royal Institute of British Architects RIBA in 2009 in honor of its 175th anniversary held a competition for the best design of public toilets, and in 2014 this topic was raised as part of London Design Week.
During the XNUMXth century, the architecture of public toilets was dominated by modernist aesthetics — white, functional and utilitarian structures symbolized modernist values of hygiene and cleanliness. But at the beginning of the XNUMXst century, architects realized that by developing the technological qualities of toilets, you can also develop their exterior, turning them into something more than a minimalist box for comfortable solutions to urgent needs, shyly hidden somewhere in a secluded corner. And here are just a few examples of recent years that prompt us to declare: public toilets can be the decoration of public spaces.
Toilet rock from Fortunen
Photo: Vidar Herre. Source: Fortunen
This toilet, suspended over the mountain river Storlvi, is located near the Norwegian waterfall Skjerfossen. The architects of the Fortunen studio developed the project as a "tactful intervention in the landscape". The angular "rock" shape and decoration of the facade with slabs of local stone transforms the retreat into a harmonious element of the natural landscape.
Photo: Vidar Herre. Source: Fortunen
While inside, visitors to the washroom can watch the raging flow of the river through a transparent panel in the floor.
Photo: Vidar Herre. Source: Fortunen
Toilet on the cliff by Invisible Studio
Photo source: Invisible Studio
A fire in the depths of the forest - this toilet, designed as a model structure from recycled materials, is located in the forest near the English city of Bath. It was built by the architects of Invisible Studio, which specializes in environmentally friendly wooden buildings.
Photo source: Invisible Studio
Perched on stilts above a steep slope on the grounds of the Invisible Studio, the toilet has a dark shell of fiber cement panels and a bright red polycarbonate door that makes it look like an old lantern.
"Rusty" toilet by Miro River Architects
Photo: Paul Bardagjy
A monumental structure made of rusted metal plates in a public park in Austin, Texas, USA, has the appearance of a modern art installation.
Photo: Paul Bardagjy
Architect Miro River spirally installed 49 panels of steel with a natural patina, forming a separate toilet cubicle and an open space with a washbasin. The interiors of the toilet are no less spectacular, especially the roof with sculptural cutouts.
Photo: Paul Bardagjy
Green box from M2 Senos
Photo: Nelson Garrido
The emerald pigtail tiles and strict orthogonal forms of a public toilet in a cemetery in the municipality of Ilhão in Portugal, designed by local studio M2 Senos, transform it into an integral part of the surrounding landscape. The building is slightly raised on a concrete podium paved with marble mosaic.
Photo: Nelson Garrido
For facing the facade, the architects chose a color that duplicates the color of the lawns. In addition, green harmonizes with the decoration of the neighboring building - the ancient chapel.
Mirror House by Rural Urban Framework
Image source: Rural Urban Framework
The mirrored ceramic tiles used by Hong Kong studio Rural Urban Framework to cover the facades of a school toilet in the village of Mulan, near Guangzhou, were used to make the building invisible.
However, the effect turned out to be exactly the opposite. The mirror tiles gave the building the appearance of a brilliant crystal, the faces of which create thousands of reflections, and inspired the architects to continue the reconstruction.
Rural Urban Framework
Designers used tiles to decorate the elementary school building and playground fences. The ensemble gives Mulan's school a "shiny" look.
"Curved" toilets from Fox Johnston
Photo: Brett Boardman
The reconstruction of public toilets on the Sydney beach brought the Australian studio Fox Johnston world fame - the project was presented at the World Architecture Festival in 2014, and the architect Fox Johnston received a wish from the authorities to "continue in the same spirit" and an order for a similar project.
The curved shapes of the beach toilets repeat the contours of the coastline. The wooden slats are set at an angle, which makes the buildings seem transparent from the inside, but provides sufficient privacy when viewed from the outside.
Photo: Brett Boardman
The section with showers open from the beach side is decorated with metal panels that continue the rhythmic series, but stand out with their brutal appearance.
Origami by Shuhei Endo
Image credit: Shuhei Endo
The architects of the Japanese studio Shuhei Endo achieved a striking visual effect by simply covering the orthogonal white buildings of the women's and men's toilets with steel sheeting. They used the same sheets, but folded at an angle, as supports. Under the force of gravity, the steel roof sags in the center, rising to the edges like the roof of a pagoda.
Image credit: Shuhei Endo
Sea Prawns by Studio Pacific Architecture
Photo: Patrick Reynolds
The toilets at Synergy Square on the waterfront of the New Zealand city of Wellington, created by Studio Pacific Architecture, have become a local landmark and a separate point in tourist routes. Sculptural forms of cinnabar-colored concrete and metal resemble giant shrimps or crayfish.
Photo: Patrick Reynolds
Their cantilevered "tails" are ducts that provide exceptional ventilation of the premises. Standing out against the background of the surrounding linear buildings, toilets attract the attention of passers-by.
Golden Lantern by Gort Scott
Photo: David Grandorge
Architect Jay Gort of Gort Scott is sure that public toilets are worth being a pride of citizens. He "dressed" the retreat on a busy street near Wembley Stadium in London in a shell of perforated golden aluminum, which makes its walls transparent.
"On a sunny day, the reflectivity and golden hue of the panels accentuate the faceted forms, while at night the building transforms into an elegant lantern," says Hort.
The plinth of the building is made of white marble, and two flower beds with marble borders complement the buildings, turning them into a modest but spectacular architectural ensemble.
Photo: David Grandorge
