Shigeru Ban, the architect, says that the new restrooms in a park in Tokyo have "smart glass" that turns opaque when someone is inside.
Do you see someone inside that stall? I do.
Anyway, The Guardian explains that the purpose of using transparent walls, aside from inducing anxiety, is so permit people to know if a stall is unoccupied before attempting to enter:
“There are two concerns with public toilets, especially those located in parks,” it said. “The first is whether it is clean inside, and the second is that no one is secretly waiting inside.”
The glass allegedly becomes opaque after you lock the door. So don't forget to do that.
-via Dave Barry
Newest 3 Comments
You may be in a park, but it may be a relative small park in a high population density, which means that there may be no place "behind" a tree. Highly populated areas have another Eddect: assuming the expected frequency of "behind tree action" and combine it with the expected lifespan of feces, you may arrive at an amount of feces that prevent you from even considering a visit of the park. Big cities, small parks and lots of bowel movement require public toilets.
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Very nice idea. I would not hesitate to use it. Just a sinlge question is bothering me: is the fully transparent state or the opaque state of the glass the one that requires electical power? I just wonder as in case of a power failure will your on ceramic action be visible or will you be covered in opaquness?
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You're in a park. In the outdoors. Just go behind a tree.
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