【BUSINESS 2.0】Restyling the Japanese loo｜Kaifong Tour

The sanitary public bathrooms in Japan are role models for all, still, locals have found ways to take them to the next level.

The sanitary public bathrooms in Japan are role models for all, still, locals have found ways to take them to the next level. The Japanese charity Nippon Foundation initiated the Tokyo Toilet Project, inviting several famed architects (including Tadao Ando) to transform 17 public restrooms in the capital into “toilets for everyone”.

The first one unveiled in August is an intriguing transparent construction, which walls turn opaque once the door is locked. This allows monitoring of its hygiene and usage from the outside. The architect even envisions the structure as a “lantern” for the park at night, breaking the stereotypical image that public restrooms are dirty and dark. How would you revamp Hong Kong’s WCs?