Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban has designed two public toilets in Tokyo with transparent glass walls that become opaque when they are occupied.
Built in the city's Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park and the Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park, the pair of restrooms feature tinted-glass walls to enable those approaching to easily check whether they are in use or not.
The tinted exteriors become opaque when in use
"There are two things we worry about when entering a public restroom, especially those located at a park," Ban explained on the project's website. "The first is cleanliness, and the second is whether anyone is inside," the architect continued. "Using the latest technology, the exterior glass turns opaque when locked."
"This allows users to check the cleanliness and whether anyone is using the toilet from the outside. At night, the facility lights up the park like a beautiful lantern."
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