18 February 2010

Hiroshima Park Restroom

An architectural anomaly is born from an everyday utility.

‘Absolute Arrows’ by Japanese architectural firm ‘Future Studio’ is a lavatory look for the future in Hiroshima.

Architect Bunzo Ogawa has created an unconventional look for the city’s public bathrooms, featuring jagged shapes and pastel hues.

Since October 2009, five of these unique facilities sitting tilted like paper aeroplanes, have been are brightening up parks and playgrounds around the town.

March will see the launch of seven other ‘Absolute arrows’, which will be followed by five new infrastructures each year, in various locations throughout the city.

Perforated walls on the east and west walls add an ornamental look to the strong geometric structures, giving the functional concrete structure a lighter look.

With plans to mass-produce the structure all over the city, each of the restrooms are formed into an arrow designed to be facing north wherever they might be placed, embedding direction in the infrastructure itself.

Walls are inclined to optimise space from the interior – north side is high, whilst the south side is low, with two separate entrances to the east and west lending flexibility to the design.

Future Studio
futurestudio.jp