Marc Newson has recently unveiled his latest creation, a public toilet located in Tokyo's Shibuya district. The toilet is part of THE TOKYO TOILET initiative, which called upon several renowned architects and designers including Tadao Ando, Fumihiko Maki, and Shigeru Ban to design public restrooms throughout Tokyo in preparation for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. Newson's toilet is the latest addition to the project; it is also the only contribution to come from a designer not based in Japan.

Perched beneath an overpass and surrounded by two roads, the Urasando toilet site posed an unusual challenge. Amid the busy location, Newson wanted the structure to trigger feelings of comfort, familiarity and peacefulness, and for it to be a useful and welcoming space for locals and visitors alike. He thus incorporated elements of traditional Japanese architecture and craft in his design, such as a stone wall and a copper Minoko roof, often found in shrines, temples, and tearooms in rural areas.

The main body of the structure is made of concrete, a material that is used more nobly and refinedly in Japan than in other parts of the world. The aging of these concrete walls and the patina of the copper roof will allow the structure to blend in with its surroundings over time, 'so it becomes part of the fabric of Tokyo', explains Newson.

'The Tokyo Toilet' by Marc Newson.

The copper roof on Marc Newson's toilet.

'My design for the Toilet focuses on functionality, simplicity, and creating an inviting and enduring space'
- Marc Newson

Inside the maisonette-toilet, a pale blue-green finish dominates the walls and floors, creating an environment that feels bright, safe, calm and cool. Fitted with TOTO fixtures and hardwearing materials, the toilet places an emphasis on hygiene and modernity. Its luminescent aesthetic resembles that of a spaceship - a stark contrast to the traditional look of the toilet from outside. 'It is important to me that the toilet feels trustworthy and honest inside and out: the bright interior is seamlessly and hygienically finished in a monochromatic green, one of my favourite colours', said Newson.

'The Tokyo Toilet' by Marc Newson, by night.

The Urasando public toilet is located at 4-28-1 Sendagaya.
Photography courtesy Marc Newson and The Nippon Foundation.

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