Zoo loos: as a building type, public lavatories are generally not regarded as memorable architecture, but these modest loos at a Tokyo zoo are bright, decent and civilized. (Design Review).Although they might be a test of ingenuity for architects, public lavatories are frequently a test of will for users. Yasumitsu Matsunaga was asked to design a set of conveniences for Tama Zoological Park in Tokyo, which aimed to dispel stereotypes of dankness dank adj. dank·er, dank·est Disagreeably damp or humid. See Synonyms at wet. [Middle English, probably of Scandinavian origin. and general mediocrity. The zoo is spread over a lush rolling park in the city's western suburbs Western Suburbs (Wests) is the premier soccer club in Wellington, New Zealand and current holders of the Chatham Cup. The 2005 season was particularly successful for the club with the First Team claiming the Central League championship and the Reserve side gaining promotion to the . Occupying a site near the insect house, the new loo is a compact, sculptural pavilion enclosed and shaded by a translucent glass roof. Shaped like a slightly distorted semi-circle, the flat roof is supported by slim tubular steel columns so that it appears to hover lightly over the solid structure below. Enclosed by walls of smooth fairfaced concrete, cubicles are provided for both traditional Japanese squatting and Western sitting lavatorial lavatorial Adjective characterized by frequent reference to excretion: lavatorial humour modes. Columns are attached to the walls by a system of horizontal tensile wires, so as to brace the entire structure against earthquake forces. This reinforcement also helps to resist the unusually heavy snow and wind loads that affect the site. The concrete walls are largely unadorned, but in places are tinted tint n. 1. A shade of a color, especially a pale or delicate variation. 2. A gradation of a color made by adding white to it to lessen its saturation. 3. A slight coloration; a tinge. 4. dull pink or blue and clad in horizontal slats of dark tropical hardwood. (The pink is used to distinguish the female loos from the blue male ones.) Welcoming, elegant and robust, the lavatories add to the man-made landscape of the park. They also join a growing lineage of distinguished conveniences that include CZWG's now legendary loocum-flowershop in London's Westbourne Grove Westbourne Grove is a retail road running across Notting Hill, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It runs from Kensington Park Road in the west to Queensway in the east, crossing over Portobello Road. (AR August 1993) and Shuhei Endo's lavatory in a park in Hyogo (AR October 1998); all small yet thoughtfully designed structures that civilize civ·i·lize tr.v. civ·i·lized, civ·i·liz·ing, civ·i·liz·es 1. To raise from barbarism to an enlightened stage of development; bring out of a primitive or savage state. 2. and dignify dig·ni·fy tr.v. dig·ni·fied, dig·ni·fy·ing, dig·ni·fies 1. To confer dignity or honor on; give distinction to: dignified him with a title. 2. the public realm. God is truly in the details. C. S. RELATED ARTICLE: Architect Yasumitsu Matsunaga/Modern Architecture Institute, Tokyo Project team Yasumitsu Matsunaga, Yoshitake Tajima, Wakako Shimoonda Structural engineer Norio Terakado Photographs Kohji Horiuchi |
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