Ever Seen an Award-Winning Public Bathroom?

Texas has a new monument for you to visit

June 23, 2017 9:00 am

Apologies in advance, as public restrooms are not in our usual realm of coverage.

And yet presently I find myself considering various solutions and, um, roadside risks, that I’ve undertaken when there was no rest stop in sight, or equally daunting — only an outhouse.

Not a problem for this little Texas community. After Trail Foundation — a nonprofit that stewards Lady Bird Lake in Austin —surveyed the lake’s visitors about their wishes for the park, by and large the main request was updated facilities. With such an achievable goal, they took the chance to work with a local architects from Mell Lawrence to make something that was several steps up from the dingy grime that pairs so frequently with publish restrooms.

B-room (5 images)

The result: two striking entirely open air single-restroom buildings, tucked near a copse. The main materials, raw steel and board-formed concrete, will weather over time to develop a handsome patina. There’s plenty of light and fresh air, and not a bad view if you look up to where the trees reach in through the roof.

You know, in case you’re in there a while.

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