kashiwa sato completes 'clean and safe' tokyo toilet clad in white aluminum louvers

kashiwa sato — the japanese designer known for his work with UNIQLO — has completed a public restroom as part of the ongoing tokyo toilet project. built in front of ebisu railway station in tokyo, sato’s ‘pure white toilet’ is clad in white aluminum louvers to create a clean, minimal look.

images by satoshi nagare, courtesy of the nippon foundation

‘since the toilet located beside the police box in front of the ebisu station is a neighborhood symbol that people see every day, we thought it should not be too conspicuous. the facility should be easy to enter, easy to use, and have a clean appearance that inspire the passersby to feel a little bit brighter and fresher’, explains kashiwa sato.

exterior from the police box side at night

the white aluminum louvers are spaced at 2cm intervals and the exterior shell is lifted off the ground and illuminated from below, giving the building a certain lightness. inside, there are five toilet cubicles that are open to people of any gender. sato has also designed the pictogram signs for all the tokyo toilet facilities, which feature soft, rounded forms.

a person’s shadow can be seen through the white aluminum louvers

kashiwa sato’s latest design forms part of the nippon foundation‘s larger tokyo toilet initative, which will see 17 public conveniences built across shibuya district in tokyo. to see more design-minded public toilets across the japanese capital see designboom’s dedicated page here. 

the facility stands quietly among trains, buildings, and people on the street

exterior during the day, the white design stands out against the blue sky

view from the front

toilet entrance

the rounded pictogram signs were designed by sato for all the tokyo toilet sites

each toilet cubicle is open to people of any gender

sato also designed the plate engraved with the creator’s name for each of the tokyo toilets

project info:

name: white, the tokyo toilet
location: ebisu station west exit, tokyo, japan
design: kashiwa sato
client: nippon foundation
photography: satoshi nagare