SKY NEWS



 

Glass technology has been adopted so prospective users can inspect the cleanliness of the loo - and to see if anyone is inside.

Transparent public toilets which light up "like a beautiful lantern" have been installed in Tokyo.

The see-through loos have opened in two parks in Shibuya, a commercial part of the Japanese capital which is renowned for its shopping facilities and quality of nightlife.

The toilets use coloured "smart glass" which turns opaque when they are occupied.

The glass technology has been used so people can identify whether the toilet is clean - and if anyone is currently inside.

Users have already said how, once inside the toilet, they cannot tell if the glass is opaque or not - giving them the strange feeling they are on display while spending a penny. A number of leading designers helped to create the restrooms as part of the Tokyo Toilet Project to change people's "dark, dirty, smelly and scary" perceptions of public loos.

Award-winning architect Shigeru Ban was part of the work and, in a statement on the project's website, said: "There are two things we worry about when entering a public restroom, especially those located at a park.
"The first is cleanliness, and the second is whether anyone is inside. Using the latest technology, the exterior glass turns opaque when locked.

"This allows users to check the cleanliness and whether anyone is using the toilet from the outside. At night, the facility lights up the park like a beautiful lantern." The Nippon Foundation, a non-profit charity, has overseen the project and, in a statement, said: "The use of public toilets in Japan is limited because of stereotypes that they are dark, dirty, smelly and scary.

"These public toilets are being designed by 16 leading creators, and will use advanced design to make them accessible for everyone regardless of gender, age, or disability, to demonstrate the possibilities of an inclusive society."

There are plans to open more of the transparent toilets across the same neighbourhood by next spring.