08/06: Tokyo Nabeshima Shoto Park Public Toilet
Designer: Kengo Kuma (Architect, born 1954. Established Kengo Kuma & Associates in 1990. Renowned for his innovative use of wood and other natural materials, Kuma has numerous projects worldwide. In 2021, he founded the Kengo Kuma Foundation, a public interest organization offering scholarships.)
Nabeshima Shoto Park, with its spring-fed pond and dense, forest-like greenery, inspired the architect to design a facility that blends seamlessly into its natural surroundings. Instead of a single box-like structure, five small toilet huts are scattered throughout the park, connected by a path called Mori no Komichi (“forest trail”). An infant toilet is placed at the top of the path. The huts’ exterior walls are clad in randomly angled cedar louvers made from Yoshino cedar sourced from Nara Prefecture, a material prized for its tight growth rings and durability.