Perfect Toilets is an initiative promoted by IoArch and Tork, a company specializing in professional away-from-home hygiene solutions and part of the Essity Group. The project is supported by the National Council of Architects, Planners, Landscape Architects, and Conservationists (CNAPPC), the Order of Architects of Rome, and Ala Assoarchitetti.
The initiative is curated by Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi, a renowned architecture critic and historian. All the ideas were presented during a conference at the MAXXI Museum in Rome on December 4, 2024.
Providing dignified public restrooms is a mark of civilization and a universal necessity, all the more pressing in a country like Italy, with it's aging population and status as one of the world’s top tourist destinations.
In response, seven renowned architects have each chosen a public space in an Italian city to develop their vision of the ideal public restroom—a place that merges functionality with beauty, respect, and innovation.
https://www.perfectoilets.it/
Studio Bianchi Architettura Proposal
Dal Tevere Al Tevere
Positioned at the top of the access staircases, aim to enhance the usability of the Tiber Riverbanks for sports and leisure activities—an increasingly popular trend in the heart of Rome.
These restrooms, thoughtfully equipped with multiple features—including integrated baby-changing stations, water refill points, kiosks offering food and personal hygiene products, and emergency call buttons—become not just functional spaces but scenic viewpoints over the river. Their innovative LCD nanopolymer coating transforms them into exhibition galleries and multifunctional beacons, adding a touch of modern elegance to the urban landscape.
Designed primarily for those who frequent the riverbanks, yet positioned at higher elevations to avoid flooding and to accommodate the city’s sewage network, these public facilities also include stairlifts, ensuring accessibility for all. With a focus on "design-for-all," they seamlessly blend practicality, inclusivity, and architectural sophistication.
The structure is composed of slender pillars forming a delicate metallic skeleton. The floor and ceiling are supported by beams, while a double bracing system anchors them securely to the embankment walls.
Crafted from stainless steel and smart-film digital glass, the cladding offers an intelligent duality: full transparency that invites curious gazes when the restroom is unoccupied, and complete opacity that ensures privacy when in use. This smart film also transforms into a dynamic canvas, showcasing digital artworks that come alive with light and motion, elevating the space into an ever-changing gallery of modern creativity while providing illumination and a sense of security during the night.
