Furthermore: Where the Headlines Take You

Toilets, Public and (Ahem) Private

For many years, public toilets have been a major issue of concern in downtown Portland. In a livable city, bathroom proponents argue, no one should have to hold it for too long. Last year, Mayor Tom Potter opened bathrooms in City Hall to public use 24 hours a day in response to continuing concerns about a dearth of public bathrooms. But critics said there still weren't enough options, and city officials agreed. So this week, the city's Water Bureau opened a prototype "Portland Loo" near the Greyhound bus station!

Portland's newest public toilet has lots of mod features – LED lights powered by a solar panel on the roof, bullet-proof walls, and more. And it's got me thinking about potties – over the years I've encountered a surprising number of interesting books and zines about bathrooms and toilets, and I thought this would be an appropriate time to share a few of them with you. Read and enjoy!

First, glossy pictures! Cristina del Valle Schuster's Public Toilet Design: From Hotels, Bars, Restaurants, Civic Buildings and Businesses Worldwide is like a tour of restroom chic. Fancy bathrooms from all corners of the globe highlighting technological innovation, luxe detailing, and glamorous design solutions. Leafing through the book is a bit like a taking a low-budget tour of upper class restrooms – the pictures are appealing, but unsettling at the same time.

If you're more interested in people's experiences with public restrooms, check out Xploited #002: The Public Restrooms Issue, edited by Kathleen Neves. Nine contributors share stories, facts and observations about the secret culture of ladies' rooms, long lines for the bathroom at concerts, bathroom graffiti, the job of bathroom attendants, and many other toilet-related subjects. My favorite, though, are the reviews of public bathrooms, which include helpful tips, like: "Hold your breath, plug your nose, don't touch anything, and wash your hands before leaving." (page 31)

One might think that a toilet is a toilet is a toilet.  But in fact, the toilets of the world are many and varied – some look more like furniture than bathroom fixtures, some are basically holes in the ground, some have automatic flushing mechanisms, and so on.  Folks who travel may find themselves unsure about how to use the toilet, how to figure out local bathroom etiquette, or even how to close the door.  If you're planning a trip and you want to avoid these dilemmas, or if you're interested in how toilets work in other places, Going Abroad: How to Answer the Call of Nature Anywhere in the World is the book for you!  Author Eva Newman explains squat toilets, sit toilets, and privies in detail, with clear drawings illustrating the technical bits.  This book is handy, entertaining, and definitely enlightening!

UPDATE (Wednesday, December 17):  Just in case you aren't all spending hours and hours monitoring the blogosphere for toilet-related posts, I thought I'd point you to this one: Jennifer 8. Lee wrote a fascinating story about museum toilets & restrooms for the New York Times' blog City Room. 

(And, further connecting-of-the-dots: Lee's book The Fortune Cookie Chronicles got a review last month over at our sister blog, An Embarrassment of Riches.)