Would You Use a Transparent Restroom?

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Tokyo has taken public toilet cleanliness and safety to the next level. Transparent toilets made from coloured glass have been installed in public parks across Japan's capital. But don't be alarmed - once the cubicles are occupied the glass turns opaque to secure privacy. Apart from adding colour to the parks, there are two reasons why the new designs have been a success: people can see how clean they are before going in and they can also see if anyone is secretly waiting inside.

A post shared by The Guardian (@guardian) on Aug 18, 2020 at 9:00am PDT

Shigeru Ban, the architect, says that the new restrooms in a park in Tokyo have "smart glass" that turns opaque when someone is inside.

Do you see someone inside that stall? I do.

Anyway, The Guardian explains that the purpose of using transparent walls, aside from inducing anxiety, is so permit people to know if a stall is unoccupied before attempting to enter:

“There are two concerns with public toilets, especially those located in parks,” it said. “The first is whether it is clean inside, and the second is that no one is secretly waiting inside.”

The glass allegedly becomes opaque after you lock the door. So don't forget to do that.

-via Dave Barry