Details
Publisher Handshake City Valencia, Spain Year 2022 Pages [354] p. Dimensions 15 x 11 cm. Cover Paperback Binding Perfect Binding Process Digital Color Color Edition Size 300
By
Hidefumi Nakamura
Price
USD 25
Description
Photogenic is probably not the first word that comes to mind upon hearing the phrase “public restroom”. But the Instagram account toilets_a_go_go by Tokyo-based photographer Hidefumi Nakamura proves that public toilets shouldn’t have to look bland and gross.
Since starting the Instagram account last January, Nakamura has posted over 200 photos of quirky public toilets across Japan, and he describes the surroundings and unique design elements of each one in the captions. The idiosyncratic restrooms show off colorful art, sleek modernist forms, and tiled typographics, and a few are even shaped like storybook-themed tree stumps! Over time, he grew to appreciate the fun assortment of designs. “Perhaps because the architects can do it freely,” he says.
About
Since 2017, Japanese photographer Hidefumi Nakamura has been documenting public toilets in his native country. This cartography of architecture and urban planning works as a catalog of Japanese aesthetics and habits, showing the creative potential of Japanese designers.
A project by H. Nakamura originally posted on his Instagram account @toilets_a_go_go.
