“Hi Toilet”, the world’s first voice-operated public toilet, designed by TBWA\HAKUHODO, was awarded the iF Gold Award, the highest recognition at the “iF DESIGN AWARD 2022”. The iF DESIGN AWARD, established in Germany in 1953, is a prestigious international design award for products in a variety of fields from all over the world. It is considered one of the world’s three major design awards along with “Red Dot Design Award” and “International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA)”.

Designed as part of THE TOKYO TOILET project by the Nippon Foundation, this public toilet distinguishes itself via its “Voice Command” operational capabilities. The voice command allows users to open and close the door, flush, activate the handwashing, and even play the music. With this technology, Hi Toilet aims to provide a sense of comfort, clean and fun. The bright white spherical building will feature a ceiling height of up to four meters, which is also shaped to control airflow and prevent odors from stagnating. A 24-hour ventilation system that combines natural air supply and mechanical exhaust is installed for air control.

The jury panel of 132 high-profile design experts commented: “This is a great example of how design and technology can respond to current challenges. The recent Covid-19 pandemic sensitized people to the need for contactless surfaces. This public lavatory design is both sophisticated and user-friendly, balancing aesthetics, accessibility, and hygiene. It has the appearance of a public art object, with an inviting allure untypical of public restrooms.” 

【Hi Toilet Partner Companies】
Assistance on External Design: quantum
Assistance on Structure Design: Kubo Tsushima Architects
Assistance on Voice Command: Birdman

【Hi Toilet Related Pages】
・iF DESIGN AWARD 2022 Hi Toilet page: https://ifdesign.com/en/winner-ranking/project/hi-toilet/351199 
・Hi Toilet Introduction page: https://tokyotoilet.jp/en/nanago_dori_park/