Six destinations worldwide have been recognized with an International Toilet Tourism award for having the best toilets in the world, and among all – the Saskatchewan Science Centre took the cake for Best Design.
The newly refurbished second-floor washroom was designed by Cite360Studios, now known as 1080 Architecture Planning + Interiors and features sound effects that make you feel like you’re in the middle of the forest with birdsongs and other woodland sounds with walls covered from floor to ceiling with images of Canadian forestry, taken by a photographer from the Queen City, Todd Mintz.
“The loo is a fully immersive experience by vision and sound. The toilets inside the Science Centre are like stepping into another world where you can do your business amid the sights and sounds of nature – without having to worry about bears,” one judge remarked.
LeeAnn Croft with 1080 Architecture Planning + Interiors, and the lead designer on the project, said in a news release: “When the opportunity came up to re-envision the bathrooms for the Saskatchewan Science Centre we wanted the experience to be an extension of the engaging exhibits that define the Science Center as a whole. Immersive, engaging, and educational, the bathrooms respond to the call of nature with, well, the call of nature!”
Among the winning locations, the best economic contributor went to The Cummins Mosaic Loo in Australia, best location went to Hotel La Jolla in California, best accessible toilet went to the Brisbane Airport in Australia, Quirkiest experience went to Bowl Plaza in Kansas and the overall winner for overall contribution to Toilet Tourism went to The James Bond Loos in Switzerland.
“In judging this restroom, visual design scored very high. The loo is a fully immersive experience by vision and sound. The toilets inside the science centre are like stepping into another world where you can do your business amid the sights and sounds of nature – without having to worry about bears. Overall, really well thought through,” one judge commented of the winning Regina toilet.
Sandy Baumgartner, CEO of the Saskatchewan Science Centre proclaimed, “Everything that we do at the Science Centre is filtered through the lens of Saskatchewan. The boreal forest is something that deeply connects the people of Saskatchewan. Using that imagery in a bathroom is fun, but also calls attention to the importance of protecting our natural resources. We also wanted visitors to learn more about Saskatchewan while dispelling the myth that the province is entirely flat prairie, while in fact 44% of the province is forested.”