- A public bathroom in a Chinese shopping mall is making waves for its unexpectedly luxurious design.
- Located in Deji Plaza in Nanjing, China, the fancy public washroom looks like a garden sanctuary.
Hidden away on the sixth story of an upscale shopping mall in Nanjing, China, is a lavatory experience like no other.
Designed by X+Living, a Shanghai-based architectural firm, the fancy washroom at Deji Plaza looks like a whimsical garden straight out of a fairytale.
While public bathrooms don't exactly conjure up pleasant memories, step inside this one and you might just change your mind.
"We designed this project hoping to pay tribute to the increasingly distant spring, under the current environmental crisis. Therefore we introduce the theme 'Spring Garden,'" Li Xiang, the lead designer and founder of the company, told Insider.
Drawing inspiration from nature, Li turned flowers, plants, and insects into abstract shapes that decorate the interiors of the washroom.
Upon entering the bathroom, visitors walk through a long corridor created to resemble "an immersive walk-through-a-garden experience," Li said.
Flower-shaped wall lamps and insect-like ornaments adorn the ceiling, while the green walls are lined with plants peeking out of grilled windows. Even the glossy floor has a pattern that looks like a butterfly's wings.
At the end of the walkway is a lounge area, replete with a sofa designed to look like flower petals, that separates the men's and women's washrooms.
All the interior features and furniture used are custom-designed, Li said.
"We also integrated a lot of small functional details that could bring convenience to the visitors," Li added. "For example, we have wireless charging bases in the dressing area of the washroom, while the sinks are designed at different heights to satisfy the needs of both adults and children."
Li also used automatic induction doors for the accessible washroom and adopted softer lights in the nursing room to create a more comfortable atmosphere for children.
The design details in the space both aesthetically pleasing and functional, Li said: "The integration is smooth and unnoticeable, but can still bring visitors surprises and convenience during use."