TOKYO TOILETS

by Forma2

YEAR: 2020

SERVICE PROVIDED: Movie Director, Editor

SELECTION: 

Milano Design Film Festival (MDFF), 2021

Amsterdam International Awards (ARFF), 2021

European Cinematography Awards (ECA), 2021

Tagore International Film Festival, 2021

New York Cinematography Awards (NYCA), 2022

SYNOPSIS: 

Tokyo Toilets is a documentary about one of the most interesting urban design projects of all time. Launched last year in Shibuya Tokyo, Japan by The Nippon Foundation, the Shibuya City Government and the Shibuya Tourism Association, this project is based on the redesign of 17 public toilets by some of the most important contemporary architects and designers. In our understanding of this small in scale but extremely effective urban project that is a great example for other cities worldwide, we present these unique facilities as particular characters, each one with its own personality enhanced by different soundtracks. From an initial glance of the historical background of public toilets in Tokyo - with the patina of black and white and the format of a postcard - the viewers is taken through a journey across these new Tokyo toilets micro cosmos focusing not only on the form and function, but also on the unique ways in which these architectures touch the "social fabric". Each of the 7 facilities that so far have been built and opened to public, are a condensation of function into shape. The strength of their singular design allows and creates different experiences in diverse spaces of the urban fabric. We find this project a perfect answer to a city like Tokyo, built in unique layers of density, each one able to enrich and create its own micro environment. Tokyo is probably one of the most intriguing metropolis where the layers of history overlap each other creating a maze of experiences and emotions. With Tokyo Toilet, one more layer has been added.