Utilizing research from failed public toilet facilities in other cities like Seattle and San Francisco, the city of Portland, Oregon, has designed, patented, built, and even sold its portable public toilets.
In researching “The Portland Loo,” the city recognized where other cities had stumbled. Specifically, it found that overly comfortable bathrooms led to misuse, or even became nearly full-time residences for the homeless.
To create the right balance, Portland’s Loo had unique features:
Balance of Privacy: The loo offers an interesting balance of privacy. Noting that sound-proof chambers created long-term residents, the Portland Loo is open to sound through the top of the structure. That means toilet users know when someone is waiting, which yields rapid turnover—nobody wants to spend too long in such a situation.
Safety: Because the loo is open at the top and bottom of the structure, police can quickly ascertain whether more than one person is present.
Durability: The loo has an anti-graffiti coating, and components can be quickly replaced it someone were to, for example, take a baseball bat to it. Also, the Portland Loo weighs a fraction of a typical restroom, which means it’s easy to relocate (or deliver to other municipal customers).
Energy Efficient: The Portland Loo is solar powered.
Perhaps most important: The Portland Loos look to be a revenue generator for the city. It has already sold one to Victoria in British Columbia, and looks to market the toilets in the near future.
Additional information can be found on the official Web site of the Portland Loo. The patent filing for the Loo is also available, with ownership assigned to the City of Portland, Oregon.