When nature calls, the Lady Bird Loo by Mell Lawrence Architects offers a private moment of respite

Nestled along the running trail at Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas, the Lady Bird Loo is not your typical public park restroom. Designed by Mell Lawrence Architects, the Heron Creek Restroom facility features two distinctly designed single restrooms with a vandal-resistant, raw-steel exterior, good ventilation, and a sense of safety for the occupant. The project recently won in the AIA 2017 Small Project Awards.

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With no need for special maintenance or finishes, each restroom simply comprises a tent-like shell made out of raw steel plates — which will patina over time. 

The shell forms a tent-like form over the concrete structure. As the sun moves in the sky, playful patterns of shadow and light are cast on the structures.  Inside, the open-air construction offers views of the sky and trees.

Photo courtesy of the AIA 2017 Small Project Awards.