Press releases

Creating a space where people can experience TOTO bathroom products first hand which is far beyond a conventional public toilet: This was the concept behind the TOTO Gallery, which recently opened in the waiting area of the new Terminal 2 at Tokyo’s Narita Airport. Travelers from around the world stand still, walk in and are inspired: The hall to the toilets, normally an annoying part of public buildings, is transformed into a journey through a world with much to discover: performances, art and an especially pleasant, hygienic and inspiring area for the bathrooms. The concept was developed by Tokyo-based architecture firm Klein Dytham Architecture. In Tokyo, visitors experience TOTO differently than in Europe. Here, the Japanese bathroom manufacturer has a far more extensive presence. The global corporation, market leader and inventor of high-tech sanitary products like the WASHLET opened an architecture gallery (TOTO Gallery MA) in Tokyo in 1983, where it organises several exhibitions each year. TOTO is also known for TOTO Publishing, which releases relevant publications in the field of design and architecture.
Performance and WASHLETs in the TOTO Gallery Once again, TOTO collaborated with Klein Dytham Architecture to realise yet another extraordinary project that explores the connections between art and architecture – the TOTO Gallery at Tokyo-Narita airport. Nowhere else is performance, installation and design presented in such a way – or the most profane aspect of public spaces given such great appreciation. Many travellers experience the culture of TOTO for the first time TOTO Gallery gives travellers from around the world the opportunity to experience the various facets of TOTO, especially the highly developed bathing culture and incredibly strong hygiene standards. The TOTO Gallery is located directly across the various service and waiting areas in the Narita Sky Lounge, such as the Family Beach Corner and a smoking room. From the outside, the TOTO Gallery looks like the expansive front of a showroom. Directly behind the glass windows are fabric-covered LED monitors that show changing colours and people moving like a shadow play. Visitors are welcomed by a world entirely in white featuring 10 different booths, or room-in-room installations, as well as toilets and a multi-purpose sanitary area. As people enter the space, interesting videos capture their attention – showing aesthetic, abstract presentations on the theme of water, for example. The door to one of the booths opens slowly as a person approaches, and the toilet lid lifts just as discreetly and quietly. The gentle, serene atmosphere invites visitors to linger. “Feel human”: The guiding principle of TOTO Gallery According to Italian-born architect Astrid Klein, co-founder of Klein Dytham Architecture, this is exactly the impact she intended to create. A long-time resident of Tokyo, she explains that the toilets at Narita Airport are known for being among the cleanest in the world. In addition to ensuring pure hygiene, it was essential to create an atmosphere in which people feel comfortable. TOTO Senior Design Director Junichi Tani added: “I think that public toilets in other countries feel very cold.” This is one of the inspirations for the idea behind the TOTO Gallery, “Feel human”. TOTO’s very sophisticated technology creates a comfortable feeling without being overwhelming.
Data + facts: Project: Gallery TOTO, at the Gateway to the Skies, Terminal 2, Narita Airport Size: 145 m2
Architect: Klein Dytham Architecture
Products: NEOREST WASHLETs, automatic faucets, urinals, washbasins and accessories Images 1.The TOTO Gallery, located in the new Terminal 2 at Tokyo’s Narita Airport, is an extraordinary space for people to experience TOTO bathroom products first hand. 2. Directly behind the glass windows are fabric-covered LED monitors that show changing colours and people moving like a shadow play. 3. Visitors are welcomed by a world entirely in white featuring 10 unique room-in-room installations with different types of fixtures and furnishings. 4. Teams led by architects Mark Dytham and Astrid Klein of Klein Dytham Architecture collaborated with TOTO to develop the gallery concept. 5. Visitors can explore the world of TOTO in the various booths, all featuring different designs. 6. One of the booths is specifically designed to meet the needs of people with physical limitations. Read moreClose