Anna Pedersen

Pop-up Urinals

Public convenience by the push of a button

This public urinal hides in plain sight during the day, and rises for the occasion at night. With room for three, the urinal provides ample opportunity and encouragement for male citizens to do their business somewhere other than on the surrounding buildings.

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Urilift - Ascending urinal in Göteborg, Sweden Albin Olsson

Because partygoers and clubbers often end up taking their business to the streets, public or indiscriminate urination is a serious problem in virtually any area that has a vibrant nightlife. Meanwhile, the eyesore that most urinals and public toilets presents to the urban streetscape means that toilet facilities are largely disliked by retailers and local residents alike, citing their unsightly appearance and odor. Also, most toilets and urinals are there all the time - even during the day, where they are rarely needed. In other words, it's hard to find a suitable and unobjectionable location for them. The result? A general lack of decent public toilet facilities.

The Dutch invented Urilift is an innovative and insightful solution to this very visible (and smellable) issue. Placed where it is needed most, the Urilift is only above ground when needed. For the rest of the time, it is completely hidden under ground. The contraption appears from the ground by pressing a small remote control - a prerogative which in Amsterdam is reserved for municipal authorities, policemen and a few, select bar owners.

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Urilift by night - Albin Olsson

The three-man urinal is constructed as a stainless steel cylinder and is connected to both electricity, the sewage system and the water supply. While under ground, the cylinder is cleaned, making the urinal come up fresh and clean each time it is summoned by the remote. With a top that can be adapted to fit any pavement or surface, the Urilift is a seamless, odorless and practical solution to the urban urgency. And there is even one for the ladies too.