In the photo: the breathtaking public toilet, so beautiful that it has become a tourist attraction. What do you think?
Is this the world’s most incredible public bathroom?
Some believe so, with publications calling it a “bathroom experience like no other” and a “palatial retreat.” And – after scrolling through the photos of it below – you can have your say in our poll at the end.
The luxurious bathroom is tucked away on the sixth floor of the Deji Plaza shopping center in Nanjing, East China.
From an opulent hallway with a flower-speckled fountain to papered walls decorated with champagne gold grilles, never mind that it contradicts the concept of a public toilet, its design could even be considered over the top in a five-star hotel.
Other standout features include a decadent dressing area with vanity mirrors fit for a movie star and a fashionable sitting area, furnished with velvety sofas and a statement accent chair.
This public bathroom is located on the sixth floor of Deji Plaza Mall in Nanjing, East China
Notable features include a decadent dressing area with vanity mirrors fit for a movie star
The laundry room features a chic seating area, furnished with velvety sofas and a statement accent chair
LEFT: The bathroom walls are decorated with champagne gold grilles. RIGHT: The seating area displays delicate shades of blush pink, mauve and orange
The plump cushions, with delicate shades of soft pink, mauve and orange, help create a welcoming oasis where shoppers can plop down and rest in style, despite the proximity to the toilet.
Visitors can also admire the glossy black and white floor, the sprawling plants and even the bathroom ceiling, which is gilded with bee-like gold ornaments.
The architectural firm behind the design, Shanghai-based X+Living, said the bathroom has become so popular that tourists flock to the mall just to see it.
Brand director Cecilia Huang told MailOnline Travel: ‘Many people come to the mall specifically to visit the mall, take photos and share them on social media, making it a phenomenal tourist attraction.
The bathroom was designed by Shanghai-based architectural firm X+Living, which says it has become so popular that tourists are flocking to the mall to see it.
The popularity of the bathroom has attracted the attention of brands such as Jo Malone, Maison Margiela and Burberry. The designers wanted to create a ‘functional public space’ that combines art and leisure
‘The high level of discussion has also attracted the attention of some top brands, such as Jo Malone, Maison Margiela and Burberry.’
X+Living was initially commissioned to design ‘a simple sanitary upgrade’.
Cecilia said: ‘The client wanted to upgrade and renovate the space and configuration to match the luxury positioning of the Deji Plaza shopping centre.’
Design features include a glossy black and white floor (left), sprawling plants and a ceiling gilded with bee-like gold ornaments (right)
The accessible toilet has a marble-like floor and shiny sanitary ware, as this photo shows
LEFT: Some of the bathroom’s vanity mirrors are located above decadent sinks. RIGHT: The urinals are separated by champagne gold grilles
What followed, however, was the company’s more ambitious idea to create a “functional public space” that “combines art appreciation and leisure experience,” she explained.
Shoppers are welcomed into the facilities through a long corridor that divides into three separate areas, consisting of the “art experience hall,” the “rest room” and the “washroom,” Cecilia said.
“Furniture, sinks and other functional items are designed as art installations,” she added.
The bathroom has an ‘elegant and fresh’ style and is based on the concept of a ‘Sanctuary Garden’
Photos show that the toilet is a welcoming oasis. Natural wood veneer in the toilet area is designed to complement the champagne-gold grilles
The green wallpaper and curved grilles, together with the greenery, create a ‘lively atmosphere with an insect-inspired structure’.
Natural wood veneer in the toilet area is designed to complement the champagne-gold ‘artistic grilles’ and the fountain’s spreading flowers, creating an ‘elegant and fresh’ style based on the concept of a ‘sanctuary garden’.
It’s no wonder the bathroom gets a lot of praise.
Never mind that it conflicts with the concept of a public bathroom, the design of the space could even be considered excessive in a five-star hotel
The green wallpaper, curved grilles and greenery create a ‘lively atmosphere with an insect-inspired structure’
LEFT: Strip lighting around the ceiling helps create a “calming atmosphere,” according to Architectural Digest. RIGHT: Tired shoppers are transported to a ‘palatial sanctuary filled with plants’
Business insider said the “chic washroom” is “like a whimsical garden straight out of a fairy tale” and a “restroom experience like no other.”
While Architectural summary said it ‘transports weary shoppers to a palatial sanctuary filled with plants’, with strip lighting around the ceiling also helping to create a ‘calming atmosphere’.
Functionality has not been forgotten: in addition to the regular bathroom sanitary facilities, there is also a nursing room, an accessible toilet and a parent-child room.