"Can Public Restrooms Be This Beautiful?"... Gangnam District's Major Transformation of Public Restrooms

Gangnam-Style Public Design Applied to Dosan Park and Saegokcheon Restrooms
First Local Government to Introduce Ostomy and Urostomy Facilities for People with Disabilities

Gangnam District in Seoul (Mayor Cho Sungmyung) has renovated the public restrooms at Dosan Park and Saegokcheon Mulmaji Park into “Gangnam-style public restrooms” that combine functionality and design. The project aimed to completely overhaul the previous image of park restrooms as dark and unsettling spaces, focusing instead on safety, design, and inclusivity.

"Can Public Restrooms Be This Beautiful?"... Gangnam District's Major Transformation of Public Restrooms

Inside Dosan Park Restroom. Provided by Gangnam-gu.

The Dosan Park restroom is located in a fashion luxury street frequented by both international tourists and local citizens. It was designed to feature pastel-toned structures during the day and to shine like an art installation under lights at night.

The Saegokcheon Mulmaji Park restroom stands out for its curved design. An outdoor faucet was installed so that visitors can wash their hands without entering the building. This is the first time such a feature has been tried in a mobile restroom in Korea.

The interior incorporates Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles. Bright lighting, partitions to prevent illegal filming, and two-way emergency call bells have been installed to enhance safety. The facilities also include a family restroom, automatic flushing devices, and illuminated mirrors.

Notably, these restrooms are the first among public restrooms operated by local governments in Korea to introduce dedicated toilets for people with ostomy and urostomy needs. Ostomy and urostomy refer to artificial passages created through surgery for individuals with impaired bowel or bladder function to allow external waste elimination.

The district signed an agreement with the bathroom specialist company Royal&Co. to install high-quality smart sanitary equipment, leveraging technical consultation and material cooperation.

Mayor Cho Sungmyung of Gangnam District stated, “Public restrooms in a city represent the dignity of the area,” adding, “We will continue to expand pleasant public spaces that residents can use with peace of mind, thereby enhancing the unique urban quality of Gangnam.”