Bookhouse Latrine

Bookhouse Latrine

Bookhouse Latrine is an innovative architectural design project that reimagines the traditional outhouse concept by integrating a public book-sharing system with a waterless composting toilet facility. Created by Canadian designer Yongwook Seong, this transgressive architectural intervention addresses the declining use of physical books in the digital age while simultaneously providing essential sanitary facilities in public spaces. The structure features wooden laminate bookshelves that serve as load-bearing elements, with books themselves forming the walls of the facility, measuring 2,360 mm in width, 3,390 mm in depth, and 2,420 mm in height. The design incorporates carefully calculated cubic compartments (300 mm x 300 mm x 300 mm) to accommodate standard book sizes, while a steel mesh screen on the roof allows natural daylight to penetrate the space. The project's innovative approach creates an intriguing tension between private and public spaces, as the removal of books creates dynamic gaps that alter the building's transparency and interior lighting conditions. This architectural experiment, which won an Iron A' Design Award in the Social Design category, demonstrates exceptional versatility in its potential programming - the structure can be adapted to serve various functions depending on the materials stored within, such as a meditation retreat, chapel, or community exchange center. The design's emphasis on sustainability, community engagement, and the creative reuse of physical books represents a thoughtful response to contemporary social and environmental challenges.

sustainable architecture, public facility design, book recycling, composting toilet, community engagement, adaptive reuse

— Adam Dawson

CITATION : "Adam Dawson. 'Bookhouse Latrine.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=442898 (Accessed on November 16, 2025)"