Design for Life: The Biophilic Bathroom
(Page 2 of 3)
July/August 2003
By Carol Venolia
There’s an unseen health issue, too: You can absorb radon or volatile organic compounds from the water through your skin and lungs. Have your water tested; you may want to filter it at the faucet or showerhead, or even for the whole house.
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Finally, don’t let all that moisture hang around. Minimize mold growth via sunlight, ventilation, and moderate air temperatures. An operable window is wonderful, but every bathroom should also have a quiet, energy efficient extraction fan.
The throne of the presence
A gentleman once paid a visit to a Zen monastery, wishing to see a famous painting, but he was told that it was not available for viewing. In the course of his visit, he had cause to visit the toilet room. As he squatted over the pit toilet, he looked up to find himself gazing at the painting he sought—placed where it would be best appreciated by a person most in touch with himself.
People have some of their most profound insights while seated on the toilet. This is one of the few times when we are absolutely where we are—in the body, in the present. Martin Luther, it is said, developed the ideas that led to the Protestant Reformation while in the privy.
Artwork, sunlight, a pleasing view, appealing textures, and restful colors can all enhance the toilet visit. In A Home for the Soul (Clarkson Potter, 1997), Anthony Lawlor suggests: “Make a little shelf near the toilet where you can place a picture of a beautiful view, an interesting object, or a poem to contemplate. Change the object you put on this shelf occasionally to reflect the season or your mood.”
On the logos side, minimize the volume of fresh water used for flushing. Install a low-volume flush toilet, use rainwater or graywater for flushing, install a tank-lid sink that lets you wash your hands with water before it flushes the toilet, or, best of all, install a composting toilet.
In remodeling or new construction, consider separating the toilet from the bathing area. Not only will this isolate odors, but separate access allows use by multiple people without privacy invasion. This, in turn, reduces the number of bathrooms needed, which saves money and resources.