Very public urinals

Orange Hibiscus, from Nature's Call by Clark Sorensen. These urinals were sculpted between 2002 and 2005. Each is created by hand from high fired porcelain, the same material as commercially available fixtures, and takes nearly a year to complete. These fixtures are fully functional. Image from Urinal Net.

From time to time I write about the issue of the nightime economy and dealing with lots of revelers in evening-oriented commercial districts. The UK addressed this by extending the hours that liquor could be sold, apparently before most places had to close before midnight and the authorities believed this encouraged binge drinking. I and many others thought this would be a disaster, but apparently it is working.

On the other hand, the UK has a terrible problem with alcohol, according to this article in the Independent, "A nation in denial about its attitude to booze." This report, before the changes in policy, is pretty good, "The Evening Economy and the Urban Renaissance." (And this blog entry, "Restaurants and liquor licenses--How much is too much on H Street?")

I have also written some about public restrooms and urinals. Wim Hermans, from the Dutch company Urilift International BV, wrote to tell me about a product that they have that is being tested in Victoria, BC, a place known for its historic buildings.
The first of the new City of Victoria portable urinals was placed at the corner of View Street and Douglas Street Thursday evening around 10:30 pm . The second was installed in Bastion Square, Victoria, BC on Thursday, November 16, 2006.Photograph by : Bruce Stotesbury/ Victoria Times Colonist.

The Victoria Times Colonist wrote this up in three articles, "Pop-up urinals for Victoria?," "Portable urinals debut downtown," and this report from earlier in the week, "With 314 relieved customers, outdoor urinals put to good use."

I do think the issue of public urination, public facilities, etc. needs to be addressed. But I am not sure how I feel about this. There is something to be said for discouraging loutish behavior. "Whipping it out," even for an official, but publicly visible urinal, seems loutish. On the other hand, they had similar contraptions in Paris, although now only one is left.
Vespasienne. Photo by Anthony Atkielski.

I know that a few months ago we were discussing alley urination (I say things to people when I see them doing it--and I don't understand why people don't know that urinating on stone and brick is bad because it retains smell and the mortar can be damaged) and one of the comments in return on the e-thread was that men pretty much piss everywhere with impunity. I happen to not to agree... Would a Urilift give credence to her arguments? It seems to be controversial within Victoria, see this thread on the Discover Vancouver website, "Public urinals - a disturbing sight."

What do you think?

Novelty urinal in Brighton, UK. Kisses urinals are manufactured and distributed by a Dutch company called Bathroom Mania. Flickr photo by Elsie.

Urinal Net is an Internet website with a great amount of urinal information. Images of the Kisses urinal and a number of Chuck Sorenson's urinals (along with the other 8 of what they call the "Top 10 Urinals" are on the site. I also didn't know that the artist Marcel Duchamp submitted a urinal to an art exhibition in NYC in 1917...
Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917. BBC photo.

Index Keywords: nightime-economy