img(height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=2939831959404383&ev=PageView&noscript=1")

Look mum – no hands!

A touch-free washroom

I put it down to all that bracing mountain climbing and Lederhosen, but Aryans have a fascination with health and cleanliness oft seen as curious by their Anglo-Saxon brothers. It accounts for that shelf in their loos, allowing you to analyse your stool before consigning it – and then deciding to modify your daily diet accordingly. That fascination for wellbeing continues in the latest concept by Swiss firm Franke – a wholly touch-free commercial washroom. Yep, with its ‘Way 2 Solutions’, the firm will design, plan and supply whole rooms that are completely touch-free. A simple swish of the hand will open and close a cubicle door and dispense the water, soap, and hot air to dry them. Of course the critical process remains a manual one, but until someone manages to put the ‘bot’ in ‘Robot’, we think Franke has pretty much cleaned up.

Latest

Design a creative installation for an outer London streetscape, lead the restoration of four war memorial sites, bid for a spot on a schools construction framework - some of the latest architecture competitions and contracts from across the industry

Latest: Public realm, Morden

At Stockholm’s spherical Avicii Arena, a massive new internal roof of folding acoustic panels enables the venue to rapidly transform in response to its music and sports events schedule

A massive new foldaway internal roof enables the venue to rapidly transform in response to its events schedule

Since setting up almost impulsively during the pandemic, Artefact's founders Daniel Marmot and Benedetta Rogers have purposefully focused on the craft of construction

Emerging during the pandemic, the practice has purposefully focused on the craft of construction

The path to implementing sustainable building practices is fraught with difficulties – but in the struggle towards net zero, architects have a crucial role, says Laura Carrara-Cagni

In the struggle towards net zero, architects have a crucial role, says Laura Carrara-Cagni

In east London, dRMM's Wick Lane development blends industrial and residential space. Its roof design and materials, which reference Hackney Wick's heritage, create both variety and coherence, explains senior associate Will Howard

dRMM's east London Wick Lane development blends industrial and residential space, and references local heritage via its roof forms