Kohler invited to exhibit at MoMA in New York – Reinventing the Toilet
Kohler will once again feature in an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. Uneven Growth – Tactical Urbanisms for Expanding Megacities will be staged from November 22, 2014 to May 10, 2015 and will be accompanied by a publication showcasing the exhibition projects and essays by leading urban and architectural scholars.
With a global population expected to be around 8 billion by 2030 the exhibition is a collaboration of six interdisciplinary teams of researchers and practitioners to look at new architectural possibilities for six global metropolises – Hong Kong, Istanbul, Lagos, Mumbai, New York and Rio de Janeiro.
Kohler, in partnership with CalTech and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, developed a solar-powered water treatment/toilet project that will form part of the exhibition. The toilet was the winning entry, from CalTech, in the Re-invent The Toilet Challenge sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation mounted the challenge in response to the 2.5 billion people around the world who do not have access to safe sanitation.
The mobile restroom, equipped with a freestanding, self-contained wastewater treatment system powered by the sun generating both hydrogen and electricity, is equipped with Kohler toilets and bathroom fixtures that provide the essential interface between the user
and the waste system.
Kohler was originally featured in the MoMA in 1929 with an exhibition entitled “Modern bath and dressing room”. Showcasing the bathroom of the future the exhibit showcased a black Universal bath and Deauville basin together with chrome Cellini tapware – teamed with finishes of black and pink tiles.