Urinals

Urinals

A specific and almost irreplaceable device in the public bathroom, the urinal is the answer to the need to provide a space-saving, hygienic and economical solution for the sanitary fittings of very busy environments. From the office to the restaurant, from the airport to the shopping centre, the urinal can be found in almost any structure dedicated to collective use. The classic model consists of a simple porcelain tray for wall installation. Depending on the project and the specific features of the environment, the various specialist manufacturers offer a wide variety of customised and sometimes even surprising solutions, such as stainless steel retractable urinals, which are used at night in the pedestrian areas of Amsterdam and other European metropolises.

How to choose a urinal?

The choice of the model is dictated by several factors, but mainly by the space available. In addition to the side surfaces of the bathroom, the necessary movement space, the distance between the individual luminaires and the installation height must also be considered. The standard dimensions of a suspended urinal are 30 x 60 x 29 cm. But the market offers an almost infinite choice of different sizes and shapes. The materials traditionally most commonly used for urinals are certainly ceramics and porcelain. Equally suitable are stainless steel and - more rarely used - plastic and other synthetic materials. While ceramic urinals dominate the market, stainless steel offers a viable alternative where reduced weight or greater weather resistance is required.

Features and benefits of urinals

In addition to the standard models, there are self-cleaning or fully automated urinals. Almost all urinals in production today are equipped with a motion detector that regulates a water-saving drain. In fact, with just 2-3 litres per drain the savings are considerable. Some manufacturers also offer dry (or "waterless") urinals.
There has also been an increasing trend in recent years to include the urinal in projects outside the public sector. The urinals designed for the private bathroom show a number of special features and are available in unusual finishes, with lid and even with USB socket.

The urinal, from its beginnings to the present day

The origin of the urinal dates back to 1830, when the first public baths appeared on the great avenues of Paris. It followed the German capital in 1863 with more ingenious and deliberately more "à la mode" urinals. In fact, to distinguish them from those of other cities, the city of Berlin organizes several architectural competitions. The winning design, the famous "Café Achteck", is a dark green painted cast iron octagonal structure. Some examples can still be found in the urban landscape today. The urinal in its present form - with horizontal outlet - was invented in the United States and patented in 1882. The obvious advantages make it an immediate success. The most famous urinal in history is probably among the objects of the "Ready-made" series by the French artist and painter Marcel Duchamp. Despite the inevitable controversy, its 1917 "Fountain" urinal is still considered one of the most influential works of art of the 20th century. To date, replicas authorized by the artist are part of the collections of important art museums around the world.