The best public washroom in the United States is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The washrooms at Longwood Gardens, a public garden in Philadelphia, took top honours in a contest by Cintas. Cintas is a company that designs washrooms (washrooms are known as “restrooms” in the United States).
Longwood won because of its interesting design that includes living plants. An indoor “green wall” has 17 washrooms built into it. People walk through one of the doors to use the washroom.
Each washroom uses glass to provide natural light, which helps to conserve electricity.
Longwood was chosen from a list of 10 candidates, ranging from a children’s toy store (American Girl Place) in Chicago, to an outdoor running trail in Texas to a theatre in Missouri.
Cintas has held the contest 13 years in a row. Washrooms are judged on cleanliness, visual appeal, functionality and unique design elements.
Any public (not in a home) washroom is eligible for the contest.
Last year’s winner was the Varsity Theatre in Minneapolis, minnesota, which was decorated with fancy mirrors and an Alice in Wonderland-style area. “Bartenders even serve drinks over the back counter into the restaurant area,” according to Cintas’s website.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
By Jonathan Tilly
Writing/Discussion Prompt
It seems like there are competitions for everything! If you could be the judge of any competition, what contest would you choose and why?
Reading Prompt: Extending Understanding
Often reader’s make text to text, text to self, or text to world connections when reading.
What text, memory, or observation were you reminded of as you read today’s article?
Primary
Extend understanding of texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge and experience, to other familiar texts, and to the world around them (OME, Reading: 1.6).
Junior
Extend understanding of texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge, experience, and insights, to other familiar texts, and to the world around them (OME, Reading: 1.6).
Intermediate
Extend understanding of texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts, by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge, experience, and insights, to other familiar texts, and to the world around them (OME, Reading: 1.6).
Art Feature: Design
Today TKN’s language feature is being replaced by an art feature! Your job is to design your own luxury restroom. Remember to consider the areas your washroom would be judged on: cleanliness, visual appeal, functionality and unique design elements.
