Don’t just call wellness concept One Hundred Restrooms a lavatory: the toilet of the future has just opened in Shopping Stadsfeestzaal in Antwerp and announces ambitious expansion plans in Europe.
Emotional component
Clean and safe toilets are more of a priority than ever in times of corona, but One Hunderd Restrooms goes a step further: the concept offers shoppers a moment of well-being and relaxation. In the 100 m² branch in the Antwerp Shopping Stadsfeestzaal, visitors can make use of extra services such as a health check, a drinking water tap and a vending machine with essential care products (disinfectant gel, mouth caps, plasters, mints…).
Lounge music, bird sounds, a plant wall, organic shapes and natural materials set the tone in the toilet concept designed by Antwerp design agency WeWantMore. “A toilet break is usually short and functional. One Hundred Restrooms adds an emotional component: here you can relax for a moment, get rid of an excess of stimuli,” says marketing manager Marielle Romeijn.
Win-win model
Technology also plays a key role in the concept. Everything is touchless and connected. Smart mirrors above the washbasins, for example, ask you to wash your hands for at least thirty seconds and give health and hygiene tips. In collaboration with CareOS, One Hundred is testing an innovative smart mirror where visitors can try out different hairstyles and do an eye test.
For shopping centre managers, a partnership with One Hundred Restooms is a win-win with a shared revenue model, with the toilet store taking on all operational costs and offering shoppers a good deal. “You pay one euro, but you get a lot in return,” says Romeijn. The ticket entitles shoppers to a discount at the shopping centre (currently at sandwich shop Délifrance and juice bar Zest). The ambitions are high: “This is going to be a real brand story. We started in Madrid and Stockholm and we see that it works. Now we have six branches and we are ready for a real European roll-out, also in the Benelux. We are going to open additional branches in shopping centres but also along the motorway in the Netherlands”.
