{"id":49520,"date":"2026-05-27T00:33:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T00:33:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/49520\/"},"modified":"2026-05-27T00:33:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T00:33:15","slug":"eight-london-underground-restrooms-get-vibrant-refurbs-with-illustrated-tiles-colossal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/49520\/","title":{"rendered":"Eight London Underground Restrooms Get Vibrant Refurbs with Illustrated Tiles \u2014 Colossal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Home to some of London\u2019s most iconic landmarks, the City of Westminster sees around 25 million of tourists every year. Add that number to residents and professionals who transit through central London daily, and we\u2019re talking lots of people using the Underground, a.k.a. the Tube. Fortunately for travelers, eight stations are getting restroom upgrades with a big assist from Hugh Broughton Architects<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When the Victorians established the first underground train network<\/a> in the mid-to-late 1800s, they incorporated arched details and tile work that is preserved today, often augmented with contemporary nods to the city\u2019s history and culture. Opened in 1863 along the Metropolitan Line, Baker Street<\/a> is one of the oldest stations. In a design convention seen throughout the Underground, decorated tiles added later feature a silhouette of Sherlock Holmes\u2014a tribute to the character\u2019s fictional address on the station\u2019s titular street.<\/p>\n

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Tile designs are richly embedded throughout the system. An architect named Leslie Green<\/a> is known for a slew of deep red tile facades on more than a dozen central stations. Some interiors are covered practically top to bottom<\/a> with the material, with the location names and \u201cWay Out\u201d signs made entirely from ceramic. Bethnal Green station features fantastic relief tiles<\/a> of London icons, and a few years ago, a design student named Jeffrey Miller<\/a> even repurposed the Tube\u2019s own waste into Art Nouveau-style tiles modeled on historic versions.<\/p>\n

Hugh Broughton Architects\u2019 redesign continues this tradition, but it also serves the practical purpose of making these spaces safer, more inclusive, and more accessible. \u201cThere is a clear demand for public toilets across London, and many councils struggle with the costs surrounding maintenance and issues around antisocial behaviour,\u201d says a statement. \u201cTo address this issue, the council is creating a series of inclusive facilities that demonstrate high-quality design and enshrine as much civic pride as the Victorians displayed when they first started looking at a proper sanitation system for the general public in the 19th century.\u201d<\/p>\n

The facilities at Victoria Embankment, Parliament Street, Piccadilly Circus, Green Park, Carnaby Street, Westminster Pier, Covent Garden, and Leicester Square are all getting vibrant makeovers. The tiles incorporate designs by artist and illustrator James Lambert<\/a>, who interprets the distinctive character of each location through historical motifs and iconography. Among numerous playful references, you\u2019ll find patterns consisting of the King\u2019s Guards in their iconically tall, black, furry helmets and a tribute to George John Vulliamy\u2019s giant sphinxes<\/a> that guard Cleopatra\u2019s Needle on the Embankment.<\/p>\n

The restrooms are being refurbished in succession. Victoria Street opened in February 2025, followed by Parliament Street, and now Piccadilly Circus and Green Park. The next will be Carnaby Street and Westminster Bridge. Follow updates on the firm\u2019s Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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