STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A $3.8 million public restroom at a Staten Island playground has won a prestigious architecture award and could serve as a model for future New York City facilities.
The public restroom, located in the Luis Lopez Playground on Targee Street in Park Hill, was recognized at this year’s American Institute of Architects New York Design Awards for its modular construction method. The facility was among 24 projects honored by the organization.
According to The American Institute of Architects New York, the space was awarded this honor due to its innovative approach for a faster and more efficient building process.
“The jury was looking for projects that solve real-world challenges and represent the idea that architecture is for everyone,” Brie Hensold, an urban planner with HASLA and a member of the voting jury, said in a statement to The New York Post. “The Lopez Playground Comfort Station is a small building — but it is a smart, cost-effective way to solve an everyday problem.”
The original 2021 design of the new restroom facility at the Luis Lopez Playground.Submitted Rendering
According to previous reporting from the Advance/SILive.com, the shipping container-like restroom was designed in 2021 and unveiled in 2024, and was the first of its kind in the city. It was manufactured in three pieces at a Pennsylvania factory before being transported and assembled on-site.
At the time of its opening, the project was praised by Councilmember Kamillah Hanks:
“The modular design of this public restroom at Lopez Playground is a testament to our commitment to smart, sustainable solutions on Staten Island. This approach not only makes our parks more accessible and enjoyable but also sets a new standard for cost-efficiency when constructing new public amenities.”
Following this success, the city plans to build more modular restrooms, including a red, yellow and orange version in Fort Washington Park, with two more proposed for Grant Park and Daniel Boone Playground in the Bronx. The Parks Department intends to reconstruct 36 of its more than 700 comfort stations and add 46 new bathrooms under its Better Bathrooms initiative.
The award also comes amid the city’s goal to improve its public restrooms and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s commitment to expanding public bathroom access across the five boroughs.