Customer Reviews

The Bathroom

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This unique book is the only scientific analysis of bathrooms and their functions that I have ever been able to find. The author has had a major influence on, or actually helped write, the building standards that most modern bathrooms are built in accordance with. Nevertheless, the book concludes that the bathroom is an essentially mis-designed space in virtually all North American homes. The very fixtures such as sinks, bathtubs and toilets are poorly designed, and need to be completely rethought. This book is essential for those interested in designing objects for human use, the architecture of bathrooms, and the psychology of the continued use of poor standards. One caveat is that the book contains graphic depictions of people urinating and defecating, in order to present ground data for use in fixture design.

Finally, it should be noted that the author is rumored to be hard at work on a revised 3rd edition, which will hopefully see print sometime in the next few years

Believe it or not, this book is one of the more seminal works of the second half of the twentieth century. Why it is out of print (and it is VERY hard to find, because no one will part with their copy) is a complete mystery. This very substantial book (hundreds of pages, large format, hundreds of photos) is the absolute definitive work on bathroom design. In awe-inspiring detail, Alexander Kira analyzes bathroom functions versus bathroom fixtures. Imagine, if you will, hundreds of pictures showing people showering and urinating in front of calibrated background grids. The book is at once scholarly, on target, and hysterically funny. It will forever change the way you think of the simple toilet. If you ever see a copy in a used bookstore...grab it

If you are human and have ever had the need to use a bathroom for any reason, you would find something of interest in this book. Every use and function of the bathroom structure has been considered. Some of the findings in this book might appear crude but it reveils much of the stuff we have been sitting on for years to be just one step above a hole in the ground. Bodily hygene before the invention of the bathroom to modern ideas of what a bathroom is and how our society regards such matters are researched in detail. This book is fun & informative. Hours of leg numbing reading.

Kiba's book on bathrooms is one of them best studies of human needs and how to accommodate them that has been written in recent years. He begins with a look into how bodies actually work, not what people assume. He delves into basic of people's feelings about their body processes. He studies the design of plumbing fixtures and proposes changes that would reduce "spray" and improve sanitation. Plumbing for private homes and public facilities are both addressed. For anyone involved in the design and manufacture of fixtures, architecture or engineering of sanitary facilities, sales, or installation of sanitary waste facilities this book is a must read.

Cornell University's Dr. Kira performs extensive scientific research on how humans use bathroom facilities, and discovers our current designs and practices are WRONG. For example, our sinks are much too low and our toilet seats are too high. Urinals are designed to splash on us(!), and women's restrooms would be much more useful if they still had female-friendly urinals (which they did until the 70's). Dr. Kira provides many new designs that solve the problems we tolerate out of ignorance.

How could so much detailed research and beneficial new designs be overlooked? An Amazing book that is totally relevant today (humans are still the same, and so are toilets). It should NOT be out of print

Cornell University's Dr. Kira performs extensive scientific research on how humans use bathroom facilities, and discovers our current designs and practices are WRONG. For example, our sinks are much too low and our toilet seats are too high. Urinals are designed to splash on us(!), and women's restrooms would be much more useful if they still had female-friendly urinals (which they did until the 70's). Dr. Kira provides many new designs that solve the problems we tolerate out of ignorance.

How could so much detailed research and beneficial new designs be overlooked? An Amazing book that is totally relevant today (humans are still the same, and so are toilets). It should NOT be out of print