While the great toilet paper debate rages on stateside (I swear, I read and write more about TP than I actually buy), across the pond the W+W from Barcelona-based bathroom outfitter Roca made quite an, err, splash at the London Design Festival.

 

This contemporary commode, a high-tech greywater-recycling toilet/sink combination, not only reduces water usage by 25 percent compared to a standard dual flush toilet but is, dare I say, beautiful to look at. 

 

Despite its sleek, space-efficient aesthetic appeal, I’m guessing that the W+W (washbasin + watercloset) would be considered DOA if introduced in the U.S. We’ve got a ways to go before we reach the elevated eco-loo state that the rest of the world operates on, particularly European nations and Japan, where conservation and practicality override any kind of squeamishness over bathroom rituals. It’s a shame because the W+W not only provides good looks but an innovative “water reuse technology” that cleans the water and removes odor-causing bacteria as it moves from the sink to the toilet. 

 

I admit that it would take a while for me to get used to washing my face, brushing my teeth, etc. in a basin built into the top of a toilet but the idea of practicing space-saving, on-site waste water management is quite astounding. Now only if they'd make that sink just a wee bit bigger ... 

Via [Inhabitat]