Some designs don’t change much over decades, and it’s usually because the typical design works and doesn’t need improvement. A perfect example is the toilet typically found in the Western world. While some differences exist from one country to the next, the classic porcelain throne doesn’t have a lot of variation.

Enter the Iota Toilet, a project by University of Huddersfield design students Gareth Humphreys and Elliott Whiteley. The toilet folds to save space in the bathroom. The designers also say that the futuristic toilet design would cut water consumption by 50% over a standard toilet.

The Iota Toilet works by utilizing a movable bowl. When the bowl is in the down position, it can be used as usual. When finished, the user then lifts the entire bowl up toward the wall. In doing so, the user connects the pipes in the bowl and a powerful burst of water is released to flush the waste away.

The folded toilet takes up much less space in the bathroom than a conventional toilet, but it is also lower to the ground. This can be a problem for older people or those with leg or knee problems. But the design, even with its potential flaws, is an aesthetically pleasing alternative to the open germ pools that most of us currently have in our bathrooms.

Newsletter Sign Up

Get the latest design news!

Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest design news.

Thanks for subscribing! Expect a newsletter with the latest out-of-the ordinary designs and innovation soon.

Sign Up

I agree to receive emails from the site. I can withdraw my consent at any time by unsubscribing. Dornob's privacy policy.

“Iota is designed for use in home bathrooms to create more free space and save water. These advantages make Iota much better than most existing toilets making it a major competitor in this market. The main continents in which this would be marketed are Europe and North America as these are the main consumers of conventional upright toilets. These areas also avoid confusion between the use of seated and squatting toilets as this action would be dangerous on Iota. Another application could be on airplanes due to its ability to seal off the open bowl. This would aid the reduction of sound where a vacuum flush is fitted. This feature would also prevent water from overflowing through toilets on boats with its ability to disconnect and seal off the waste pipe.”

(via: Designboom)

The post Space-Age Folding Toilet Saves Water first appeared on Dornob.