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Imagine: in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the festival, with the music playing and the beer flowing, you suddenly get the urge: I have to go. Damn. The hour of decision has come: should I hold back until I can no longer walk? Or do I risk missing part of the concert – losing most of my friends in the process – to relieve myself and continue partying with a lighter heart (and bladder)?

While this dilemma appeals to everyone, it seems to be even more prevalent among women (or anyone who squats) for the simple reason that they often have to wait much longer for the toilet than their male counterparts who have the option to go to the toilet. to go. quickly to the urinal.

Denmark-based French architect Gina Pérrier therefore decided to design Lapee – a urinal for women – to address this inequality.

How did you come up with such an idea?
Gina Perier: I am an architect and at the time I was working for a large music festival in Denmark. I realized that as a woman you encounter several obstacles when you have to go to the toilet. The queues are way too long, the toilets are dirty, we have to touch the doorknobs and then we have to wash our hands. It’s just complicated.

How is it possible that people are faster in the urinal than in a closed cubicle?
Because everyone sees you. As a result, you automatically have neither the time nor the desire to stay longer than necessary. In a closed toilet, on the other hand, you take care of other needs or simply take your time because you are shielded.

As women, we are generally less used to being ‘out there’ in front of everyone. Do you notice a certain restraint?
I often go there to observe the reactions. There are many women who have been waiting for such an invention because they were tired of not being able to urinate quickly. These women were very enthusiastic and jumped in (literally) right away. Others will never feel comfortable, and that’s okay too. After all, Lapee is an addition to the toilet.

Is there a risk of someone taking a quick photo or harassing people?
We have never received a complaint about this. Incidentally, another reason why I invented Lapee was the desire to provide more safety for squatters. I know that some women have been photographed urinating behind a bush. That can’t happen with a Lapee urinal unless someone is really shameless about it.

Is safety guaranteed?
Absolute. I can’t imagine anyone photographing or harassing a man who pees in the urinal. We could have interrupted all the time if we wanted to. But that usually doesn’t happen: the sanitary areas are mutually respected.

Is there toilet paper?
Yes. There are also bins that you can throw your sanitary pads in. There is a widespread belief that not wiping yourself is unsanitary, but that is not true. Paper simply brings more convenience. By the way, men also do not wipe themselves at the urinal and have no problems with it.

Why did you choose pink as the color for the lapee?
There are several reasons. On the one hand because pink leaves a lasting impression and is easily recognizable from a distance. This gives a certain security to the people who use them. In terms of symbolism, this color also reveals what we usually try to hide: the toilet. This is still a taboo subject, which explains why there is so little innovation in the field. And finally, pink provides a nice background for selfies. People like to take pictures for lapees.

They have been selected to participate in Adidas’ Breaking Barriers Innovation Lab, a program that offers you a scholarship and a job in Paris, among other things. They hope to take Lapee to the Olympics. Did you expect such success?
We originally only released the Lapee in Denmark in 2019. They were rented by plumbing companies who then distributed them to festivals etc. Since then they have been ordered in France, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium and a dozen other countries. We didn’t think the idea would get so excited, especially on an international level. Today we have sold more than 300 Lapees and they are present at about 300 events. So this is proof that there was real demand.