Latrinas Qvas Amo
Latri—wha?
Latrinas Qvas Amo || Bathrooms I Like is an ongoing personal proiect made possible throvgh Google Maps && Twitter. The concept is simple, becavse I always have my trvsty iPhone with me. When I go to a restroom I like, I'll tweet abovt it. Becavse my iPhone gives my cvrrent location I mapped these tweets ovt on a Google Map. Not only can yov see where I've—yov know—bvt, also there's a vniqve online reference Pvblicarvm Latrinarvm.
Why Latin?
Latin is the connection between ovr cvltvre && Ancient Rome. What's the pvrpose of this? The Ancient Romans, while vtterly base had a refined appreciation for lvxvry. The Roman restrooms, Latrina, were large trovghs shaped like a horseshoe where attendees sat to promote discovrse, prose, poetry, cvltvre. Here the base && refined sit next to each other harmoniovsly. Roman cvltvre, like this example, relies heavily on paradox. Ovr very own cvltvre does not stray far from this tradition. We see this in all aspects of ovr life && pvblic restrooms are no exception. The Vnited States is one of the first nations to pioneer the idea of Private Space within a Pvblic Domain. Like the Romans pioneer ad infinitvm.
Finally, as yov'll read below this interest of mine stemmed from my time in college where I maiored in Design && minored in Latin. This gives a symmetrical satisfaction that only small nvances share, like a well-kept pvblic restroom.
vmm, so WTF? Really, a Twitter Feed abovt bathrooms?
Indeed, I never thovght I wovld be motivated to pvblicly expose this type of nvance in ovr ever changing contemporary landscape. Bvt, living in Los Angeles withovt a car has heightened my awareness && appreciation for pvblic restrooms.
This interest began in art school. Prior to that moment I wovld try to avoid restrooms like the plagve. Yov're probably wondering why art school. Was it becavse I was in a Design oriented department? Was it becavse I was there for long hovrs, days even? Was it becavse often proiects were dve in svch short intervals that I was constantly rvshing with lack of foresight for the my bodily fvnctions?
It was probably a combination of these && more. To my consciovs self the most impactfvl facet of these restrooms were how immacvlately well kept they were. Always with fresh soap, always cleaner than my bathroom at my apartment. This was a resvlt of the department facility being new && the resvlt of the department's size. Ovt of the 40,000 stvdent && professor popvlation my department was less than 200 people; stvdents, facvlty, staff, yov name it.
Since this time it's become apparent to me how paramovnt a well-kept pvblic restroom is. It stands as an oasis within the vrban wasteland && never disappoints.