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Two Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­restaurants in the running in Canada’s Best Restroom contest

The washrooms at Bauhaus and Laurence and Chico were named finalists in this year’s competition
Courier Staff
best restrooms
The washrooms at Vancouver’s Bauhaus Restaurant (left) and Laurence and Chico Café are in the running to be named Canada’s Best Restroom. Photos submitted

Washrooms in two Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­restaurants are in the running to be named this year’s top toilets in the country.

Cintas Canada Ltd. Tuesday announced the five finalists in this year’s Canada’s Best Restroom contest, including Vancouver’s Bauhaus Restaurant and Laurence and Chico Café. The public can vote on their favourite water closet until Aug. 16.

“From rubber duckies to graphic design and graffiti, this year’s finalists feature quirky and unique design elements while remaining focused on providing a clean and well-maintained washroom,” Cintas marketing manager Candice Raynsford, said in a press release. “Our contest spotlights businesses that invest in clean, well-maintained washrooms in order to leave a lasting impression on their patrons and keep them coming back.”

Gastown’s Bauhaus Restaurant was inspired by the early 20th-century design movement known as “Bauhaus”, which was famous for its unique approach to architecture and design, where every form had a function. The restaurant’s Berlin Street art-inspired washrooms were commissioned by Olliemoonsta, an art duo from Spain with a background in fine arts and graphic design. Bauhaus’s washrooms feature quotes from Walter Gropius, Bauhaus School founder, and original graphic designs and graffiti in celebration of the Bauhaus design movement.

Laurence and Chico Café is located in the city’s West End. It was designed by Laurence Li and Chico Wang, complete with whimsical wallpapers, tiles and furnishings replicating the pairs’ signature prints.

One of the washrooms has a rubber ducky theme where if you look up, you’ll see the ceiling adorned with them. The other has a floral theme and features paper mache flowers.

Other finalists include:

  • Beaverhill Shell (Lac la Biche, Alberta)
  • Cluny Bistro (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Cosmos CafĂ© (Quebec City, Quebc)

The five finalists were selected based on cleanliness, visual appeal, innovation, functionality and unique design elements. The winner will be honoured with a place in the Canada’s Best Restroom Hall of Fame and $2,500 in facility services from Cintas to help maintain their award-winning washrooms.

Canadian can vote for their favourite loo at bestrestroom.com/Canada.