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Designer creates public restroom 3D archive

Jake Welch has spent the past three years 3D scanning public restrooms across the United States and sharing the results on The Restroom Archive, his website. Using photogrammetry apps, he documents locations and peculiarities of each restroom, often highlighting their unusual features. Welch, a freelance designer, began the project as a joke but continued after noticing unique details, viewing the collection as a form of storytelling.

Why it mattersThe project uses accessible technology to document a rarely archived aspect of public infrastructure, capturing not just functionality but local character and design.

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404 MediaThe Man on a Quest to Digitally Preserve America’s Public Restrooms1:24 PM
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