"Modular toilets" have a deservedly bad rap. Their design conjures long lines at music festivals or East German chic. And their inherent impermanence means they are either cheap or disgusting or, frequently, both.
But the 17 new Throne Labs modular toilets that the Mamdani administration is scattering across the five boroughs are a cut above the usual temporary toilet. They're like what your rich cousin got for their farmhouse wedding—but nicer.
On Tuesday around noon, I approached the Throne Lab sitting in Cadman Plaza in Downtown Brooklyn, which was busy with greenmarket patrons and municipal workers on break. I had already downloaded the Throne Labs app, which told me that the bathroom was currently "sparkling clean," and opened the door to the toilet with my phone.