A cutesy headline caught my attention today as I unfolded the Metro/State section of my daily paper:  "Snazzy outhouse flush with awards for local architects." Patrick Beach's story in the Austin American-Statesman provided a refreshing, well, break, from the horrible headlines of murder and death coming out of Central Texas these past couple of weeks. 

I normally find nothing amusing or cute about "potty talk" and wouldn't dream of posting a blog with even the hint of such humor. But it was nice to see a story about Austin-based Miró Rivera Architects having won several awards for its design of the sleek stall that is public, outdoors and unisex.

Most recently The Trail Restroom--on the shores of Lady Bird Lake, where runners using the trail also frequent the facility--won the 2009 American Architecture Award and an honorable mention at the International Biennial Architecture Prize Competition in Padova, Italy. Juan Miró sees nothing funny about the outhouse being a prize winner. "Architects don't give up on the potential for good design to happen at any time, in any place and on any scale," he told the Statesman's reporter.