The deisgn aimed to change the image of the dark, smelly public loo

The loo in Brockenhurst is among 17 publicly funded building schemes in the running for the prime minister's Better Public Building Award.

Brookley Road Public Conveniences consist of a steel frame in which the roof appears to hover above the walls.

Competing with the Hampshire toilet for the prize is a dramatic glass bridge in Coventry and London's Trafalgar Square.

Buildings shortlisted Architecture Building, Lincoln University Wolfson Medical School, University of Glasgow City & Islington College Life Long Learning Centre, London Raines Court, London A1 Haddington to Dunbar Expressway, East Lothian Masshouse Circus Redevelopment, Birmingham A650 Bingley Relief Road, West Yorkshire World Squares for All - Phase 1: Trafalgar Square and Environs New Accommodation Project, GCHQ, Cheltenham Hoyle Early Years Centre, Bury Brookley Road Public Conveniences, Brockenhurst, Hants Wildern Basic Needs Secondary School, Southampton Three Aqueducts, Wootoon Wawen, Warwickshire UB 289 Moy Viaduct, Inverness Whittle Arch and Glass Bridge, Coventry A6116 Rockingham Road, Corby Newton's Cove Coast Protection Scheme, Weymouth

The Brookley Road public toilet was designed by Magnus Strom from John Pardey Architects.

Explaining his 'open' design he said: "These gaps have more in common with a European sense of openness about private functions, such as the French `pissoires', yet sightlines are carefully controlled to maintain a more English modesty.

"We wanted to break away from the so familiar traditional dark and smelly public toilet and replace it with a light and airy design," he said.

London's Trafalgar Square was shortlisted following an extensive re-development which has made it part-pedestrianised and turned it into a piazza.

Paul Finch, editorial director of the Architects' Journal and judging the competition said: "This year's shortlist is a real cross-section of building types from the very largest to the very smallest.

"However, they all have in common an excellence in design quality which, as these awards demonstrate, is becoming an increasing feature of our public services."