From Bauhaus To Outhouse: A View For Two Improves The Design
by John Laumer, Philadelphia 
on 11.25.08
Scorned by city folk, mocked by jokes (check out the synonyms and scatological references at Wikipedia), there is still a proper place in the countryside for a well-designed outhouse. For a small cabin or prefab in the woods, especially with a dwelling occupied a few weeks each year by only a handful of people, it's a cheap solution to a human problem as old as civilization.
The outhouse shown here is made entirely of recycled materials - nails included - except for the roofing. Way cheaper than a composting toilet. At night, a 12 Volt DC bulb provides inside lighting. And, during daytime, the picture window (inside view shown below the fold) enables the user to read and helps keep odors down. Plus, you get to enjoy the view...and make polite conversation regarding the impact of climate on the landscape, peer reviewed publications on preserving biodiversity, and so on, whilst both holes are occupied.[Homage to Ben Franklin]
Picture perfect left-hole view from inside the outhouse.
More than just a view is offered by the un-privy design. Count the advantages. Water use is zero; and no fans or pumps are needed, keeping electricity use to a minimum. Better chance of carbon sequestration than a "clean coal" plant, too.
I know what you're thinking. 'In the winter you'll freeze your asparagus.'
Toilet seats are hung over the wood stove back at the cabin. Each Visitor carries out a warm one: problem solved.
In maybe 50 years, demolish the outhouse, have a nice bonfire, cover the hole, and build a new one with used building materials - saving the window of course.
Strong Caveats.
Any outhouse must be isolated by a significant distance and slope from any nearby well: check local public health code if you want guidance.
Include a place to store a bucket of odor-fighting lime and a broom.
Design your house or cabin to subsequently add a toilet indoors, should that become necessary in the event of your survivalist instincts causing a full time shift to the world of off-grid living.
No matter what, include a picture window. Life is too short to do it in the dark.
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Read The Humanure Handbook - and instead of an outhouse that might pollute the groundwater, use a bucket and compost your poop. Standard fare on off-the-grid Lasqueti island! So little smell you can even have it in your house.
Throwing lime down the hole stops the process of biodegradation. If you want it to degrade faster, you throw a cup of sawdust and a cup of dirt on it. Although, then you have to move the outhouse eventually. Plus, then only solids can go in the hole, not liquids. It might eventually fill up, though, depending on how big the hole is and how many folks are using it.
These are commonplace all over central Europe, and in the Hungarian village of 1000 where I live, almost every house has one in the back garden, where there's frequently a well too. Needless to say the place doesn't reek of reconstituted goulash. The 'waste' generally gets used around fruit trees and the privy is moved every decade or so. I even spotted a temporary back-to-back one, completely open to the elements (no roof or walls) in the woods where the unabashed could 'do the Continental' together. As well as ash, sawdust can also be used to cover waste - a sprinkle for a tinkle, a scoop for a poop; )
These are commonplace all over central Europe, and in the Hungarian village of 1000 where I live, almost every house has one in the back garden, where there's frequently a well too. Needless to say the place doesn't reek of reconstituted goulash. The 'waste' generally gets used around fruit trees and the privy is moved every decade or so. I even spotted a temporary back-to-back one, completely open to the elements (no roof or walls) in the woods where the unabashed could 'do the Continental' together. As well as ash, sawdust can also be used to cover waste - a sprinkle for a tinkle, a scoop for a poop; )
So the comment "Way cheaper than a composting toilet." seems to either ignore or be ignorant of the reasons for composting toilets.
One of the primary reasons for using composting toilets is to avoid the groundwater pollution that is common with pit latrines.
I'm with Marie, if you're concerned about the cost, check out the Humanure Handbook.