Imagine two public restrooms. Imagine two restrooms in public. One is a trailhead located in a rural location which is surrounded by open space.
Both buildings offer the same services but when they were designed as identical buildings it would be difficult to know how these places function.
Image credit: romtec.com
Good public restroom buildings begin with the location. Who can use the facilities? How many people can arrive at a time? What facilities are offered? How far do visitors need to walk? What’s the architecture around the building?
The answers to these questions will determine most of the decisions that are made.
It is possible to start by observing how users navigate around the site
The placement of restrooms should not be considered in isolation from the rest of a park. In a sports facility people can be in large groups around sporting events and games. A playground restroom needs to be ideally located for families while fitting safely within the pedestrian flow. In urban areas, the footprint of sidewalk restrooms can be smaller and they may need to be complemented by other features in the streetscape.
The structure itself isn’t the complete experience. Location is influenced by surroundings accessibility, access, and other activities.
Remote sites can cause a new Issue
The project should be moved away from the road and utilities infrastructure. A scenic overlook, campground, trailhead or remote recreation area may not have a practical connection to a sewer line that is conventional. In appropriate applications, vault toilets provide an alternative that allows restroom facilities to serve locations where traditional plumbing infrastructure may be difficult or impractical.
The design discussion is something different. Instead of selecting a building first, project teams are able to evaluate the site’s conditions and decide which bathroom system is suitable for the area.
Capacity Should Be Reflective of Actual Use
A park in a peaceful neighborhood and a sports complex locally don’t have the exact pattern of visits. It is important to consider peak demand. An event that seems to be a success on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon could face very different conditions during a Saturday festival, tournament, or other event for the community.
Making plans around actual usage can help owners to think about bathroom capacities, layout, fixtures, access to maintenance, and other operational demands prior to construction starts.
Flexible prefabricated restrooms can be an excellent source for businesses studying them. This is due to the fact that they can be designed to meet the requirements of the project rather than putting the location into a model.
The Architecture Conversation Still Belongs to Us
An appearance isn’t ignored simply because it’s a function. The bathroom is visible element of the public landscape. Roof forms, siding, fixtures, colors, masonry, and other architectural details could help to connect it with nearby pavilions, concession buildings and natural surroundings or an established community design theme.
Romtec’s unique approach permits project teams to incorporate different material, colors, shapes and exterior finishes instead of being restricted to the same appearance.
Design to be a Place, Not Just the Purpose
Romtec collaborates with park managers contractors, park owners, and landscape architects to design, build and install public restroom buildings. Its expertise covers documents for building construction, code concerns, ADA issues, engineering, selection of components, and construction in the United States.
The key starting point however, is surprisingly straightforward. Decide on what kind of restroom you want to construct. Understand the environment, people, and the activities that are already in place. Create a building that is a good fit with the existing environment.