Imagine two public toilets. Imagine two public restrooms. One trailhead is situated in a rural area with wide open spaces.
Both provide the same essential service, but constructing them as identical buildings would ignore how differently those locations perform.
Good public restroom buildings begin with the site. Who will use the facility? How many people may arrive at once? What utilities are available? How far will visitors have to walk? What architecture surrounds the building?
Image credit: romtec.com
Answering these questions can influence the majority of decisions that follow.
Begin by looking at how people are moving around the site
The location of restrooms shouldn’t be thought of separately from the rest of the park. When a facility is a sport there are visitors who arrive in large numbers during sporting events and games. Toilets that are used for play areas need to be easily accessible for families, while also fitting into pedestrian circulation. In urban areas the size of sidewalk restrooms might be smaller and may need to be complemented by other streetscape elements.
The building itself is not the entire experience. The location is influenced by the surrounding environment accessibility, access, and activities.
Remote Sites Create a Different Problem
It is now time to move the project from developed streets and utility infrastructure. It is possible to not connect a scenic overlook, campground or trailhead with the standard sewer system. If used properly vault toilets are an alternative to traditional plumbing infrastructure in areas which are difficult to access or impossible to install.
The design discussion is different. Rather than 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 reflected in the actual usage
A park located in a tranquil neighborhood and a sports complex regionally don’t have the same types of patrons. Demand at peak times is important. It’s not enough to have a facility that is in good condition on an afternoon on a Tuesday.
Planning around actual use helps owners think about restroom capacity, layout, fixtures, access to maintenance and other operational needs prior to when construction starts.
The versatility of park restrooms that are prefabricated can be very valuable to organizations looking into the buildings. Instead of having to force the location to conform to a specific model, the construction can be customized around the requirements for the project.
Even though Architecture is an integral part of the conversation
It’s not just because it’s an aspect. A public restroom is part of the landscape. Forms of roof, siding, colors fixtures, masonry, and other features of architecture can assist in connecting it with nearby pavilions or concession buildings and the natural environment, a well-established design theme, or the community.
Romtec’s bespoke approach lets teams to utilize various colors, materials and shapes, as well as exterior treatments, rather than being limited to a traditional appearance.
Design for Place, Not Only for Purpose
Romtec collaborates with park managers contractors, owners and landscape architects to design, build and construct public restroom buildings. Its experience includes building documents as well as code requirements, ADA considerations, engineering components, selection of the right component, and construction across the United States.
It’s amazing how easy the starting point remains. Do not start by asking yourself what kind of restrooms you could build on your property. Begin by studying what is already happening on the site, including people, activities and infrastructure. Then, design the structure which is a part of it.
