Take a look at two public restrooms. One is situated next to a bustling playground for the community and sports complex. The other serves a remote trailhead surrounded by open land.
Both buildings offer the same services but if they were designed as identical buildings it would be difficult to discern how these locations work.
The best public restrooms start with the site. Who will be using the facility? How many guests are permitted to enter at the same time? What utilities are available? What distance must visitors travel? What is the architectural style that surrounds the building?
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How you answer those questions will influence almost every decision that follows.
Begin with how people move through the Site
The location of toilets should not be considered as an independent thing from the other features and designs of a park. At a sports venue, visitors may arrive in large groups during games and events. The restrooms for playgrounds need to be easily accessible for families, while also fitting into pedestrian circulation. In a downtown setting, sidewalk restrooms may have to work within a tighter footprint and complement nearby streetscape features.
The structure is just one piece of the experience. Paths, entrances, surrounding activities accessibility, and the surrounding environment all influence the way that a location is used in practice.
Remote sites create a new Problem
The project should be moved further from the existing infrastructure and streets. It might be difficult to connect a scenic overlook or trailhead to a conventional sewer system. In the right circumstances vault toilets offer an alternative that allows restroom facilities to be utilized in locations in which traditional plumbing infrastructure might be difficult or impractical.
The conversation shifts around design. Project teams do not have decide on a structure prior to looking at the site and deciding what restroom system would work most effectively.
Capacity should reflect real use
The pattern of visits to a quiet neighborhood park and regional sports facilities differ. The peak demand is crucial. The peak demand is important.
Owners are able to plan their project around the needs of the bathroom, taking into account the capacity, layout, and fixtures, as well as maintenance access.
If you are a company looking at facilities for park restrooms that are prefabricated, flexibility can be particularly valuable because the building can be designed to meet the needs of the project instead of making the location fit the model of a certain size.
Although Architecture is a part of the conversation
Appearance is not ignored just due to its function. A public bathroom is a part of the natural landscape. The forms of the roof the sidings, colors, fixtures and masonry can be used to relate it to the nearby pavilions, concessions and natural surroundings, or a community design theme.
Romtec’s unique approach to project management allows teams to incorporate different material, colors, shapes and exterior finishes instead of having to adhere to one standard appearance.
Design for Place and Not Just for Design for Place.
Romtec works with park owners and contractors to provide and construct restrooms and other public structures. Its expertise includes the documentation of buildings, code-related considerations, ADA issues, engineering selection of the right components and construction in the United States.
It is surprising how simple the initial point of departure remains. Don’t begin by asking what restroom building you can put on the location. Start by understanding the activities, people infrastructure and the surrounding environment there. Make the design that is appropriate for this location.