Imagine two public toilets. Two public restrooms. One is a trailhead in a rural region surrounded by wide open spaces.

Both offer the same basic service, but constructing the two buildings as identical would ignore how differently those sites perform.

Image credit: romtec.com

The location is the first step in building a good public restroom. Who will use the facility? How many guests can be in the facility at the same time? What amenities are available? How far can visitors expect to walk? What kind of architecture is surrounding the building?

The answers to these questions will affect almost all of the decisions to come.

Begin with how people move through the Site

Toilets’ placement shouldn’t be viewed as a separate thing from the rest and design of the park. At a sports complex there are visitors who arrive in large groups during activities and games. A playground restroom needs to be easily accessible for families while fitting safely into pedestrian circulation. In a downtown area, sidewalk restrooms may have to fit within a narrower footprint and complement nearby streetscape features.

The building is just one component of the experience. The site of the building can be influenced by several aspects, including its access, activities nearby as well as the entrances, pathways, and routes.

Remote Sites can create a Unique Problem

The project should be moved further from existing roads and infrastructure. It could be difficult to connect a scenic view or trailhead to an ordinary sewer system. When properly utilized, vault toilets can provide an alternative to conventional plumbing infrastructure in locations which are difficult to access or impossible to install.

That changes the design conversation. The project teams do not need to choose a building prior to analysing the site and deciding which bathroom system works most effectively.

Capacity should reflect the actual use

A quiet neighborhood park and regional sports facilities don’t experience the same visitor patterns. Demand for peak hours is crucial. It’s not enough just to be in good shape on an afternoon on a Tuesday.

Prior to construction, the owners should think about the use of restrooms, including their capacities, layout, fixtures and requirements for maintenance.

For organizations researching prefabricated park restroom buildings, flexibility can be particularly valuable because the building can be configured around the project’s requirements instead of forcing the site to accommodate a predetermined model.

Even though Architecture is an element of the conversation

Functionality doesn’t mean appearance has to be ignored. A public restroom is a part of the landscape. Roof forms, siding, colors, masonry, fixtures and other architectural features can aid in establishing a connection with nearby pavilions or concession buildings or the natural surroundings the design concept, or a community.

Romtec’s custom approach allows teams to work with various colors, materials and shapes as well as exterior treatments, rather than being limited to the standard appearance.

Design for Place, Not just for the Design for Place.

Romtec works with park owners contractors, park owners, as well as landscape architects to create, design and construct public restroom buildings. The company’s experience includes building documentation codes, building documentation, ADA considerations, engineering, component selection, and construction across the United States.

The important starting point, however, is surprisingly straightforward. Don’t begin by asking yourself what kind of restrooms you could build on your site. Start by analyzing the people, activities infrastructure, and surroundings already there. Create a building that is a good fit with the existing environment.