Two public restrooms. One sits beside a busy playground for the community and sports complex. The other serves a remote trailhead surrounded by open land.
Both provide the same service. However, if you design them with identical structures, they would not perform in the same manner.
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The location is the first stage in constructing a great public restroom. Who will use the facility? What is the maximum number of people allowed to use the facility simultaneously? What facilities are available? How far do visitors need to be able to walk? What is the architecture surrounding the structure?
The answers to these questions will affect nearly all subsequent decisions.
Begin with how people move Through the Site
The placement of restrooms should not be considered separately from the rest a park. Visitors can show up in large numbers at a sports complex to watch events or games. The restrooms for playgrounds need to be accessible to families, while also fitting within the pedestrian flow. In a downtown setting restrooms on sidewalks could need to be confined to a smaller footprint and complement nearby streetscape features.
The structure is only one element of the experience. Entrances, paths, activities and accessibility all affect whether its location works as intended.
Remote sites pose a unique problem
The project must be relocated away from the developed street and utilities infrastructure. It may be impossible to connect a scenic view, campground or trailhead with a conventional sewer system. In the right circumstances vault toilets are the possibility of restroom facilities to be utilized in locations where plumbing infrastructures of the traditional kind may be impossible or unpractical.
This alters the discussion about design. Instead of selecting a building, project teams should evaluate the conditions of the site to determine which bathroom system best suits the location.
Capacity Should Be Reflective of Actual Use
A peaceful neighborhood park and local sports facilities don’t experience the same visitor patterns. The demand at peak times is important. The peak demand is vital.
The planning around the actual usage helps owners consider bathroom capacities, layout, fixtures, access to maintenance and other operational needs prior to when construction gets underway.
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.
Architecture Still Should Be Part of the conversation
It’s not just because it’s a function. The bathroom is an essential component of the public landscape. Forms for roofs, siding the colors of masonry, fixtures as well as other architectural features can aid in establishing a connection with nearby pavilions, concession buildings as well as natural surroundings. a well-established design theme for the community.
Romtec’s unique approach to project management allows teams to mix different types of materials, colors, forms and exterior styles instead of being restricted to one standard appearance.
Designing for the Place, not Just the Purpose
Romtec collaborates with park owners, contractors, and landscape architects to create, design and construct public restrooms. Its experience includes building documentation and code requirements, ADA considerations, engineering, component selection, and construction throughout the United States.
It’s amazing how easy starting points are. Start by deciding what type of bathroom you would like to construct. First, you must understand what’s already taking place on the location that includes activities, people and infrastructure. Create the building which is suitable for the location.