Definition of a Well-Designed Public Toilet

A well-designed toilet may not be at the top of your list when planning the layout of your site, but it should be. Anyone who has ever been in an overcrowded and uncomfortable toilet will value a hygienic and good public toilet design. Thus, it can have a significant impact on visitor’s experience of the rest of the building.

A well-designed public toilet has to be:

·         Clean and dry

·         Well maintained

·         Easy to maintain

·         Carefully planned layout with maintenance in mind

·         Friendly to persons with disabilities and special needs

There are various types of toilets:

·         Public toilets that are used are generally open to any member of the public or restricted patrons of the owner of the facility.

·         Private toilets are where the use is restricted to patrons of the service provider or by the building management.

·         Private Residences

Public Toilet Design

No unsupervised toilet installation can prevent vandalism. In most cases, facility engineers and cleaners play an essential role in well-maintained toilets. However, all designs should allow for the individual item to be replaced for aesthetic and hygiene reasons. It is difficult and costly to insulate the toilets acoustically, but this problem can be resolved by planning isolation as much as possible.

• Layout

Single entrance/exit plans work satisfactorily, providing the path the users do not cross each other, and the entrance is wide enough. This helps to improve the ventilation within the toilet and minimizes hand contact for hygiene reasons.

Public toilet design should have minimize hand contact as far as possible. Electronic products for toilets, such as flush valves and faucets, offer enhanced operations that promote sanitation and perceived cleanliness because of hand-free operation.

Furthermore, it is required for minimum maintenance. Avoid entrances opening onto a wall surface with the mirror reflecting the urinals. The positioning of the mirrors and the gaps created by the hinges should be considered, as they can also show visibility from outside.

The location of the toilets should not be too far from the main traffic area. It should be easily accessible for those with urgency, better personal safety, and for older people.

Further, signage should be sufficiently and prominently displayed in all main traffic passageways. Avoid fancy signage, as it could be confusing, especially for the visually handicapped and older people.

• Lighting

A well-designed lighting system will improve the toilet’s appearance and create an impression of cleanliness. It could also save electrical energy.

A thoughtful selection of fixtures and lamps coupled with careful placement is essential. Natural lighting is best to help create a softer and friendlier environment. All public toilets should be provided with warm-color lighting for general lighting. Warm-color lighting aids in creating a better ambiance in the toilet, which could encourage more care and responsibility from the users.

• Materials

Use durable materials and be resistant to vandalism and neglect. Avoid applying finishes such as paint.

·         Floor – Non-slip ceramic tiles, natural stone, homogeneous tiles, and terrazzo.

·         Wall – Ceramic tiles, natural stone, homogeneous tiles, stainless steel, enameled steel panels, glass block, aluminum panels, and phenolic cladding.

·         Ceiling – Mineral fiberboard, fibrous plasterboard, and aluminum panels or strips.

Use colors to brighten the toilet, create interest, and produce a conducive environment. Colors should be achieved together with materials and lighting, as they are vital ingredients in creating ambiance.

• Urinals

All urinals should be fitted with a flush valve and an automatic flushing device. If two or more urinals are installed, one should be installed at the child’s height. As a further enhancement to keep the urinal areas dry, stainless steel grating could be installed over the drainage and below the urinal bowls.

• Water Closets

All water closets should preferably be wall-hung and fitted with a flush valve and an automatic flushing device with a manual bypass. The fixture should be concealed for easy maintenance and to deter vandalism. All water closet cubicles should be fitted with drum-roll toilet paper dispensers.

Coat hooks (double hooks) should be affixed behind cubicle doors. A platform or foldable shelf could be installed in the cubicles for personal items. Where practical, the cubicle partition board should be rigid and wall or ceiling hung without leg support for easy cleaning of the floor area.

An ablution tap coupled with a hose and a spring-loaded nozzle should be installed in at least one water closet compartment in male and female toilets. A floor trap fitted with the ablution tap should be provided within the water closet. The flooring of water closet cubicles should be appropriately graded towards the floor trap to keep the floor as dry as possible. That particular cubicle should have signage displayed for easy identification.

• Wash Basins

All wash basins should be installed with vanity tops and located beneath the vanity. The tops should have a backsplash and apron edges. All wash basins should be provided with PUB-approved aerators. Electronic taps are an effort to conserve water. Sensor-controlled taps, with their precise flow settings and positive shutoff characteristics, offer an effective means for providing adequate water flow when it is required. They will also minimize hand contact.

The water pressure and tap/wash basin position should not cause water to splash onto the user’s body during activation. Where there are two or more basins, one should be installed at the child’s height. In order to keep the floor dry, the vanity top-cum-wash basin should be installed outside the toilets for everyday use by all users. Liquid soap dispensers, paper towel dispensers or hand dryers, and litter bins should be installed adjacent to the washbasins.

• Provision of Facilities

All public toilets should be fitted with:

·         Waste bins inside each male and female toilet and outside toilets

·         Either paper towel dispenser or hand dryer

·         Sanitary disposal bins in female toilets

·         Suitable air fresheners to promote a fragrant, pleasing environment. It should spray away in non-traffic directions or upwards.

·         Sanitizers in each water closet bowl

·         A slop sink should preferably be housed in a separate compartment

• Special needs

·         Diaper changing station

·         Toilet for handicapped

• Installation Standards

·         All pipework should be concealed except for the final connections to the fixtures. Pipework exposed to view should be chrome-plated.

·         Avoid surface mounting of cables. They should be fully concealed.

·         Avoid sharp corners or edges. Coved tiles or PVC strips should be provided along these edges as far as possible.

·         Access panels to pipe ducts should be located as far as possible in inconspicuous areas.

·         Mirrors should be flush with the wall surface.

• Ventilation System

Proper ventilation of a public toilet is one of the highest priorities. Even if a public toilet is well-designed, ineffective ventilation can make it unbearable. Adequate ventilation ensures that vitiated air is quickly extracted and helps to avoid dampness and the subsequent growth of mold on floors and walls.

• Landscaping

The ambiance of public toilets can be enhanced further by:

·         Introducing easy maintenance plants inside the toilets as well as surrounding the public toilets

·         Placing of wall pictures and illuminated with delicate lighting

·         Placing of ornaments or sculptures at the end corners of the toilet

Conclusion

An effective public toilet design involves careful planning and consideration of various factors, from layout and materials to lighting and ventilation. By focusing on these elements and partnering with experts like Restloo- toilet partition manufacturer, you can create public restrooms that are not only functional and hygienic but also enhance the overall experience of your facility’s visitors.

Contact Us

For more information on how Restloo can assist with your public toilet design needs, please contact us. Our team is ready to provide expert guidance and high-quality products to ensure your public restrooms meet the highest standards.