Imagine two public toilets. One is situated next to a bustling playground for the community and sports complex. The other serves a remote trailhead surrounded with open land.
Both buildings offer the same services, but if they were built in the same way it would be impossible to know how these sites function.
Image credit: romtec.com
The site is the first step to build a quality public restroom. Who can use the facilities? How many people are allowed to enter at the same time? What kind of services are available? How far can visitors walk? What kind of architecture is surrounding the building?
Answering these questions can influence the majority of decisions that follow.
Start with the way people move Through the Site
Restroom placement shouldn’t be considered in isolation from other areas of the park. In a sports complex, large crowds may be gathered around games and events. The location of a bathroom near a playground has to be easy for families to access, but also secure and accessible for pedestrians. In a city setting, sidewalk restrooms may have to fit within a narrower footprint, and also complement the streetscape features.
The building itself is not the entire experience. Paths, entrances, surrounding activities accessibility, and the surrounding environment all influence whether its location works in practice.
Remote Sites Create a Different Problem
The project must be relocated away from the street and utility infrastructure. A scenic overlook, campground, trailhead, or other remote recreational area may not be connected to a sewer line that is conventional. In appropriate applications, vault toilets provide an alternative that allows restroom facilities to serve locations where traditional plumbing infrastructure may be difficult or impractical.
The design discussion is different. Instead of choosing a building project team, they should consider the site conditions to determine what restroom system is best for that location.
Capacity should reflect actual use
The types of people who visit a quiet neighborhood park and regional sports facilities differ. Demand at peak times is important. A facility that appears to be adequate for a typical Tuesday afternoon might face different conditions on a weekend festival, tournament or any other type of community event.
Making plans around actual usage can help owners think about restroom dimensions layout, layout, fixtures access to maintenance and other operational demands prior to construction even begins.
If you are a company looking at facilities for park restrooms that are prefabricated, flexibility can be particularly valuable because the building can be arranged to suit the requirements of the project rather than making the location fit a predetermined model.
Architecture remains a part of the Conversation
Appearance is not ignored just because it’s a function. A bathroom is an obvious element of the public landscape. Forms of roofs, sidings, fixtures, colors, masonry and other architectural elements may help in connecting it to adjacent pavilions, concession structures or natural surroundings. an established design theme for a community.
Romtec’s individualized approach permits project teams to incorporate different colors and materials, shapes as well as exterior treatment and forms, instead of being limited to one standardized appearance.
Design for the Place not just the purpose
Romtec partners with park owners and contractors to supply and install restrooms and other public structures. Its expertise includes building documentation as well as code requirements, ADA considerations, engineering design, selecting components, and construction throughout the United States.
It’s surprising how simple the starting point remains. Decide on what kind of bathroom you would like to build. Begin by understanding the activities, people, infrastructure, and surroundings already there. Design the structure which is suitable for the location.
