Picture two public restrooms. There are two public restrooms. The trailhead is located in a rural area with wide open spaces.
Both buildings offer the same service, however in the event that they were built in the same way, it would be impossible to comprehend how the two sites function.
Image credit: romtec.com
It is essential to choose the right site for constructing good public restrooms. Who will be using it? How many people can arrive simultaneously? What amenities are available? How far should visitors walk? What is the architectural style that surrounds the structure?
These questions can influence any decision that is made.
You can start with observing how people navigate around the site
The placement of toilets shouldn’t be viewed in isolation from other areas of the park. People can arrive in large numbers to an sports venue to see events or games. The location of the restroom near a playground must be convenient for families, but also secure and accessible to pedestrians. In a town-center setting, it may be necessary to incorporate sidewalk restrooms in less space while also enhancing adjacent streetscape elements.
The building is only a small element of the experience. Access points, routes, activities and accessibility all affect how the location of the building works in practice.
Remote sites can cause a new problem
It is now time to move the project from developed streets and utility infrastructure. A scenic viewpoint, campground, trailhead or a remote recreation area might not have a practical connection to a sewer line that is conventional. If properly used vault toilets may provide an alternative to conventional plumbing infrastructure in areas that are difficult or unpractical.
The design debate is now different. Instead of deciding on a building first, design teams examine the existing conditions on the site and choose which toilet system is appropriate for the site.
Capacity should reflect actual use
A park in a quiet area and a sports complex regionally don’t have the same patterns of visitors. The demand at peak times is important. A facility that appears to be adequate on a normal Tuesday afternoon might face different conditions on a weekend festival, event, or other community event.
Making plans around actual usage can help owners plan for restroom capacities, layout, fixtures, access to maintenance, and other operational demands prior to construction starts.
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 still an integral component of the conversation
The look of a restroom is essential, however it should not be ignored because the purpose is far more important. The restroom is an important element of the landscape for everyone to enjoy. The form of the roof and colors, sidings, fixtures and masonry could be used to relate it to the nearby pavilions, concessions and natural surroundings, or a common design theme.
Romtec’s bespoke approach lets teams to work with various materials, colors and shapes as well as exterior designs, instead of being limited to a traditional appearance.
Design for Place, Not Just for Goal
Romtec collaborates with park managers contractors, park owners, as well as landscape architects to design, provide, and install public restroom buildings. Its expertise covers building documentation, code considerations, ADA issues, engineering design, selecting of components and construction in the United States.
However, the important start point is really simple. Don’t start by asking what restrooms you could build on the site. First, you must understand what’s taking place on the site that includes activities, people and infrastructure. Plan the structure that will fit within.