The inclusive restroom at Freestyle Academy听in the听Mountain View Los Altos听Unified High School District听shows听that these layouts can often be achieved within the same building footprint as traditional restrooms, making them听feasible听for both new construction and renovation projects.| Photo Credit (all): Tim Maloney听
By Lindsey Coulter听
School restrooms have long been viewed as purely functional spaces, but educators, architects and administrators are increasingly recognizing that听restroom design can听have an outsized impact on safety,听wellness听and the overall student听experience. Rather than focusing solely on gender inclusion, many districts are rethinking restroom design as an opportunity to improve comfort,听privacy听and supervision听for all users.听
That shift is prompting architects to move beyond traditional multi-stall restroom layouts in favor of designs that create greater openness in shared spaces while offering significantly more privacy where students need it most.听Prompted in part by the AIA鈥檚听鈥淚nclusive restrooms & locker rooms in K-12 schools鈥� report听from听2024,听more education leaders and design partners are听reimagining听these critical spaces to offer听a more dignified approach to the traditional听restroom听experience听that also nets听better student health outcomes.听
Rethinking the Restroom听
According to Joel Williams,听Studio Director for Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) in the firm鈥檚 Castle Rock, Colo., office,听the conversation has evolved well beyond accommodating specific student populations.听
“Restrooms are one of the most challenging spaces on a school campus,听from the student听experience standpoint and from the supervision standpoint,” Williams said. “It’s not a space听that听administrators can easily moderate. The bad stuff that happens on听a campus听often happens in a restroom.”听
For Williams, the discussion begins with a simple question: Are school restrooms actually serving students?听He often听references Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs when discussing restroom design with听education听clients.听Before students can fully engage academically, they must first feel physically safe and comfortable meeting their most basic needs.听
“Having things like air, food, water, shelter, sleep and clothing are foundational, and I think bathrooms fit in that layer,鈥� Williams said.听鈥淲hen students听avoid听using听the bathroom at school, that’s a very clear sign that it’s a problem.”听
Stakeholder engagement sessions reinforce that conclusion. When Williams asks students,听parents听and teachers to describe school restrooms, the responses听often include words such as “smelly,” “dirty,” “dark,”听and听“sketchy.鈥澨齎aping,听bullying听and general discomfort are听also听recurring concerns.听
Balancing Privacy听With听Supervision听
The greatest design challenge lies in balancing two competing priorities: creating听enough听privacy for students while听maintaining听enough visibility to discourage inappropriate behavior.听Rather than hiding the entire restroom behind a single door, many newer concepts shift openness deeper into听the space. Shared handwashing areas become visible from adjacent corridors, while individual toilet rooms are enclosed with full-height walls and doors听for more visual and acoustic privacy.听听
Because the shared areas听remain听visible, staff members no longer听have to听enter enclosed restroom spaces to听monitor听activity. Students moving in and out naturally create听additional听accountability, while security cameras can听monitor听circulation zones without compromising privacy inside the toilet rooms.听
The approach also addresses newer concerns such as digital bullying. Traditional partitions leave gaps above, below and beside stalls that can expose occupants to unwanted photography or harassment. Full-height compartments听largely eliminate听those vulnerabilities.听
Small Details Can Improve Comfort听
Beyond the overall layout, Williams believes听seemingly minor听design decisions can significantly improve the user experience.听Things like听door hardware听and听occupancy听indicators听to reassure users that the door is secured听contribute to reducing anxiety.听听
Accessibility is another opportunity to improve restroom functionality.听
Williams advocates听for听including sinks within larger accessible toilet rooms. While originally intended to serve wheelchair users, these spaces can also provide听additional听privacy for students dealing with medical conditions, menstrual听hygiene听or other personal needs.听
“It’s about providing space that accommodates other people who need whatever special considerations they may have on that particular visit,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淭hat’s an example of how we can make these spaces better for听everybody.”听
Read the full article in the Design & Construction issue of 91原片, available now.