Preiser W., Smith K.H. Universal Design Handbook
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29.10 PUBLIC SPACES, PRIVATE SPACES, PRODUCTS, AND TECHNOLOGIES
Administration of legal and financial transactions
Recruitment of actors
Dissemination and sale of DVD
Web site location for DVD
Lowe’s Trends and Marketing Department provided:
$10,000 for production and dissemination costs
Content consultation
Dave Fox Remodeling Company provided:
Script
Actors
Access to production company
Connection with NARI for professional distribution of DVD
FIGURE 29.5 A former Ohio State student, now designer at
Dave Fox Remodeling Company, demonstrating universal design
features in its NARI award-winning kitchen.
Long description: Courtney Burnett, a former Ohio State
student, now designer at Dave Fox Remodeling Company, dem-
onstrating a seated sink work area. This universal design kitchen
won a national NARI award.
SELLING BUILDERS AND REMODELERS ON UNIVERSAL DESIGN 29.11
29.6 DISCUSSION
To change behavior, one must identify educational objectives in the cognitive and affective domains
(Gronlund, 2000). Cognitively, a learner must understand the educational content and value the
information enough to pursue a change. From an affective standpoint, educational programs must
reach individuals on an emotional level, i.e., one that has meaning to their everyday lives and/or
livelihoods. In the case of universal design education, simply providing information is not enough.
Builders and consumers view UD products such as grab bars as tools for persons with disabilities
and not appropriate to everyone. To change these responses requires multidimensional instruc-
tional programs that provide both informational content and opportunities for experiential learning.
Research indicates that changes in attitude usually happen as a result of a cumulative series of posi-
tive experiences (Gagne, 1977). By increasing awareness and broadening attitudes about the benefits
of universal design, builders and consumers realize that home environments can meet unique needs
and contribute to more comfortable living.
The universal design outreach project described in this chapter was the result of community
partnerships, and the project itself developed organically. This experience brought about a number of
recommendations for those pursuing community outreach relating to universal design. First, educa-
tion programs about universal design need to target all markets simultaneously, i.e., consumers and
housing professionals. When both builders and consumers learn the benefits of universal design, they
can reinforce one another in positive ways. The current project initially targeted consumers, which
led to frustration when they could not find knowledgeable builders, remodelers, or store personnel
to assist them in implementing UD concepts and features. As demand for UD increased among
consumers, builders needed to be made aware of both growing consumer interests and UD concepts.
Without consumer demand for homes with universal design features, few builders will be interested.
To address this dilemma, it is critical that consumers be informed about UD at the same time that
builders are educated about it.
Second, educational programs on universal design need to find their origins at the grassroots
level. To change attitudes and behaviors, educators must develop credibility through working
relationships with contractors, empowering them to take leadership in their industry. Builders and
remodelers must be actively involved in the process of educating the consumer as well as their own
employees and peers. The successful case studies are examples of industry partners providing lead-
ership, while faculty members were used for consultation and facilitation. The educational video,
which featured a NARI member as the spokesperson, is an example of an industry partner being a
credible role model for his or her peers.
Third, experiential models and hands-on physical spaces that provide an opportunity to see
implemented universal design features are needed. Observing the reaction of visitors to the Lowe’s
kitchen and bathroom exhibit at the Farm Science Review confirmed the need for experiential educa-
tion. Visitors were able to stand in front of countertops at varying heights and understand how this
might impact their activities. By trying out the raised dishwasher, pull-down shelving, and lever
handles, people could witness how universally designed features can result in easier living regard-
less of one’s age or ability level. It became clear by the comments and exclamations of visitors that
nothing beats the actual experience in educating people about universal design.
Fourth, one of the main goals of this outreach program was to market universal design as “easy
living” for everyone. It is critical the universal design concept be shown as useful for all people, not
as a form of accessible housing. Segmenting the market, i.e., targeting only older adults and persons
with disabilities for universal design products, limits the potential consumer base and the public’s
general awareness about this design option. To overcome these common misconceptions, universal
design features need to be marketed as relevant to young people and to families with children.
Showing the benefits of no-step entries, wide doorways, and varied countertop heights to diverse
populations is an effective way of bringing attention to universal design.
Fifth, one of the significant challenges in the current project was overcoming existing miscon-
ceptions about who would benefit from universal design. For example, following communications
with members of the media about universal design, regardless of how the universal design concept
was presented, the final article or news video would feature a photo of a person with a disability.
29.12 PUBLIC SPACES, PRIVATE SPACES, PRODUCTS, AND TECHNOLOGIES
Supporters of universal design need to be very consistent in the way that they market or brand the
concept if it is to become mainstream for the housing industry. Further, accessible features that are
not attractive and seamless should not be identified as universal design.
Finally, those involved in universal design education should expect a long-term commitment
that relies on building relationships with many community partners. To be successful, these partner-
ships must consist of mutual respect, a shared vision, and a willingness to learn from one another.
Members should collaborate on general goals, yet also prepare themselves for an evolutionary expe-
rience where one successful project leads to inspiration for the next. For example, as this project
team looks to the future, it may bundle the concept of universal design with the growing popularity
for green building design. Making houses usable by everyone is clearly a sustainable design issue.
29.7 CONCLUSION
This project illustrates the successful collaboration of educators from a state university including those
from the university’s extension program with a national retailer and a local remodeler. Working together
allowed all the participants to learn more about universal design and the needs of consumers and builders.
The result was a hands-on learning laboratory that has been visited by students and the public as well as
being featured in magazine articles, television shows, and the training video. With early support from a
small university grant, this project has developed into an excellent outreach program.
29.8 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gagne, R. M., The Conditions of Learning, 3d ed., New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1977.
Gronlund, N. E., How to Write and Use Instructional Objectives, 6th ed., Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Merrill Prentice
Hall, 2000.
Harney, K., “Boomer Retirement Plans Differ from Predecessors,” Columbus Dispatch, Jan. 22, 2006, p. I6.
Kretzman, J. P., and J. L. McKnight, Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path toward Finding and
Mobilizing a Community’s Assets, Chicago: ACTA Publications, 1993.
Maisel, J., “The Evolution of Universal Design in Housing in the United States: Toward Visitability and Pattern
Books,” in Universal Design Handbook, 2d ed., W. Preiser and K. H. Smith (eds.), New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011.
Matthew Greenwald & Associates, These Four Walls . . . Americans 45+ Talk About Home and Community
Research Report, Washington: American Association of Retired Persons, 2003.
Price, C., S. Zavotka, and M. Teaford, “Implementing a University Community Retail Partnership Model to
Facilitate Community Education on Universal Design,” The Gerontologist, 44: 697 –702, 2004.
Zavotka, S., S. Faulkerson, and M. Teaford, “Step into Easy Living: The Effect of an Interactive Exhibit That Promotes
Universal Design for All Ages,” presentation to Housing Education and Research Association, Ithaca, N.Y., 2006.
29.9 RESOURCES
American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), “Certified Aging in Place Specialists,” http://www.aarp.
org/family/housing/articles/caps.html.
Building Industry Association (BIA) of Central Ohio: http://www.biaparade.com/.
Habitat for Humanity: www.habitat.org.
National Association of Home Builders (NAHB): http://www.nahb.org/page.aspx/category/sectionID=686.
National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI): www.nari.org.
National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA): www.nkba.org.
The Ohio State University Universal Design Project: http://ehe.osu.edu/ud/.
CHAPTER 30
UNIVERSAL BATHROOMS
Abir Mullick
30.1 INTRODUCTION
The development of the bathroom has closely followed the history of social attitudes and cultural values.
This is not to say that technology played no role in bathroom development. The Minoan and Roman eras
produced many advanced bathroom technologies, which were sources of pleasure for the rich Minoans
and enriched the lives of everyday Romans. Community values that followed the Minoan and Roman
periods set aside these technologies and kept them out of reach for many subsequent centuries. As a result,
these advanced bathroom technologies were inaccessible to everyone, including the rich and powerful,
and people were deprived of the benefits of using the bathroom. It was not until the late 1800s that a
somewhat improved version of Minoan bathroom technology reappeared in the United States and was
made minimally available to the general public. Bathrooms finally became part of U.S. homes as recently
as the early 1900s, when indoor plumbing and running water became available in common buildings.
The basic design of the bathroom as a room for three containers—the tub and the sink for body
washing and the toilet for disposing of body wastes—has remained practically unchanged since its
inception many centuries ago. Depending on the social milieu and community support, either these
containers were integrated into the building architecture, or supplied with running water and sewage
disposal systems, or they were placed away from the home and provided with pumped water and a
simple gravity-assisted waste disposal system. The Minoans were the first to have private bathrooms.
These were followed by the early monasteries, which operated as protectors of culture and social
values. As such, this chapter discusses need for and the emergence of universal bathrooms.
30.2 HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE BATHROOM
Bathrooms in middle-class U.S. homes first appeared in urban areas. In these bathrooms, fixture place-
ment was driven by plumbing and drain technologies and cost conservation, not by usability or human
considerations. The present 5- by 7-ft bathroom first appeared in the 1920s, when plumbing in private
bathrooms became available in U.S. homes. Even though a great number of technological and design
improvements have been suggested during recent years, including prefabricated designs, bathroom
design has remained basically unchanged. None of these new technologies has received acceptance
within the plumbing industry. This is so because the plumbing industry maintains a peculiar relation-
ship with the home-building industry and continues to support on-site bathroom construction, which
requires assembling thousands of unrelated parts. Not only has the plumbing industry denounced new
bathroom designs, it has employed restrictive codes to limit new bathroom and technological innova-
tions. Consequently, the modern bathroom has failed to serve as a place of comfort for most people,
and users have compromised convenience for efficient water supply and waste disposal.
30.1
30.2 PUBLIC SPACES, PRIVATE SPACES, PRODUCTS, AND TECHNOLOGIES
30.3 THE NEED FOR A UNIVERSAL BATHROOM
Life expectancy in 1900, when bathroom technology first found its way into the home, was 44 years. A
shorter life expectancy meant that most bathroom users were young people, and they did not experience
physical limitations associated with old age (Dychtwald, 1990). Most people, then, made use of bathroom
facilities independently, children being the only recipients of bathroom assistance. Assistance in the bath-
room did not become a factor of the early design, since most users did not live long enough to become
old and experience physical limitations. The concept of early bathroom design, therefore, centered on
independent use and use in complete privacy, and those who were unable to use the current design under
these conditions had to seek assistance, thus compromising privacy, dignity, and self-reliance.
Advances in medical technology and health care have prolonged life, and this has contributed to
demographic changes in society. Within a longer life span, therefore, people are encountering a greater
number of disabling conditions, for which they must develop new coping strategies. Furthermore, while
survival rates for previously fatal injuries and diseases are now much higher, chronic disabling condi-
tions often result. Bathroom dependence among older people and those with disabilities escalates with
age and severity of physical limitations, and this often compels them to move from residential settings
to institutions. However, social trends are also changing the demographics of people with disabilities.
The Independent Living movement encourages all people, including people with disabilities, to live as
independently as possible, and everyone wants to be independent in the bathroom.
Bathroom users today are vastly different from the users when the bathroom first originated.
They are a mixed population consisting of independent users, dependent users, and care providers of
dependent individuals—they are tall and short people, young and old people, large and small people,
able-bodied people, and people with disabilities.
Clearly, most bathrooms are not enabling environments, and they present a serious imbalance
between an individual’s capabilities and the demands of the environment. Current bathrooms con-
tinue to primarily support independent users, because they are based on the premise that all users will
operate independently, and they do not support dependent users and their care providers, or those
using assistive technology products. Even though providing care is a normal aspect of bathroom life,
it is nearly impossible to care for children and dependent adults in the bathroom. Most care providers
are seriously inconvenienced by bathroom design, and they operate in very unsafe conditions. The
average bathroom is an unsafe and inconvenient place for all users, and it is inconsistent with the
needs and requirements of most users.
At no time in the history of the bathroom has the need for a better bathroom been more urgent
than now. A universal bathroom, an equal opportunity environment, stands for a better bathroom for
everyone, and it should benefit all users and meet their individual and collective needs. Universal
bathrooms must be for all people, must achieve consumer acceptance by everyone, must consider the
range of users, must provide appropriate choices for different needs, and must accommodate every-
one at all times. They must embrace new technology to provide a dynamic bathroom environment
that adapts to people’s changing conditions; allow users to customize their environment; offer a high
degree of safety, security, usability, and independence to all users; provide individual satisfaction;
and support the offering and receiving of assistance.
The universal bathroom is not one design for all people. The universal bathroom supports the idea of
individualization and personalization through design flexibility and diversity, i.e., different designs for
different users within the same system, or adaptability and adjustability that can accommodate all users.
A universal bathroom is a place for all members of the family, and it will offer many different designs.
30.4 INNOVATIVE BATHROOM DESIGNS
The following bathrooms have been designed to provide safety, independence, and work efficiency.
They suggest a unique design approach based on modular parts and mass production, which shifts
the idea of the bathroom from a constructed environment to a manufactured environment. This
allows for the introduction of new plumbing and drainage technology, necessary to incorporate
important universal design features related to adaptability, adjustability, and personalization.
UNIVERSAL BATHROOMS 30.3
Bathroom for Elderly People
Robert Graeff, an architecture professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, developed
a bathroom that allows elderly people (Fig. 30.1) to maintain personal independence and prolongs their
ability to stay at home (Singer, 1988). This bathroom, which can be located adjacent to, or as part of, the
bedroom, is designed to provide easy access, safety, and privacy and to reduce walking distance, espe-
cially at night, to the customary bathroom. It incorporates many functional features such as wraparound
handrails, skidproof flooring, enclosed storage and open counter space, shallow washbasin, spacious
shower booth, equipment for perineal cleaning, and effective lighting. There are unobtrusive supports
that guide users through the enclosure. Since it is next to the bedroom, removed clothing can be stored
dry in the bedroom. The storage is designed to keep medications and related supplies organized in the
cabinets, and the shelves have magnifying shields to make fine print on drug labels readable.
Metaform Bathroom
The Metaform bathroom system was designed to provide greater flexibility, safety, convenience,
and independence for people of all ages and abilities, including children, able-bodied adults, older
people, and people with disabilities (Design Continuum, Inc., 2000). Gianfranco Zaccai of Design
Continuum, Inc., designed it for the Herman Miller Research Corporation (HMRC) and the Herman
Miller Corporation (HMC). Made up of modular components and moving parts, the bathroom sys-
tem can be easily transformed as people’s needs change over time. It has been designed to blend with
existing architecture and details and to require little labor and cost to install, maintain, and repair.
FIGURE 30.1 Bathroom for the elderly.
Long description: The picture shows two parts of the bathroom: a grooming area on the left, a
showering area on the right, and a wall separating the two. The grooming area has a wraparound
countertop with knee clearance for wheelchair access and under-the-cabinets lights. The cabinets
are for storing bathroom accessories and medications. The wall that separates the grooming area
from the showering area has vertical grab bars for support. Between the grooming area and the
showering, there is a continuous bench for those elderly who wish to go from one area to the
other area sitting down. The showering area is a giant shower stall with a handheld shower and
several wall-mounted grab bars.
30.4 PUBLIC SPACES, PRIVATE SPACES, PRODUCTS, AND TECHNOLOGIES
The Metaform system consisted of associated yet independent components that form three bath-
room activity nodes—the lavatory, toilet, and bathing nodes. These components can be assembled
to form activity centers and construct variable-size accessible bathrooms with the minimum size
being 5 by 5 ft. The lavatory node, shown in Fig. 30.2, consists of a self-contained, height-adjustable
assembly, and it has a sink, work surface, storage, lighting, and mirrors. This node can be installed
within the thickness of a standard 4-in. studded wall, or retrofitted to the outside of any existing wall
that provides for hot and cold water as well as waste lines and electricity.
The toilet node, as shown in Fig. 30.3, consists of a toilet that adjusts automatically in height to
facilitate transfer and use by small children, tall adults, and people with disabilities. It incorporates
optional features such as foldaway arms to facilitate transfer, bidet wand with dryer, and automatic self-
cleaning/sanitizing. When not in use, the toilet bowl can be rotated into a cavity and out of the way.
The bathing node includes four basic components: (1) a “water column” assembly, (2) the shower
floor pan/drain system, (3) resilient bathtub with optional hydraulically powered transfer chair, and
(4) a support bar/accessory rail system (Fig. 30.4). The water column is a self-contained, preas-
sembled unit, which contains the shower/hand wand controls, a range of showerheads, ambient and
foot lighting, an integral support bar to facilitate safe transfer, and integral forced ventilation for the
shower or shower/tub. The pan/grill system channels shower water into a trough underneath and
drains into the bathroom drain. The tub, which is made up of a resilient outer surface, is designed
FIGURE 30.2 Self-contained height-adjustable lavatory
Long description: The picture shows a little girl using the lavatory in low-
ered position. In that position it is also usable by a wheelchair user. In the
raised position, the lavatory is usable by a standing adult. The lavatory also
has a built-in mirror and a light that lower and rise along with it. There are
two sets of drawers, one on either side of the lavatory.
UNIVERSAL BATHROOMS 30.5
to facilitate transfer, while providing safety and comfort. The rim of the tub is bowed outward to
facilitate seated transfer from a wheelchair. The support bar/accessory rail is a modular component.
It can be installed over any existing stud wall and can support 1000 lb of load at any point. Made of
a tubular steel core with a resilient urethane skin, it offers a secure and natural gripping surface for
the hand and allows attaching and repositioning accessories, such as a folding shower chair, soap and
shampoo dispenser, soap dish, shaving caddy, baby’s bath bassinet, and such, thus enabling users to
customize the bathroom environment.
IDEA Center Bathrooms
The Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access, with the support of the National Institute
on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), U.S. Department of Education, developed two
adjustable bathrooms, called the movable fixtures bathroom and movable panels bathroom (Mullick,
2000). These designs were based on the premise that bathroom use must prolong independence,
allow the offering of care and assisting care providers. Unlike most current bathrooms, which are
designed primarily for independent users, these bathrooms considered the needs of the human life
cycle and addressed dependent use and care, providing alongside independent use of the bathroom.
FIGURE 30.3 Height-adjustable toilet with foldaway arms.
Long description: The toilet has two hand rests that can be lowered for
support or folded away when not in use. The toilet bowl comes with a
bidet and dryer and it folds away into a cavity and is out of the way, clear-
ing the floor space when needed. The toilet along with the hand rests is
height-adjustable.
30.6 PUBLIC SPACES, PRIVATE SPACES, PRODUCTS, AND TECHNOLOGIES
In these bathrooms, the sink and shower moved around the bathroom wall to adjust for use condi-
tions. Through fixture movement, the bathrooms reorganized and opened up spaces for both inde-
pendent and dependent use, suiting various body sizes and preferences and specific care-providing
situations. The fixtures also adjusted in height to accommodate variations in stature, and for standing
users, sitting users, and children, in relation to user needs and capabilities, and the demands of the
environment. Fixture movement is a result of technological innovation in existing plumbing and
drain technology used unconventionally. Both the movable fixtures and movable panels bathrooms
let bathrooms adapt to people, and not the other way around, resulting in a best “fit” between users
and their environment.
The concept for the movable fixtures bathroom was based on the premise that the bathroom
needs to be regularly adjusted to meet the changing demands of a variety of users living in the home.
Furthermore, the technology must allow instantaneous and easy movement of fixtures to create larger
spaces for bathroom activities based on user preference, as well as independent and dependent use.
In this bathroom, the sink and shower rolled along the bathroom wall to create larger toilet, groom-
ing, and showering areas. Fixture movement, in principle, instantly created three “large” bathrooms
in one small space and opened up the bathroom for easy operation during dependent and independent
use. The sink and shower units, which rest and roll on the wall-mounted bars, also adjusted in height
for stature variations and usage. When not in use, the fixtures locked securely in place to prevent
FIGURE 30.4 Water column in shower.
Long description: The water column is a self-contained, preassem-
bled unit, which contains the shower/hand controls, a range of show-
erheads, ambient and foot lighting, an integral support bar to facilitate
safe transfer, and integral forced ventilation for the shower or shower/
tub. The picture shows the water column and all its components.
UNIVERSAL BATHROOMS 30.7
unplanned movement. Plumbing, drainage, and electricity are supplied through a flexible assembly,
and these services are designed to support fixture movement. The shower area consisted of a fast-
draining shower floor and a telescoping shower screen that moved with the shower to provide various-
size enclosures. The screen stored flat against the bathroom wall when not in use.
The concept for the movable panels bathroom was based on the premise that users will only make
major bathroom changes periodically, not every day. They will make environmental changes when
there is a major change in the family composition, such as the birth of a child, temporary disability,
or an elderly parent moving in to live with his or her children. In this bathroom, the sink, shower,
and storage units were on panels, and they could be moved anywhere in the bathroom. The fixture
designs were the same as those in the movable fixtures bathroom and allowed the same height varia-
tion and movement. The shower area consisted of a fast-draining shower floor and a shower curtain.
There were other supportive and multipurpose features in this bathroom, such as the panels for
accessory storage. These panels also served as recessed grab bars for support and assistance. When
in production, panels were expected to be available in a range of colors, so they could be mixed and
matched to produce a variety of attractive bathrooms, thereby making it easy and less expensive to
redecorate over time.
FIGURE 30.5 The movable fixtures bathroom.
Long description: The toilet and the sink unit are on the left,
and the shower and the shower door are on the right. The sink
unit rolls horizontally along the handrail, close to or away from
the toilet, creating different-size bathrooms. The sink unit has
a built-in mirror, light, storage, and grab bars, and along with
them it moves vertically and adjusts in height to meet the needs
of standing and seated users.
FIGURE 30.6 The movable panels bathroom.
Long description: In the movable panels bathroom, the sink,
shower, grab bars, and storage units are on panels, and they can
be moved anywhere in the bathroom. The sink unit has a built-
in mirror, light, storage, and grab bars, and along with them
it moves vertically and adjusts in height to meet the needs of
standing and seated users.