Trends and Ideas in Dorm Bathroom Design
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Trends and Ideas in Dorm Bathroom Design Considerations for accommodation, privacy, and facility cleanliness The movement in student residences is to develop and build more apartment- style housing, with a bathroom shared by 2-4 students. The goal is to create more of a “normal” residential feel vs. the larger cadre-style dorms with two residents per room and a multi-user bathroom. The challenge faced by many colleges and universities is they have numerous cadre-style dorms that still have plenty of useful life. Another trend is for the school to undertake remodeling and renovations to not only freshen and modernize the bathrooms, but also to bring them up to code. This white paper focuses on dormitory bathroom design, the problems of mold and mildew, and how solid surface products are a viable alternative to help keep bathrooms and showers cleaner. We will address three key areas that should guide designers and school planners when contemplating a restroom and bathing-area redesign. Key area #1 – Accommodation for the disabled Dorms built in the days long before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), likely have issues with space for disabled persons, especially those in wheelchairs. Door widths, stalls, showers and countertops must now be designed to accommodate these persons. Taking a page from the concept of “universal design” illuminates some key strategies to improve accessibility: Door width: 32” minimum, but 36” is preferred, measured from doorstop to the face of door when opened to the full 90-degree position. Countertop heights: Should not exceed 32” in height, yet allow for a mandatory 27” minimum knee height (per ADA). Floor space: at least 60” of free space between fixtures – e.g., toilet stall and lavatory countertop – to accommodate a wheelchair’s turning radius. Key area #2 – Bather security and privacy In a blog post on disadvantagedbydesign.com, author Kathryn H. Anthony, Ph.D., writes: Communal bathrooms present many negative issues for their users, along with creating efficiency of space. These facilities require users to enter with a “shower caddy” full of their toiletries needed for bathing. I personally was not too bothered by this arrangement while living in student housing, but it did present some obstacles that others strongly disliked. One of which is the fact that after your shower, unless you get fully dressed while still in the bathroom, which is made difficult by the wet floor and cramped stall, you must walk through a (usually) co-ed hallway in your towel to return to your dorm room. While this is fine for some people, others experience stress in this situation. Dr. Anthony knows what of she speaks. She is the ACSA Distinguished Professor in the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Anthony went on to say that several security breaches while living in the dorms meant greater risks on top of the discomfort some residents feel walking through coed hallways wrapped in a towel. Now we turn our attention to the special issue of mold in dorms, and dorm bathrooms in particular. Key area #3 – Keeping it clean Mold School The main problem is that dorm bathrooms often are poorly ventilated and humidity levels are very high, especially in the shower area. Another contributor is the presence of older tile and grout, which can harbor mold, especially in the grout that is oftentimes not sealed. Additionally, studies have found that if shower curtains are present, the odds of mold or mildew developing are tripled. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states on its website that although mold does not always present a health risk indoors, some people are sensitive and susceptible to it. “These people may experience symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation when exposed to molds,” the CDC reports. Students with allergies or asthma may react badly to molds that reach higher concentrations. Those students who may not have any allergies to mold have still reported developing coughs or other respiratory symptoms. Poor hand hygiene According to a national survey, people wash their hands about 15 seconds or less, even though the recommendation is a minimum of 20 seconds. Perhaps we should follow the lead of healthcare workers who are taught to sing either the “Alphabet Song” or “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” while washing their hands – get to the end of the song and you will have spent the correct amount of time cleansing your hands. Bottom line: Human nature means people cheat on hand washing after using the restroom. Worst of all is the person who doesn’t wash at all … we don’t like to think about it, but it happens. Another risk is students with colds or the flu who touch bathroom fixtures. Product considerations for ADA compliance Sinks: Should be designed so bowl depth allows for wheelchair access for comfortable hand washing. Wall-mount or hanging sinks would fit well in designing for accommodation. Showerhead: Handheld and height-adjustable showerheads allow both positioning and use for the ease and comfort of the bather. No-threshold or curbless shower: This allows ease of wheelchair movement in the bathing space. A trench drain would allow for water flow and access, or a more open-concept shower space with no threshold eases wheelchair maneuverability. Grab bars – the ADA now mandates grab bar diameters of 1.25” to 2” maximum. Also, circular profiles, ovals and rounded rectangles are now allowed. A solution for bather privacy The answer for better personal comfort for the bather is to construct shower spaces with adequate dry-floor changing space that allows bathers to disrobe and get dressed within that space. One example is seen in the images below from the Yocum Hall bathroom renovations at the University of Arkansas, part of a multi-year, campus-wide multi-dorm updating project. The Yocum showers were re-designed with dry-floor changing space, and solid surface partitions for privacy. Newly renovated bathrooms at Yocum Hall, Univ. of Arkansas have solid surface surrounds, receptors and partitions, and feature a private, dry- floor changing space. Product and material choices for cleaner bathrooms Solid surface showers surrounds and receptors One of the keys in combatting mold and mildew is to employ non-porous surfaces. Even better are surfaces that do not promote the growth of mold or bacteria. With tile and grout, the porous grout is usually where the first black splotches of mold start growing. Where grout cracks or falls out, there is risk of water getting behind the tile leading to tiles failing or moisture seeping into the gyp board or other substrate. Cleaning and resealing tile means more work for maintenance staff and leaves room for error. Also, solid surface means quicker turnaround on installation over traditional tile. From start to cured finish, solid surface showers can be ready to use in as little as 4-5 days. Traditional tile can take up to 12 days by the time you tally up mortar bed prep and curing, grouting and curing, and finish seal cure. Solid surface receptors can be installed in as little as one hour versus a tile pan that can take up to three days to finish. Solid surface panels are an excellent choice as a shower enclosure material. Since solid surface is non-nutritive, it does not promote the growth of mold and mildew, and resists bacterial growth. There are numerous color and pattern options, and the ¼” or ½” sheets can be installed right over existing tile. S-curve (wavy) edges provide a good seal and their fit maintains a flat, flush seam where the wall may fluctuate. Recessed soap dishes or soap shelves can be easily incorporated into the shower surround. Receptors made from solid surface can be poured into squares and rectangles of numerous sizes. The integral non-skid surface helps prevent slips and falls, and ADA edges and ramps can ease the transition from floor to receptor. Drain locations can be set to match existing plumbing, and trench drains are also an option. One small, but significant green design advantage: Some manufacturers have created solid surface formulas containing rapidly renewable bio-based resins. Solid surface privacy partitions and countertops For many of the reasons already stated above, we would continue to press the case for solid surface being the material of choice for privacy partitions and countertops. Now you might be reading this and thinking: “Whoa! How heavy are those partition panels?!” If they were totally solid surface in the thickness required, they’d weigh a ton. However, innovative solid surface companies have developed partitions with reinforced wood cores completely wrapped and sealed with solid surface. This greatly reduces weight while boosting the strength and rigidity of the partition panel. You might also, be thinking, “Whoa! Those partitions sound expensive!” Yes, there may be higher upfront cost in choosing solid surface partitions. However, they are extremely durable, vandal resistant and will deliver solid life-cycle performance. It’s tempting to think of first costs on a new construction or renovation project, but taking the longer-term view, solid surface delivers greater lifetime value. The other advantage is that partition “kits” can be poured and fabricated to order. That means doors, panels, pilasters and posts can all be made to the space measurements and requirements, which cuts down on the amount of field fabrication and fitting required, and speeds installation. Rounding out the bathroom design with matching or complimentary solid surface countertops completes the desired “look” and keeps the material choice simple. Plus, for the contractors performing the work, having a single source for shower surrounds, receptors, partitions and countertops means easier material and bid packaging, and a single point of contact should field problems be encountered.