Investigation of public toilet facility in MRT station (1) W.J.Liao, Ms. (2) C.L. Cheng, Dr. (3) K.C. He, Dr. (4) M.H.Wu , Dr. (1)[email protected] (2)[email protected] (3)[email protected] (1) (2) (3) (4) National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Department of Architecture, 43 Keelung Road Sec.4, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. Abstract “Toilet”, an indispensible facility of architecture in modern people’s life, has reflected civilian hygienic habit, civic-minded standard, aesthetic consciousness, overall educational level of a nation and national economic development. A well-established public toilet should meet many basic needs like safety, convenience, pleasing to the eye, saving resources, and hygiene etc. Later on, this study not only explores every basic functional requirement what public toilets of MRT stations should have, but analyze and discuss the functions of pleasing to the eye, comfort, energy saving, environmental protection, humanization, and design being used universally etc. Hopefully there will be more complete, convenient and comfortable service space of sanitary toilets provided. Users’ need can be satisfied as well. Meanwhile, the management authority can reduce the management cost of every item. The workload for cleaning and maintenance personnel can be lessened to fulfill the objective of need in every aspect. This study plans to collect fundamental examples of cases for public toilets both in domestic and foreign MRT stations. The later goal will be aimed at knowing the use condition and current setup status of already built public toilets for domestic MRT stations. In the end, the standard of design planning for public toilets of MRT stations will be accomplished. The configuration plan and standard of humanization, being reasonable, economy and environmental protection will be fulfilled too. 382 Keywords public toilets, humanization, regulation, Time Ratio, sanitary facilities, regulation 1. Introduction MRT construction has not only been regarded as a developmental trend of modern transportation but an important issue of dealing with traffic problems and molding urban space. Nevertheless, there are roughly 150 urban MRT systems currently built everywhere in the world. Meanwhile, there are also many cities consecutively planning or building MRT systems. The full Chinese name of Taipei MRT system means public rapid transportation system which originates from the direct translation of 「Mass Rapid Transit」（MRT）in English. This name contains the meaning of “rapid and prompt”. MRT is a synonym which equals to the subway system (underground railway) or urban transportation system with a track in many occasions. In fact, MRT does not necessarily denote transportation system with a rail exclusively as the development and need of every city varies. There might be also some traits of high capacity transportation included but without the mode of track design as transportation vehicle. “Toilet”, an indispensible facility of architecture in modern people’s life, has reflected civilian hygienic habit, civic-minded standard, aesthetic consciousness, overall educational level of a nation and national economic development. The earlier public toilets of Taiwan had been much easier to be neglected in the stage of overall planning. The ventilation, illumination, and ambient lighting of configuration location had been rather insufficient too. The number of settings had not been considered and the standard was rather low. However, the space for sanitary ware and bathroom accessories has become the symbolic index of household life quality step by step in respect to the gradual elevation of living standard and hygienic concept of household living environment for people in Taiwan region. People start to pay much attention to comfort of toileting space and individual style molding. Besides, Mr. Frank M. H. WU, an architect, has pointed out as well that different peoples have different ways of dealing with excretion. Relevant design of toilet in Taiwan mainly focuses on the improvement of public toilets. First of all, the design of public toilet thinks highly of humanization which evolves design according to behavioral need for use. Furthermore, illumination and ventilation comes into play as well with great importance. Thirdly, easy cleaning 383 matters. Therefore, a toilet has also started to become the place where personal and comfortable space is provided. If substantial environment of toilets can not reach hygienic level to satisfy users’ need physiologically and psychologically, it will peril users’ personal hygiene. On the contrary, if users’ hygiene is poor and the sanitation of toilet environment is thereby undermined, it will be to the detriment of users’ personal hygiene in the long run (Frank M. H. WU). The design of toilet should consider the need of different users for this reason. Toilet design is no longer the issue of number and ratio any more. It is more likely to be the problem of use which relates to suitability for users. It is expected that the future design of public toilets will be more humanized. A truly clean place where the space of safely going to toilet can be offered will come up. 2. Reviews and Methodology The ratio of male to female toilets in public toilets is 1:1, based on the principle used in the United States, and Japan. It was applied to the Building Code in Taiwan 40 years ago. This results in the serious shortage of female toilets in public toilets. It is observed that women often wait in line outside the public toilets. In order to eliminate this unreasonable phenomenon, the Construction and Planning Agency of the Ministry of the Interior has draw up the research objects. The investigation for male and female urinating time was conducted by the Taiwan Toilet Association. An on-site survey was held in 20 public toilets in Taipei City for 1908 women and 1455 men. And compare the Male and Female Urinating Time between Taiwan and Japan. The survey result shows that (1) The average urinating time for male is 34 seconds. (2)The average urinating time for female is 71 seconds. The ratio of urinating time for male to female is around 1:2. Table 1 - Compare the Male and Female Urinating Time between Taiwan and Japan Gender Urinating time Time Ratio female 71s 2 Taiwan Male 34s 1 female 90~93s 3 Japan Male 30~35s 1 According to the existing research point out, the sanitary facilities of restroom is included the wash-basin, toilet and urinal. All the toileting spaces were must be 384 considered the humanization and Universal Design which is included general restroom, restroom for the disabled, parents with infants’ restroom and nursing room. In recent years, the amelioration and establishment for every item of social welfare facilities has been rather close to being perfect day by day in Taiwan. Regardless of the stipulation and issue for enforcement related to laws and regulations of barrier free environment for the disabled people, the enhancement of every hardware facility item has grown step by step without exception. Every index of social development has already reached the stage of maturity and steady growth as facts shown in Taiwan. Taiwan had become an aging society and evolved democratically since year 1993. There had been more emphasis on every basic human right ever since then. Even relevant medical care and implementation of welfare measure had been the executive focuses of policies for people’s livelihood. One million seventy one thousand and seventy three (1,701,073) people have claimed disabled handbooks to register as disabled based on the data issued by Department of statistics, the Ministry of the Interior, till the end of December in year 2009. This number roughly accounts for 4.63% of total population and has increased 0.12％ in comparison with the same period in the previous year. If those people are classified by categories of being disabled, there are three hundred ninety-six thousand six hundred and fifty-two (396,652) physically disabled people who make up the most percentage. Next being categorized by order, there are one hundred sixteen thousand eight hundred and eighty-nine (116,889) people whose vital organs have lost functions. There are one hundred eleven thousand three hundred and twenty-two (115,322) hearing-impaired people. The ratio of physically and mentally handicapped people to the total population of the disabled rises with age increase in every age level. People who are 0 to twelve year-old merely make up 1.2%. People who are over 65 years old reach the high percentage of 16.1. This study collects and compiles the statistical information of physically and mentally handicapped people in recent years as follows. The finding shows a gradual growth in number year by year. There should be relevant laws and decrees stipulated and the setting of barrier free environment with a faster pace to offer barrier free space much friendlier and more completely. On the other hand, the content of chapter 4．4．5．16 stated in planning manual published by Department of Rapid Transit Systems, Taipei City Government, shows that all stations should be equipped with toilets for staff of stations and passengers. The design standard of public toilets should follow the criteria listed in the following chart. Although the aforementioned facilities section of building code and regulations has already proposed performance specification in the light of public buildings like stations 385 and airports by reading the chart listed below. Nevertheless, MRT stations are classified as special buildings which do not conform to the standard of building code and specifications. In spite of the standard of setting number for sanitary ware of public toilets in MRT stations has been clearly stipulated in writing, the planning manual published by Department of Rapid Transit Systems, Taipei City Government, appears to be the only reference available.