Why Bathrooms/Locker Rooms Matter More

We behave and perform optimally in optimal environments. Merchants, restaurateurs and employers know that if we don’t love our environment we can rather easily choose to shop, dine or work elsewhere.

Can students switch schools as easily if they don’t love their schools? Think of students as shoppers of knowledge and as professional learners and it is clear that we must view them with the same respect — as professionals and people with choices.

To our credit, in schools, we adopt new technologies, design spaces to inspire creativity, experiment with teaching methods, and strive to foster feelings of camaraderie, equality, and school pride — all with one aim “so young minds can focus on learning”.

However, primal needs like hygiene, privacy and feeling safe have a magnified effect on our ability to focus and, given the nature of the space, school bathrooms can hurt or help focus in a disproportionate way. Yet people often underestimate that impact. It’s time we change, and here are some easy examples of how.

Consider privacy toilet partitions — they go lower to the floor, and eliminate sightlines into stalls with overlapping doors and pilasters.

Service bathrooms at unpredictable intervals to reduce the opportunity for vandalism or bullying, and, with greater frequency to improve hygiene and ensure enough consumables.

Provide automatic hand dryers as well as paper towel dispensers — both serve specific needs.

Foster a sense of belonging and school pride by using school colors on lockers and partitions.

More than specific solutions your “hot tip” is to “think differently”. Go back and look at one of the most important spaces in your building with a different set of eyes and ask, “How can I improve this space to help a learning mind?”

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Cyrus D. Boatwalla, heads up Marketing for the ASI Group; he can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • California District Starts Construction on New Robotics Facility

    The Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) near Silicon Valley, Calif., recently announced that construction has begun on a new Robotics Facility on the campus of Cupertino High School, according to a news release. The 14,500-square-foot facility will serve students at high schools across the entire district, providing purpose-built spaces for student creativity and collaboration.

  • University of Kansas Opens $400M Football Stadium Reconstruction

    The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., recently announced that the $400-million reconstruction of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium is complete in time for the 2025 football season, according to a news release. The university partnered with Turner Construction Company on the project.

  • FAU Starts Construction on Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building

    Florida Atlantic University recently began construction on a new academic building for its campus in Boca Raton, Fla., according to university news. The Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building will stand two stories, measure in at 22,000 square feet, and play home to the university’s Holocaust education and Jewish studies programs.

  • Creating a First and Lasting Impression with Thoughtful, Sustainable Design

    Clemson University’s Nieri Family Alumni and Visitors Center serves as the new front door to campus, anchoring the Tiger experience through each step in the student journey.

Digital Edition