an issue of social design
we are, after all, animals; it reminds us of our own mortality: the restroom. they are everywhere, in every class of society – from the troughs of sporting arenas to the private rooms of opera houses. why then, cannot this necessary amenity demand a higher respect from the design community?
i at first notice a flaw in the entrance: more often than not, it is a push to enter and pull to exit type of door. this is backward design in extreme for if one is the least bit health conscious it is necessary to grab hold of the community door handle – the single spot where washed and non-washed hands alike can share a host of contagious molecules.
the second flaw is inconsistency. there will inevitably exist restrooms that have undergone large expense through the installation of high technology motion detection systems for the sinks and either air dry or automatic towel dispensers. yet still, there is that handle that has to be overcome upon exiting. it is only an option to save a bit of towel to open this handle when there are towel dispensers – an endangered item – rather than air driers – ever growing in popularity.
the worst flaw is that of the circular cloth towel. this is little more than a rotating community disease dispenser meant to be avoided at all costs. little more needs to be explained of this device as its faults are self-evident.
i personally would advocate for door less restrooms with automatic sensorary washing items. but even without these sensors, the door less restroom is an improvement as i can feel comfortable after washing and drying – something that seems very few are doing these days – not to have to wrap my hands around an infested handle.
