Resources

Find published information on toilet design. Our resource bank includes guidance, standards, regulation, toolkits, websites and research. Resources can be filtered by type or subject area, using the keywords shown.

We love hearing about other resources that you have found useful! Please send us details via this form.

The RCA is not responsible for the content of external websites.

An outdoor space, between two single-story buildings at right angles. The far building has many doors with toilet symbols. The side building has storage, for the play equipment that fills the space. There are trees and seating, as well as plants on the building roofs. A sign on the right says 'Engaged'

Engaged: a toilet on every high street (final report)

Author/s:: Gail Ramster, Jo-Anne Bichard, Madelaine Dowd, Indira Knight, Rosanna Traina, Maurizio Mucciola
Summary:: Engaged ran as a design research project by Royal College of Art and PiM.Studio Architects. Its aim is to think about the reuse of vacant high street units as toilets (plus commercial or community space), and to grow the idea. This report shares a few key areas that we've uncovered, that have the most potential to pursue, and where we have evidence to support future, focused studies to really fix the problems.
File:: Engaged_Final_Report.pdf 2.44 MB
Publication date:: 2023
Keywods:: Built Environment Design Inclusion Public Toilets
Type:: Report

Partial image of some comments each in different handwriting, saying: clear mirror; gender-neutral; needle exchange; more space for women; changing tables in all genders bathrooms' keep open past 8pm!' accessible for children, toddlers and neurodiverse.

Engaged: On-the-Ground Engagement and Co-design report

Author/s:: Madelaine Dowd, Indira Knight, Gail Ramster, Jo-Anne Bichard, Maurizio Mucciola
Summary:: Engaged: On-the-Ground project worked with a London Community to find what an inclusive public toilet would look like in their neighbourhood. This report shares the findings from this engagement and co-design activity, in the Hackney Central area.
File:: On-the-Ground-DLR-Report.pdf 7.26 MB
Publication date:: 2022
Keywods:: Built Environment Design Experiences Inclusion Public Toilets
Type:: Report

Photograph of a toilet block with a sketch of an ajoining cafe overlaid. People sit at tables outside the cafe and toilets.

Engaged: Pre-feasibility Study

Author/s:: Madelaine Dowd, Maurizio Mucciola, Rosanna Traina, Indira Knight, Gail Ramster, Jo-Anne Bichard
Summary:: This Pre-feasibility report includes findings from the Regeneration workshop, expert interviews and literature review of government guidance, as well as design principles and typologies for the Engaged concept that proposes public toilets sharing space with local businesses as part of high street regeneration.
File:: Engaged-Pre-Feasibility-Report.pdf 11.53 MB
Publication date:: 2022
Keywods:: Built Environment Design Layout Location Management Public Toilets
Type:: Report

Partial Partial image of virtual post-its arranged in groups, with headings: Construction costs and Resources; Vacant Unit/Appropriate Spaces & Locations; Maintenance Costs + Resources; Ownership.

Engaged: Regeneration Workshop report

Author/s:: Rosanne Traina, Madelaine Dowd, Indira Knight, Jo-Anne Bichard, Gail Ramster
Summary:: The Engaged workshop explored the opportunities for public toilet provision and the Engaged concept, with 13 regeneration officers from eight London borough councils. This work guided the development of a pre-feasibility study, in Spring 2022.
File:: Regeneration-Workshop-Report.pdf 1.45 MB
Publication date:: 2022
Keywods:: Built Environment Crime & Anti-social Behaviour Maintenance Management Provision Public Toilets
Type:: Report

Screenshot of animation showing aisle of a train carriage with overhead sign that reads 'Toilets' above the door at the end.

Everyday Life with IBS

Author/s:: Lauren White
Summary:: This animation captures the common experiences of living with IBS in everyday life, and highlights how understanding them is important for improving health, wellbeing and inclusive societies for those living with hidden health conditions.
Web link:: Go to resource
Publication date:: 2021
Keywods:: Accessibility Experiences Public Toilets
Type:: Film

‘I have to know where I can go’: mundane mobilities and everyday toilet access for people living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Author/s:: Lauren White
Summary:: Drawing on a qualitative study based on 25 daily diaries and follow-up interviews with people living the the common health condition irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), this paper explores toilet access through the lens of mundane mobilities.
Web link:: Go to resource
Publication date:: 2021
Keywods:: Accessibility Disability Public Toilets
Type:: Academic Paper

Public Toilets in Managed Stations

Author/s:: Network Rail
Summary:: The Design Guidance for Public Toilets in Managed Stations is intended to promote a common design approach based on the principle of ‘putting passengers first’ across Network Rail's Managed Stations portfolio.
Web link:: Go to resource
Publication date:: 2020
Keywods:: Design Public Toilets Transport
Type:: Design Guide Standards and Guidance

Transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in public washrooms: A systematic review

Author/s:: Sotiris Vardoulakis, Daniela A.Espinoz Oyarcea, Erica Donner
Summary:: A review focused on indoor, publicly accessible washrooms, of 38 studies in 13 countries. using environmental sampling, laboratory, and epidemiological studies on viral and bacterial infection transmission.
Web link:: Go to resource
Publication date:: 2021
Keywods:: Covid-19 Public Health Public Toilets
Type:: Academic Paper

Image showing pdf screen grab of Manifesto content

Toilet Manifesto for London

Author/s:: Positive Ageing in London (PAiL), Kilburn Older Voices Exchange (KOVE)
Summary:: Adequate public toilet provision is an essential feature of an age-friendly city. The manifesto, inspired by innovative London-based research, seeks that the Greater London Authority makes this need explicit, and supports the manifesto’s five obligations.
File:: Toilet-Manifesto-web-3.pdf 88.24 KB
Publication date:: 2020
Keywods:: Built Environment Campaign Public Toilets
Type:: Organisation or Campaign