Capstone

CAPSTONE | UNIVERSAL design | accessible lavatory

Tutor comment:-

The tutors have warned that this proposal will not be glamorous for my portfolio. And they told me don't narrow so specifically just yet onto the redesign of the toilet.

What I understood from the tutors, I think at initial stage of my capstone, I should look at an issue from a broad perspective and do more research to discover an opportunity for design.

So I will change my capstone proposal later, and rethink on what other issues there maybe, or other areas that could need redesigning, such as the bathroom.

Introduction

The issue I want to address is the problem with accessibility to toilet by disable people and mobility restricted people.

The problem is significant as there are 4-million people who have long term disability in Australia, and this number grows as the Australian population ages. 50 per cent of 4-million are people aged over 55.

The current 4-million people are potential customer, client and employee. Therefore there is an opportunity to design to cater the service and need for the people who are disabled.

There are many business and public spaces that have restrooms that are inaccessible to a disable person. By Australia legal legislation, new buildings must have equitable access to services by disability. Otherwise, if a service is inaccessible, then under the Disability Discrimination Act, legal complaint can be forwarded by the disable person.

The proposal of a universal toilet hopes to benefit the people who are affected by disability, e.g. wheelchair user. Since the proposal adopts the principle of universal design, the product should be accessible by all users, including young children.  

The idea is a product that can be safe, comfortable, generate positive experience and positive emotion, that can be achieved for all types of users.

Approach

I have the interest in the subject of Universal design and Ergonomics and I look forward to generating ideas that could universally benefit all kind of users.

For this product – water closet, I want to remove the barrier of discrimination, so as to create an equal positive experience for all users.

To help me understand the problem I will interview with a person who is having difficulties in using the rest room in a home, workplace, business establishment and public areas – hospital, school, and college. Also to identify their coping strategies to their difficulties. Perform an empathy test – e.g. using wheelchair in rest room. Explore the types of disability user – e.g. vision impaired, and injury.

Literature sources that I can read to begin my study on ergonomics and anthropometric. As well as complying with the Australian standard and guideline to assist my approach to the proposal.