Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
Extruded? Are you sure?

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:
pass:
register,


                           

Please log in.
Before you can vote, you need to register. Please log in or create an account.

Reconfigurable Restrooms

Utilize unused space in public bathrooms, reduce SUBD
  (+6)
(+6)
  [vote for,
against]

You know how during(and after) public events there's always a line to the women's restroom, while the there are a few vacant stalls at the men's one. Or, if the event (or venue) is mostly attended by men, the opposite is true?

I think the limited restroom space can be used more effectively (and the number of cases of spontaneous urinary bladder discharge reduced) by using reconfigurable restrooms, much like there are reversible lanes on some streets.

To achieve that without the possibility of embarrassing encounters, the restroom should be made as a U-shaped room, with men's and women's entrances at the tips. The stalls are located along the outer side, while the sinks and hand dryers are at the inner wall. There's also a movable wall that can either divide the space evenly, like this:

Oo...oO (o -- sink)
Oo...oO (O -- toilet)
Oo...oO (| -- movable wall)
..o|o
..O|O (. - formatting placeholder)

or give more room to one of the genders:

Oo...oO
Oo...oO
Oo...--
Oo...oO
...oo
...OO

xipetotec, Sep 06 2007

Divisible Restrooms Divisible_20Restroom
Very similar, but I didn't use a U shape [phundug, Sep 07 2007]

[link]






       Where imbalances as described in the idea exist, market forces tend to make the bathrooms unisex anyway, regardless of whether the stick figure on the door has a skirt or pants.   

       Segregated bathrooms for men and women? Utterly outdated.
Texticle, Sep 07 2007
  

       LUKE: The walls are moving!
LEIA: Don't just stand there! Try and brace it with something!
jutta, Sep 07 2007
  

       Restrooms. Mosterros. Stormsore. Roomsters. Stroomers. Trosomers. Restrooms.
MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 07 2007
  

       I live in St. Louis, and there was a big to-do when we opened our new baseball amphitheatre last year, because the stadium didn't have "Potty parity," which is required by city regs (unbeknownst to the builders). So during the offseason, they moved a few walls and "re-tasked" a few heads to equalize it.   

       Urinals count as toilets for the law.   

       Moveable walls would have made all that much cheaper, I think.
shapu, Sep 07 2007
  

       What's SUBD?   

       Not a bad idea, but will you be changing fixtures as well? Extra space for women with urinal troughs doesn't really solve any problems. Although it does add to the entertainment value.
Noexit, Sep 07 2007
  

       Ooo..ooOOoo..ooOO..or not.
loonquawl, Sep 07 2007
  

       [Texticle]Call me old-fashioned, but I wouldn't want to end up in adjacent stalls with my date... Especially if this is the first date ;)   

       [Noexit]SUBD - spontaneous urinary bladder discharge. Urinals can be installed near the men's entrance only, so they won't ever end up in the women's section.   

       [phundug]oops. Well, at least the U-shape is new ;) But U-shaped room is probably better in a sense that it would allow for the entrances to be close to each other, like they are now.
xipetotec, Sep 07 2007
  

       [Texticle], we don't want to share stalls with you. there, i said it.
k_sra, Sep 07 2007
  

       The U shape is ther to indicate 'U'-rinal ??,,. :-),   

       In any shape, U, O, I, - let culture prevail !! - 'After You, Ma'm !!',,   

       and then only indications, enevetably erected by the 'ambiance' of smells, which zone is for the ladies, and which is for the man.
sirau, Jun 05 2011
  

       Men and women would get to read each other's bathroom graffiti.
mouseposture, Jun 05 2011
  

       Don't fret, [mp], you really haven't missed anything.
8th of 7, Jun 05 2011
  

       Might lower the birthrate, actually.
mouseposture, Jun 05 2011
  
      
[annotate]
  


 

back: main index

business  computer  culture  fashion  food  halfbakery  home  other  product  public  science  sport  vehicle