Bathrooms

FUNCTIONAL INTERIORS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS 4(2+2)
Lesson 8: Housing Environments for Special purposes and Needs: Adaptable Bathrooms and Kitchen

Bathrooms

The bathroom is one of the major accident prone area and where safety and privacy are major concerns. Safety is a much more important requirement along with independence for people with special needs. Mere inches make the difference between independence and dependence. A small bath­room plan with all plumbing fixtures mounted along a common wall is the basis for a bathroom an adaptable bathroom. Some essential and important features are;

  • All adaptable bathrooms must include knee space below lavatories.
  • Horizontal and fold-down grab bars should be added.
  • Additional space should be allocated beside the toilet to allow safer transfers and assistance if needed.
  • Extra maneuvering and clear floor space should be provided.
  • Adaptable controls in bathtubs and showers.
  • Clear floor space for approach to fixtures.
  • 1500mm diameter turning circle for wheel chair maneuvering
  • Additional reinforcing around toilet and bathing fixtures.

There should be at least one bathroom with enough floor space to be ‘minimally accessible’ and should meet the following space requirements:


gdg
  • Clear dimension from the front edge of the toilet to the facing wall should be a minimum of 800 mm. (Figure – 1)
  • Space from the front edge of the bathtub to the centre of the toilet should be a minimum of 508 mm (20”).
  • Clear floor area in front of the sink/lavatory should be a minimum of 760 mm wide by 1220 mm deep centred on the sink/lavatory.(Figure – 2)


bxb

Grab Bars

Index
Home
Next
Last modified: Monday, 9 July 2012, 6:07 AM