ABSTRACT
This chapter presents findings from a thirty month EPSRC funded research project into the inclusive design of public toilets in city centres. For almost a generation, “accessible” toilets have been provided in British towns and cities as an alternative to mainstream provision, and they remain essential for people with disabilities seeking to participate in city life. But the distinction between “general” and “special” needs, embodying a medical approach to disability, has proved unhelpful in meeting the toilet requirements of everyone in society. Toilets house an apparently mundane activity, but the public toilet is a highly “contested site”. It shelters a very private activity that takes place in public space, in proximity to complete strangers. Public toilets therefore offer a remarkably clear example of how the design of the built environment can either “enable” or “exclude” individuals and groups from city centres.
