Private Places in Public Spaces:Private Places in Public Spaces: An Examination of Public Restroom Access in An Examination of Public Restroom Access in

Noah Sager

Master’s Thesis (in progress)

U.S. Dept. of Education, Grant #P382D090004

Department of Geography, Chicago State University

NACIS Annual Meeting

18 October 2012

Portland, OR

Downtown ChicagoDowntown Chicago

Outline

I. Why study public restrooms?

II. How does one study public restrooms?

III. What happens next?

1) Potty Training: An Introduction

1) Potty Training: An Introduction

• In 2008, the United Nations declared the “International Year of Sanitation” to raise awareness and launch initiatives to manage the billions of people without access to basic sanitation.

• The American Restroom Association (ARA), founded in 2004, joined forces with the UN effort and posited that one way to help would be for larger cities to create “toilet maps” available to the public.

1) Potty Training: An Introduction

• Inherent biases in restroom design and access (Anthony & Dufresne 2007, Greed 1996, Hanson et. al. 2007 )

• Women are more likely to move through public spaces without a car (Bounds 2004)

• Older adults have a greater need for restroom access while out in public (Sampselle et al. 2004)

1) Potty Training: An Introduction

Source: http://blog.jessitron.com/2012/09/this-is-not-ok.html

Question One

• Where are the public restrooms, and how do you find them?

– Step One: Check the Internet

Source: http://www.phlush.org/public-restroom-planning/portlandtoilets/portland-toilet-locato/

Source: http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/index.cfm?c=59293&a=408226

Source: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/design/2012/01/why-portlands-public-toilets-succeeded-where-others-failed/1020/

Source: https://www.sitorsquat.com/

Source: https://www.sitorsquat.com/

Source: https://www.sitorsquat.com/

Source: https://www.sitorsquat.com/

Source: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/toilets-map.pdf

Source: http://www.toiletmap.gov.au/map.aspx

Question One

• Where are the public restrooms in Chicago, and how do you find them?

– Step One: Check the Internet

Source: http://www.restroomratings.com/category/us/illinois/

Source: http://www.restroomratings.com/category/us/illinois/

Source: http://travel.usnews.com/gallery/Best_Bathrooms_in_the_USA/

Question One

• Where are the public restrooms in downtown Chicago, and how do you find them?

– Step Two: Find out for yourself…

Study Area: Chicago

Restroom Assets

Data Collection

Worksheet

Restroom Key

Restroom Key

• Inherent biases in restroom design and access - More assets in male restrooms than in female restrooms- But… more female restrooms than male restrooms- More baby changing stations in female restrooms

• Spatial Location- Restrooms are located randomly throughout the city

• Older adults, handicapped individuals- Not enough access

Hypotheses

Inherent biases in restroom design and access?

Source: http://www.gpta.net/Classes/ADA1_2/ADA%20Plumb%20IIa.pdf

Inherent biases in restroom design and access?

Restroom Survey Overview

Restroom Survey Overview

Preliminary Results

Preliminary Results

Preliminary Results

Preliminary Results

Preliminary Results

Question Two

• Where are the public restrooms in downtown Chicago, and why are they there?

– Who Cares?•Women•Children•Handicapped•Homeless•Tourists•And… men

• Contests over public space use have even been cited as cause for riots (Mitchell 1995)

• In Chicago, it was found that congruent expectations of public space use amongst its residents have a positive correlation with lower crime rates (Sampson & Raudenbush 1999)

• However, public spaces are no accident; they are not a leftover vacuum between built urban environments

Public Places in Public Spaces

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/01/transgender-new-yorkers-face-scorn-violence-public-restrooms_n_1928748.html

Source: http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90882/7979822.html

Current Conclusion(s)

• Disparity of Public Restroom Access

• Prediction of Restroom Locations

• Accurate ‘Toilet Map’

• Rigorous Methodology

Special Thanks To:Dr. Daniel Block (CSU)

Dr. Gebeyehu Mulugeta (CSU)

Dr. Mark Bouman (Field Museum)

Stephanie Gebel (JVS)

Muriel Marseille (CSU)

Georgette Lifschultz (CSU)

Carol McCreary (PHLUSH)

Margaret Hicks (Chicago Elevated)

Erika Hasle (Field Museum)

Noah SagerChicago State University

Department of Geography

Email: nsager@csu.edu

Website: www.noahsager.net

THANK YOU!

Private Places in Public Spaces:Private Places in Public Spaces: An Examination of Public Restroom Access in An Examination of Public Restroom Access in

Downtown ChicagoDowntown Chicago