ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

A research project looking into creating a more inclusive design for public toilets has been launched in Australia.

The project will examine how the nation's washrooms could be reimagined as more inclusive, multipurpose spaces that meet the needs of diverse communities. The study authors will consider factors such as accessibility and sanitation along with the needs of parents, carers and people experiencing homelessness. They will also look at cultural, faith-based and transit-related requirements.

The study authors claim that Australia's public toilets, which were once a celebrated public health initiative that promoted civility and mobility, are now in disrepair and rapid decline.

They say limited access to public washrooms have a negative impact on the health and wellbeing of vulnerable groups such as the homeless and people with disabilities and mobility challenges. And they add that toilets are now increasingly to be found only in shopping centres, cafes and other commercial spaces.

"The project findings will serve as a blueprint for individuals, communities, practitioners and governments to ensure that public bathrooms are valued civic assets which promote diverse and equitable communities," said study leader and Monash University professor Nicole Kalms.

Titled "Designing dignity: civic equity through public bathroom architecture", the project will take into account the different needs of Australia's cities, suburbs and regions. It is being carried out in collaboration with professor Emily Potter from Deakin University.

The project has been awarded a 2026 Australian Research Council Discovery Project Grant valued at more than AUS$700,000 (€392,000).