Extending Architectural Affordance or How to Spend a Penny

Publicly accessible toilets present a site of entrenched cultures of tolerance and intolerance that centre on our relationship with our bodies, and those of others with whom we share the space. The research described in this presentation uses the case of the publicly accessible toilet to demonstrate how the design of these facilities has continued to present a ‘special needs’ approach, opposed to inclusive design. Based on interviews conducted with over 300 able and disabled people, the presentation will highlight some of the conflicts that arise between users of this space and the difficulty experienced in ‘spending a penny’