3 Pet Specification Peeves in Public Restrooms

As a trend analyst, I thrive on discovering all the new influences that affect building materials - but there is a ying to every yang and one of the most important things to remember when specifying building materials is the old Bauhaus saying "Form follows function." It is more than a figure of speech, and there are some times that it is more important to specify the correct material than the latest on-trend look.

I was at MASS General Hospital today, and had to look up exactly when a particular building was built because the rest room looked like it could have been installed yesterday. Yes, that is a product of excellent maintenance, but what is most important is that the products specified could be maintained. It turns out the building was built in 1981, and I knew by the black, gray and white that it was probably the eighties, although I didn't remember the specification coming across my desk, although I am sure that it did. I can date any installation from the last 50 years within three years, because of material, color and wear and tear. This installation was timeless, classic in color and material choice and impecibly maintained.

My pet peeves all apply to public spaces, as I feel that anyone can put anything in their home that their heart desires. My job as trend analyst is to understand what those heart's desires are at any given moment in time, but public spaces are usually meant to serve a large number and a wide range of people, and IMHO shouldn't be experiments in fantasy.

The new terminal of the RDU airport that I mentioned in an earlier post, is but one of the travesties of specification that I constantly encounter. It looked a fright within weeks of opening.

Pet Peeve #1:
Floor products used on the wall: This started to happen because natural stone tiles and stone looks became so cheap and easily available. Some of the ugliest bathroom installations that I have encountered fall into this category. This is particularly oppressive when carried all the way up to the ceiling. The MGH rest room had matte 6" x 6" white matte wall tile with a double row of soft gray checkerboard - a classic and timeless look.

Pet Peeve #2
Wall products that meet the floor: There is no getting around the fact that maintenance crews will slosh dirty water around with their mops and the dirty water travels up the wall for the thickness of the mop. The room never looks clean again. The MGH restroom had a base that matched the black large particle, poured terrrazo floor. The floor looked like it had just been installed.

Pet Peeve #3
Premium countertops with poorly designed backsplashes: The MGH rest room has a porcelain handicap sink, so this was not an issue. My favorite detail is to leave the countertop set back from the wall with no backsplash - that takes care of any movement issues and nasty grout joints that constantly plague improperly installed backsplashes. If a premium material is installed, then the extra expense of a proper joint at the backsplash should be considered. If the budget does not allow this, wall hung sinks or less expensive materials that are easily replaced are a better option.

The cleanliness of a rest room speaks volumns about any facility, whether it is a hospital, restaurant, shopping venue or office building. I for one, won't go back to a restaurant with a dirty rest room. It gives me immediate insight into the kitchen. Recently I was in a brand new building in another hospital in Boston, despite the cast on my leg, I asked for the most remote rest room in the building because I refused to go in several that I looked into. A scary propostion where every fourth person leaves the hospital with some kind of infection.

In our current economic climate, it is critical to create spaces with life cycle costs in mind, and avoiding these pet peeves creates installations that are ultimately sustainable in the long run if the right material is specified. The Ceramic Tile Institute of America has an excellant article on the sustainability of ceramic tile, despite the fact that it doesn't fall into any of the new "green" categories. It is, after all, THE original sustainable building material.