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The Committee on Design (COD) was founded to promote design excellence among members of the AIA, the broader design community, and the public at large, both nationally and internationally.

2024 COD Conferences

Arkansas

April 3-7 | 21c Hotel | Bentonville and Eureka Springs - Registration is sold out.

Brazil

Thu, Oct 17 - Sat, Oct 26, 2024
Sao Paulo > Brasilia > Rio de Janerio.  Registration will open in late April.

2024 Sponsorships

Download the prospectus for Arkansas and Brazil opportunities.


2023 COD Conferences

Last year, COD held two domestic design conferences investigating The Authenticity of Place.  The first conference was held in New Orleans, LA.  View the short video of the venue tours and download the conference program book. The second conference was held in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, September 21-24, 2023. Download the Minneapolis guidebook and view the conference video

  • 1.  Gender-Neutral Toilet and Bathing Rooms a Must in New Buildings

    Posted 03-10-2017 05:08 PM

    Per Wikipedia, 14.4% of the population has shy bladder syndrome (Paruresis) and find it difficult or impossible to use gang restrooms.

    A 1954 Study by Williams and Degenhart (Wikipedia) found 14.4% of the population having paruresis equaling 46 million Americans based upon 2015 USA population of 320,090,857.  1998 Harvard University Study found 6.6% of the population having paruresis equaling 21 million Americans as of 2015. 

    Employment, commerce, productivity, safety and well being are being compromised in a major way.  Many cannot work in buildings that have gang restrooms and avoid businesses that have them.  

    The Future Is Now 

    The 2018 International Plumbing Code 'allows' all restrooms (and bathing rooms) to be designed single-occupancy and unisex. Family/assist toilet fixture counts are now included for all occupancies instead of for just assembly and mercantile.   

    The attached drawing shows the cheapest way to build single-occupancy toilet rooms, with the smallest rooms, and by using an egress instead of a dedicated corridor.  

    The attached gang style, unisex full-height stalls with shared lavatories are not recommended due to safety, additional square footage/energy usage and problems that they create for those with shy bladder syndrome.  

    2018 International Plumbing Code, Section 403.1.2 (mirrors to the International Building Code IBC 2902.1.2) 

    Single-occupancy toilet facility and bathing room fixtures.

    The plumbing fixtures located in single-occupancy toilet facilities and bathing rooms, including family or assisted-use toilet and bathing rooms that are required by Section 1109.2.1 of the International Building Code, shall contribute towards the total number of required plumbing fixtures for a building or tenant space. Single-occupancy toilet facilities and bathing rooms, and family or assisted-use toilet and bathing rooms shall be identified for use by either sex.

    Variances, modifications or state code committees can allow this 2018 code in advance.   

    So Many Advantages

    1.  Helps millions with paruresis;
    2.  Helps opposite-sex parents and caregivers waiting outside of gang restrooms or bathing rooms creating safer environments;
    3.  Solves transgender restroom and bathing room issues;
    4.  Often reduces building square footage and energy usage (see attached drawings and cost differentials);
    5.  Reduces waiting lines for everyone known as gender or potty parity;
    6.  Solves Bathroom Laws by birth certificate. 

    Sanitation 

    In 2010, The National Organization For Women (NOW) provided testimony to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform - In Support of H.R. 4869, The Bipartisan Restroom Gender Parity in Federal Building Act.  For sanitation issues, NOW simply requests toilet seat covers and soap be maintained in the dispensers of single-occupancy toilet rooms.

    Spring lifting toilet seats could be considered instead in the non-accessible rooms yet not in accessible per 2010 ADA 604.4.   

    Conclusion 

    Multiple occupancy facilities have been designed since ancient Rome yet can now become obsolete.  Yet then, they should have never been designed in the first place.


    ------------------------------
    Bruce Pitts
    A&E HVAC Mechanical Engineering
    self
    Aiken SC
    ------------------------------
    2024 HRC Taliesin West


  • 2.  RE: Gender-Neutral Toilet and Bathing Rooms a Must in New Buildings

    Posted 03-11-2017 03:12 PM
    I think this is a very good observation and argument for gender neutrality where our restrooms are concerned.  However, it does not account for the bad side of humanity.  The 2015 IBC requires a handicap restroom for men and women even if the count is to provide one restroom.  After reading the commentary I was educated to the world we live in that initiated this requirement. 

    After pointing out the different ideas of cleanliness between men and women, the code commentary pointed to security.  Women are not comfortable using a gender neutral (unisex) restroom because of the possibility of a male gaining access while a female is using the facilities. It seems there is piece of mind associated with a restroom committed to 1 gender, especially where a woman is concerned.  It appears, the present safety provided by a sign suggesting gender (male or female) provides a level of safety via deterrent also.  A male leaving a restroom marked female would be cause for anyone to notice. 

    I have discussed the need for a male, a female and a gender neutral restroom with clients due to this code commentary decision and remain curious to know what other architects think about this code suggestion?

    ------------------------------
    Scott Boomhover AIA
    Owner
    Boomhover Architecture
    Mountain Brk AL
    ------------------------------

    2024 HRC Taliesin West


  • 3.  RE: Gender-Neutral Toilet and Bathing Rooms a Must in New Buildings

    Posted 03-13-2017 05:26 PM
    Take a look at my animated opinion piece suggesting that gendered bathrooms are bad for almost everyone. 

    X6XdM5O5RmmXQ5aZ9oPz_bathrooms_by_size_esther_sperber_studio_st_architects.jpgand a story in the Huffington Post

    ------------------------------
    Esther Sperber AIA
    Studio ST Architects
    New York NY
    ------------------------------

    2024 HRC Taliesin West


  • 4.  RE: Gender-Neutral Toilet and Bathing Rooms a Must in New Buildings

    Posted 03-13-2017 06:35 PM
    RE:  gendered bathrooms are bad for almost everyone

    This video is correct advocating no more gendered restroom designs, yet it advocates gang, unisex restrooms as the answer.  Too many architects think these designs are the future, yet they are not.  The reasons should be obvious and these could lead to litigation as they don't work in the real world.   

    Gang, unisex facilities are dangerous, generally require more SF than clustered single occupancy unisex facilities (see the attached drawings) and do not help enough for those with shy bladder syndrome - up to 46 million Americans.  Imagine designing a unisex gang in a new Greyhound Bus Station.  A single mother with two small children step off the bus, walk into the lobby and enter this unisex gang restroom.  A group of male drug addicts are in there hanging out...get the picture. 

    As far as room sizes in the video, 50% of clustered, single-occupancies are accessible (per 2010 ADA and IBC 1109.2) for parents with children, caregivers with patients in wheelchairs and for any size human being to fit inside of.   

    Waiting lines are also dramatically reduced as men, women, transgender  or anyone can use these single-occupancy, unisex toilet rooms.


    ------------------------------
    Bruce Pitts
    A&E HVAC Mechanical Engineering
    self
    Aiken SC
    ------------------------------

    2024 HRC Taliesin West


  • 5.  RE: Gender-Neutral Toilet and Bathing Rooms a Must in New Buildings

    Posted 03-16-2017 05:50 PM
    Sounds Great! It sounds like someone has potentially solved a problem without picking political side ! Where or how may I see this video?  

    ------------------------------
    David Trevino FAIA, LEED AP
    Senior Program Manager
    City Of Dallas
    Dallas TX
    ------------------------------

    2024 HRC Taliesin West


  • 6.  RE: Gender-Neutral Toilet and Bathing Rooms a Must in New Buildings

    Posted 03-17-2017 05:42 PM
    This is the video I created although I do not see it as 'the solution' but as a proposal to open the conversation and offer design thinking. 
    ‎https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XRwfZMceRcI


    Studio ST Architects
    www.studio-st.com
    o: 212 643 2600
    m: 917 825 7419



    2024 HRC Taliesin West


  • 7.  RE: Gender-Neutral Toilet and Bathing Rooms a Must in New Buildings

    Posted 03-14-2017 10:25 PM

    Great work on this video Esther.  I really appreciate how you position our profession - Architecture - as problem solvers.  Instead of taking sides, we find that middle ground that's a win win!

     

    Michael F. Malinowski FAIA

    President, Applied Architecture Inc

     

    President Streamline Institute Inc

    Contributing Editor California Buildings News

    2016 AIA California President

    2012-2014 AIA National Director

    2008 President AIA Central Valley

    2007 Chair Sacramento Development Oversight Commission

     




    2024 HRC Taliesin West


  • 8.  RE: Gender-Neutral Toilet and Bathing Rooms a Must in New Buildings

    Posted 03-15-2017 06:13 PM
    Thank you! I'd love to get the video as much exposure as‎ possible so please feel free to share and like and post. 

    Studio ST Architects
    www.studio-st.com
    o: 212 643 2600
    m: 917 825 7419



    2024 HRC Taliesin West