Spaces for all, created by The Splash Lab's inclusive design vision

Everyone uses washrooms. It might be for basic needs, it might be for a hand wash. It might be for a quick outfit change, hair fix or make-up top-up. It might be for shedding a tear and renewing composure. It might be for a faith-based ritual, such as foot cleansing. Everyone uses them, and everyone needs to be able to use them – whatever their ability, creed or culture. Washrooms are the part of a building where attention to inclusivity counts more than ever.

Far from viewing compliance documents governing inclusivity as a curb on creativity, The Splash Lab embraces the variable needs of future users as a springboard for creative solutions. Whether adapting to disability or specific cultural needs, the brand deploys its flexible and holistic design ethos to find answers.

It has, for example, created its own series of Doc M packs (10 in total) to help architects and designers meet compliance goals while maintaining the harmony of materials and design across the space. They target variables such as toilet placement and types of hand drying (hand dryer versus paper towels) and address the degree of mobility (does it need to work for a wheelchair or just make life easier for those with some mobility issues). From grab bars and supports to sensor-operated taps, easy-to-reach soap dispensers and colour-contrasting features for visually impaired users, the design is unified so that necessary functionality doesn’t compromise the overall aesthetics.

But it’s not only for regulated inclusivity that The Splash Lab designs flex. ‘We have, for example, made small tweaks to the height and splash back of the Monolith basin to create a custom footbath,’ says Amanda King, London-based spokesperson for the brand. ‘Offering multi-faith washroom facilities keeps institutions particularly competitive as they are more attractive to international students or talent. The modularity of the Monolith basin allows us to change small aspects of it (the length, the countertops, back, mounting height, access, connection to pipework) without threatening the integrity of the design, so the product remains rigorously tested and carrying the correct approvals.’

Whether it’s accommodating wheelchair access or faith-based ritual, The Splash Lab has the answers.

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