Jordan Student Academic Center Inclusive Restrooms

Project Details

Project Description

FROM THE ARCHITECTS:

In 2021, Gallaudet University, a university for the deaf and hard of hearing in Washington, DC, commissioned JSA/MIXdesign to transform existing traditional sex-segregated restrooms on the upper and lower floors of the Jordan Student Academic Center (JSAC) into a multi-user facility that is accessible and welcoming for Gallaudet’s diverse community. The project applies Stalled! bathroom principles generated from a previous project that we worked on at Gallaudet in 2017, the renovation of restrooms and changing rooms at their sports facility.

We began the design process by conducting surveys, interviews and an Inclusive Design Workshop that allowed us to obtain feedback from the lived experiences of a diverse sampling of Gallaudet students, faculty, and staff representing people of different races, genders, religions, and abilities. The outcome was a Project Brief that included objectives, principles, and a space program geared to meet the needs of Gallaudet’s demographic community.

Our approach was to remove the existing plumbing stack wall that divided the existing bathroom into a men’s and women’s room and treat the restroom as one open space. The interior of the restroom is divided into two zones. A communal washing station features touchless fixtures that are easier to use for some people with disabilities and more hygienic for all. We incorporated toilet stalls of three sizes: standard, ADA, and Caregiving. All are equipped with floor-to-ceiling privacy doors and partitions. The caregiving stall includes a toilet, sink, and mirror, offering a space for modest and religious people to wash and groom in private, as well as grab bars and a changing table for accessibility and childcare needs.

PROJECT CREDITS
Project: Jordan Student Academic Center Inclusive Restrooms, Washington D.C.
Client/Owner: Gallaudet University
Design Architects: MixDesign, New York. Joel Sanders, FAIA, Principal (Joel Sanders Architect/MixDesign) – Design Architect; Matthew Liu, Project Manager & Designer (JSA/MixDesign); Marco Li, Senior Associate (JSA/MixDesign); Seb Choe, Inclusive Design Associate (JSA/MixDesign)
Architect of Record: BKP Architects, Philadelphia. Caitlin Daley, AIA, (principal, executive architect)
Mechanical Engineer: Kovacs, Whitney & Associates
Construction Manager / Owner’s Representative: Fletcher Consulting (Mark Fletcher & Suzanne Zecchin)
General Contractor: Regency Commercial Construction
Number of Units: 22 (11 each Floor)
Dimensions of Stalls: Varies – 3’6” x 5’2 typical stalls, 6’10” x 5’2” ADA stalls, 10’2” x 5’6” Caregiving Rms
Dimensions of Open Entries: 5’6” – 6’
Size in Square Feet: ~1900sqft (~950sqft per floor)
Cost: $1,000,000+

MATERIALS AND SOURCES
Bathroom Fixtures: American Standard / Elkay / Bobrick / KoalaKare etc
Fabrics and Finishes: KnollTextiles / UltraLeather
Flooring: Stone Source / Garden State Tile / Crossville
Paints and Finishes: Sherwin Williams
Partition Manufacturers: Scranton Products
Signage: EurOptimum