Inclusive by Co-Design: Rethinking Accessible Bathroom Design
Vista Access Architects is proud to have contributed to an important University of Technology Sydney (UTS) research project investigating how accessible bathrooms can be designed around lived experience, real-world data and the diverse needs of people with disability.
The research challenges the assumption that meeting minimum accessibility standards necessarily means a space is genuinely usable. Working directly with wheelchair users, disability organisations and accessibility professionals, the project explored the gap between technical compliance and real-world accessibility. A survey of 209 participants highlighted the diversity of wheelchair users and their varying mobility, equipment and support needs.
A key principle of the research was that people who use accessible bathrooms should help shape how they are designed. Wheelchair users were involved in developing the research, testing survey questions and participating in real-world fieldwork. The research collected extensive qualitative feedback and identified how seemingly minor design and maintenance issues can significantly affect independence, safety, dignity and participation.
The research team developed a portable research laboratory that could be taken into real public bathrooms. The technology included 360-degree imaging, laser scanning, eye-tracking glasses, biometric monitoring and wheelchair-mounted scanning equipment.
This enabled researchers to understand not just the physical dimensions of an accessible bathroom, but how people actually move through and use the space. The findings demonstrated that real-world usability can reveal issues that may not be identified through conventional plans, measurements or compliance assessments alone.
The research also involved in-depth interviews with wheelchair users to understand their personal experiences of accessible bathrooms. Participants described having to plan trips around bathroom availability, dealing with poor maintenance and encountering design features that affected their ability to use facilities independently and safely. The research reinforced that accessibility needs vary significantly between individuals.
Farah Madon AM – Industry Partner
Farah Madon AM, Director of Vista Access Architects, participated as an industry partner in the UTS research project, contributing specialist expertise in accessibility consulting, universal design, accessible bathroom design and the Australian access standards framework.
Vista Access Architects is committed to supporting research, advocacy and innovation in accessible design and to helping advance an understanding of accessibility that goes beyond minimum compliance to create environments that are genuinely inclusive, usable and dignified for people with disability.
Vista Access Architects' involvement in this research was provided on a pro-bono basis in support of research and advocacy for improved accessibility and inclusive design.