ExcLOOsion: How Design is Failing Sanitary Provision
- Submitting institution
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Royal College of Art(The)
- Unit of assessment
- 32 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
- Output identifier
- Bichard1
- Type
- C - Chapter in book
- DOI
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- Book title
- Diversity and Design: Understanding Hidden Consequences
- Publisher
- Routledge
- ISBN
- 9781138023178
- Open access status
- Out of scope for open access requirements
- Month of publication
- -
- Year of publication
- 2015
- URL
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- Supplementary information
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- Request cross-referral to
- -
- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
-
-
- Research group(s)
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- Proposed double-weighted
- Yes
- Double-weighted statement
- This paper provides a comprehensive overview of Professor Bichard’s research over a ten-year period, including projects funded by two major UKRI research grants. A detailed investigation made from different perspectives (including environmental, health, human rights, design, regulatory standards), and in relation to different contexts (such as disability and gender), it presents critical insights based on an extended period of investigation and data collection, and analysis of a large body of material. The paper constitutes an extended piece of research, making a clear case for greater focus on one of the most under-designed components of urban infrastructure.
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- This chapter consolidated Bichard’s RCUK funded research and PhD on designing access to public toilet provision. It contained original findings and key questions for design students.
The output specifically aimed at undergraduate design students, and is a departure from Bichard’s post graduate student and research experience. It included a methodological perspective of ethnographic practice in inclusive design and personal reflections of research.
The key question posed in this work centred on why design continues to fail sanitary provision for older and disabled people?
The outputs reflexive nature offers three original findings building from Bichard’s previous research. Firstly an extension of Gibson’s (1979) affordance theory that moves beyond Norman’s (1988) and Gaver’s (1991) use of affordance in the functional aspects of design, to include experience. Secondly, that for experiential affordance to access toilet provision there’s a need for a ‘design trinity’ bringing together product, architectural and service
design. Lastly, the role design anthropology has brought to this research in this specific context of access to sanitation provision and the wider built environment.
This chapter draws from two UKRI empirical studies on toilet design that involved over 600 participants in qualitative research. The reflexive nature of this output offered fresh insights to this work to consider new literature and methodological insights. These studies are user-centred and evolved from mere functional engagement to explore experiences and how these might inform more inclusive and accessible design.
Bichard’s research in accessible design has been recognised nationally and internationally.
This includes an ESRC ‘Impact in Society’ award (2016); an invitation to speak at the ‘United Nations 5th Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces Global Leaders Forum’ (February 2020); an invited contribution on a specially convened panel for British Standards guidance to ‘Working in the Pandemic’ for which she received a ‘Standards Maker’ award (Summer, 2020).
- Author contribution statement
- -
- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
- -
