In August 2017, the Berlin Senate adopted the toilet concept presented by Regine Günther (Senator for the Environment, Transport, and Climate Protection). It was developed by TSPA in collaboration with Zebralog and the Technical University of Berlin. The Europe-wide tender for the procurement, construction, and operation of the toilet facilities will run until March 2018. How the participation process went and why the dialogue excited our project team so much is discussed in the interview with Britta Letz from Zebralog.
Dear Britta, according to your own statement, the so-called Berlin "Toilet Dialogue" is one of your favorite projects at Zebralog—why?
First of all, because the topic is very concrete and really affects everyone. Everyone "has to go." A public toilet is essential for many people to participate in public life. Perhaps it's not a topic that the "average person" thinks much about at first glance, but an accessible and easily reachable toilet is, for example, a basic requirement for many people with disabilities to be able to move freely in the city.
The topic of "Public Toilets" has many facets when considering how a toilet should be equipped or where it should be located. Inclusion is the keyword here, and it doesn't just refer to people with disabilities. For people with various disabilities, the toilet must, of course, be barrier-free. Additionally, women may feel less secure in poorly visible toilets with limited outdoor lighting compared to others. Older people need simple locking mechanisms with little fuss. Then there's also the question of a non-discriminatory toilet for all genders—and: should it cost 50 cents or be free for everyone?
Lastly, it's worth mentioning that the collaboration with our project partner Thomas Stellmach Planning and Architecture (TSPA) was truly a harmonious and participation-enthusiastic time. We were a team rich in expertise and participation experience!
Read the full text here (German).
