01 — City Navigation

During this first exercise, we were tasked with finding a location in Berlin using only physical maps. The purpose of this task was to experience what the current travel infrastructure in Berlin is like for people navigating with manual means.

While this was a joint endeavor, my partner and I split the tasks. We searched the physical maps for the location together, and after I was able to find the location on the SW side of Berlin, we made our way to the location. We took turns along the way navigating and finding clues to the actual street. Through this journey, we noticed that the street signs were not always accurate, and that the placement of maps on the route were not easily navigable. We had to at many times, continue walking down long streets until we could come to a signage that would point us in the correct direction.

02 — Empathetic Design

During this empathetic design lesson, we were tasked with wearing suits that hindered our mobility. The items used were electro shock gloves, back braces, goggles, knee wraps, and weighted straps. With the equipment on, we took public transportation, used the stairs, tried to refill our school MENSA cards, and navigate the world. Through these experiences, we were able to get a glimpse into the life of a person that has these afflictions and better plan for designs that would have them in mind. While wearing these suits myself, I found that basic tasks took more effort, things that required me to bend over made tasks much harder, and the goggles created a sense of uncertainty while moving around.

03 — Public Toilet Design

In this project phase, we were introduced to the film "Perfect Days" which highlighted the life of a Japanese public toilet cleaner. The man's attention to detail, and the interesting design of the public toilet was meant to show us how different countries approach hygiene, privacy, and public spaces. After receiving our task, which was to brainstorm questions for the public, our team began reflecting on our own experiences. During this exercise, we collaborated on what our own ideas and experiences were and I presented a list of questions that reflected our joint ideas. This preliminary questionnaire was presented to Prof. Peach as well as our guest auditor. Next, we synthesized the original questions into what we thought would be easily digestible while providing the information we needed and created an online questionnaire.

Field research and documentation of public toilet facilities in Berlin

Initial Design Explorations

In the initial designs, we focused on how we would layout the interior. We took inspiration from current public toilets and even toilets that introduced niche designs such as the communal female pissoir. By using this system, we found that we could include more toilets in the same space. After more research, we decided to include eastern style squat toilets so that there would be the option for the western or eastern style depending on the person and would free up toilets depending on usage. These are initial sketches done by me during our planning phase, I included a skylight and solar panel for natural light in the day and electric lights for the night.

3D Modeling & Development

The initial 3D models were done in Rhino and explored our ideas for the setup. I mentioned to the group that making a semicircle shaped handicap room would give more space to those entering and that the sliding entrance door would remove the awkward motion of having to swing a door out to open.

Final Design Direction

The final direction that we went with included my solar panel and skylight roof idea as well as the rounded wheelchair space. My classmates decided on a height adjustable changing table to include in this room, as well as the final layout of the entrance to the public toilet. By placing the sinks in the entrance, users can wash without having to enter the restroom, and therefore, free up space for the inside of the building for more items.