Hoyts Cinemas,
Philadelphia, PA.Exterior view at night.
Architect:J.K. Roller Architects |
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Bathroom Interior.
Toilet partitions separate public sink areas
and private toilet areas in theater rest rooms. |
Public rest room design must interpret code restrictions,
as they relate to creating the ideal layout for
men's and women' facilities. In theaters,
which are classified as assembly use, architects
must meet codes for all public spaces. Design
factors drive the numbers of toilet partitions
required. The code, rather than the client or
the architect, determines the number of individual
enclosed water closets in rest room design.
"Rest room use occurs primarily upon arriving
at the theater or leaving after a movie is over.
With this in mind, toilet rooms are located adjacent
to the lobby, and in the most likely path of travel
when exiting the building. Time factors into rest
room use, as women often require more time than
men. The number of water closets provided should
address these peak demands," said Paul Georges,
AIA, of J.K. Roller Architects, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania.
While some designers may believe that water closet
ratios should be higher, such as twice as many
water closets for women than for men, the code
establishes criteria to calculate these requirements.
In the design for assembly occupancies A-1, the
International Building Code (IBC) states that
for every 125 male occupants, one water closet,
or enclosed partitioned toilet fixture, should
be provided. The requirement is increased to one
water closet for every 65 female occupants.
For example, consider a movie theater designed
with a total of 2,000 seats. When divided equally,
1,000 occupants count for the men's room
calculations and 1,000 for women. In the men's
category, for every 125 of 1,000 occupants, one
water closet is required, for a total of eight
toilet fixtures. For women, every 65 of 1,000
occupants requires one water closet, for a total
of 16 fixtures. The IBC allows up to two-thirds
of the required water closets for men to be substituted
with urinals, which are typically screened.
When designing for the numbers, the 2 to 1 ratio
method isn't the rule. "Prior to the
adoption of IBC, the Pennsylvania Code recognized
the delays women faced with the use of rest room
facilities in public places," said Georges.
The Rest Room Equity Act of 1990 required that
the toilet fixture count for women be a minimum
of twice the amount of fixtures for men. This
requirement was commonly referred to as "potty
parity." With the adoption of IBC, depending
on the actual occupant count, the fixture ratio
can be less strict.
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