The document outlines a study examining public restroom access in downtown Chicago, including analyzing the location and characteristics of existing public restrooms and potential biases in their provision. Data was collected on restroom assets and their spatial distribution. Preliminary results found more female than male restrooms but more amenities in male restrooms, and the study aims to create an accurate map of public restroom locations.

1. Private Places in Public Spaces:
An Examination of Public Restroom Access in
Downtown Chicago
Noah Sager
Master’s Thesis (in progress) NACIS Annual Meeting
U.S. Dept. of Education, Grant #P382D090004 18 October 2012
Department of Geography, Chicago State University Portland, OR

2. Outline
I. Why study public restrooms?
II. How does one study public restrooms?
III. What happens next?

3. 1) Potty Training: An Introduction

4. 1) Potty Training: An Introduction
• In 2008, the United Nations declared the
“International Year of Sanitation” to raise
awareness and launch initiatives to manage the
billions of people without access to basic
sanitation.
• The American Restroom Association (ARA),
founded in 2004, joined forces with the UN
effort and posited that one way to help would be
for larger cities to create “toilet maps” available
to the public.

5. 1) Potty Training: An Introduction
• Inherent biases in restroom design and access
(Anthony & Dufresne 2007, Greed 1996, Hanson
et. al. 2007 )
• Women are more likely to move through public
spaces without a car (Bounds 2004)
• Older adults have a greater need for restroom
access while out in public (Sampselle et al. 2004)

6. 1) Potty Training: An Introduction
Source: http://blog.jessitron.com/2012/09/this-is-not-ok.html

7. Question One
• Where are the public restrooms, and
how do you find them?
– Step One: Check the Internet

8. Source: http://www.phlush.org/public-restroom-planning/portlandtoilets/portland-toilet-locato/

9. Source: http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/index.cfm?c=59293&a=408226

10. Source: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/design/2012/01/why-portlands-public-toilets-succeeded-where-others-failed/1020/

11. Source: https://www.sitorsquat.com/

12. Source: https://www.sitorsquat.com/

13. Source: https://www.sitorsquat.com/

14. Source: https://www.sitorsquat.com/

15. Source: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/toilets-map.pdf

16. Source: http://www.toiletmap.gov.au/map.aspx

17. Question One
• Where are the public restrooms in
Chicago, and how do you find them?
– Step One: Check the Internet

18. Source: http://www.restroomratings.com/category/us/illinois/

19. Source: http://www.restroomratings.com/category/us/illinois/

20. Source: http://travel.usnews.com/gallery/Best_Bathrooms_in_the_USA/

21. Question One
• Where are the public restrooms in
downtown Chicago, and how do you
find them?
– Step Two: Find out for yourself…

24. Study Area: Chicago

27. Restroom Assets
Data Collection
Worksheet

28. Restroom Key

29. Restroom Key

30. Hypotheses
• Inherent biases in restroom design and access
- More assets in male restrooms than in female restrooms
- But… more female restrooms than male restrooms
- More baby changing stations in female restrooms
• Spatial Location
- Restrooms are located randomly throughout the city
• Older adults, handicapped individuals
- Not enough access

37. Inherent biases in restroom design and access?

39. Source: http://www.gpta.net/Classes/ADA1_2/ADA%20Plumb%20IIa.pdf

41. Inherent biases in restroom design and access?

42. Restroom Survey Overview

43. Restroom Survey Overview

44. Preliminary Results

45. Preliminary Results

46. Preliminary Results

47. Preliminary Results

48. Preliminary Results

49. Question Two
• Where are the public restrooms in downtown
Chicago, and why are they there?
– Who Cares?
•Women
•Children
•Handicapped
•Homeless
•Tourists
•And… men

50. Public Places in Public Spaces
• Contests over public space use have even been cited as cause
for riots (Mitchell 1995)
• In Chicago, it was found that congruent expectations of public
space use amongst its residents have a positive correlation with
lower crime rates (Sampson & Raudenbush 1999)
• However, public spaces are no accident; they are not a leftover
vacuum between built urban environments

51. Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/01/transgender-new-yorkers-face-scorn-violence-public-restrooms_n_1928748.html

52. Source: http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90882/7979822.html

53. Current Conclusion(s)
• Disparity of Public Restroom Access
• Prediction of Restroom Locations
• Accurate ‘Toilet Map’
• Rigorous Methodology

54. Special Thanks To:
Dr. Daniel Block (CSU)
Dr. Gebeyehu Mulugeta (CSU)
Dr. Mark Bouman (Field Museum)
Stephanie Gebel (JVS)
Muriel Marseille (CSU)
Georgette Lifschultz (CSU)
Carol McCreary (PHLUSH)
Margaret Hicks (Chicago Elevated)
Erika Hasle (Field Museum)

55. Private Places in Public Spaces:
An Examination of Public Restroom Access in
Downtown Chicago
THANK YOU!
Noah Sager
Email: nsager@csu.edu Chicago State University
Website: www.noahsager.net Department of Geography