Public toilets: an exploratory study on the demands, needs, and expectations in Turkey

Abstract

Provision of public toilets is not only a matter of land use, but also an essential design and planning concern. This study examines the following questions through an explanatory study. (i) What problems do public toilets pose? (ii) What toilet facilities do people require most and/or most emphasize would affect the way they use land and participate in social life? (iii) How do demands, needs, and expectations around public toilets change depending on gender, age, and ability? We conduct a survey of 300 people in fourteen public restrooms in the city centre of Ankara, Turkey. According to factor analysis results, public toilets should be seen as potential urban spaces and initial opportunities for sustainable urban developments and liveable cities.