Route 69

Route 69

WashRooms: Venue showcase

ROUTE 69

features, April 2008, COMMENTS

Route 69 is a newly refurbished venue of Admiral Taverns in Northampton. As a gay venue, the allocation of gender and the format of the toilets were a key issue in the design of the club. The owners opted for a unisex format, which is brightly lit with glass partitions and an open, round space for the sinks. The washrooms feature clear glass block walls, Paraline cubicles by Twyford Bushboard, mosaic tiles by Tops Tiles, a grey textured, tiled floor by H&R Johnson and a central circular wash bowl supplied by Relcross Ltd.

Nigel Samuel, of designers and architects @Architect, explained: “The client had in the past experienced problems with vandalism in the old, dated toilets. Part of the brief was to deliver a scheme that would have a ‘wow’ factor but would also allow him CCTV access to deter any vandalism. Whilst this was difficult owing to privacy issues, we achieved it with a brighter interior for better CCTV imaging and the openness of the unisex space, also adding a fun factor.”

There are no shelves in the toilets, only mirrors, because the owners prioritised maintaining a steady flow of customers through the space. “This gave the customer somewhere to view themselves without causing obstruction around the amenity areas,” said Nigel. “We considered this aspect to the scheme very important although it is not always a favoured option.”

He added: “We are really pleased with the glass block walls. They’re not that common in the washroom environment. They add a little bit of mischief to the scheme, that element of being exposed but ‘not really’”.

From: April 2008

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