A
gender
agenda

Gender-sensitive design ensures that everyone, regardless of their gender identity, feels safe, respected and included. Eventually, this ethos should inform the design of every part of a building. For now, the focus remains on one aspect our industry is yet to nail: all-gender toilets.  

Providing all-gender toilet facilities goes well beyond changing the signage on public bathrooms; it’s about creating spaces that are inclusive and considerate of personal safety. For gender-diverse people this is especially important. A study by UCLA’s Williams Institute found that 70% of trans participants had experienced verbal harassment or physical assault in gender-segregated public toilets. 

Despite a general agreement on key principles (elaborated on below) the appropriate design of all-gender toilet facilities is still up for debate. Some ‘solutions’ conflate disability with gender difference, others fail to balance privacy with duty of care for occupants. And while the research advocates for fully enclosed, self-contained cubicles, this is an expensive and space-hungry arrangement.  

To further complicate the issue, the National Construction Code (NCC) in Australia mandates that toilets must be designated as male, female, or unisex (wheelchair) accessible, with the all-gender designation excluded. Efforts are underway to update these codes to accommodate all-gender toilets, but for now this remains a complicating factor.  

For enlightened clients striving for gender-sensitive design, an additional design and approvals process is required, known as a Performance Solution. Hearteningly, the Australian Building Codes Board recently concluded a consultation process on the inclusion of all-gender bathroom provisions in the NCC. We are eagerly awaiting the draft changes to the NCC 2025 to be socialised.   

Let’s shine a spotlight on the glaring issue of  signage to all-gender toilets. While the ‘male’ and ‘female’ pictograms might appear cliched, the above ‘all gender’ symbol – a simple hybrid of the male and female symbols – is plainly offensive. 

In queer circles, the above symbol has been used with more success to represent the all-gender narrative. An extension of the male ♂ symbol and the female ♀ symbol, the above symbol uses an ‘X’ on top of a straight line to denote the all-gender experience. The ‘X’ is a symbol introduced by some countries as a non-binary symbol on passports or other legal documents that traditionally required an ‘M’ or an ‘F’.  

In support of the all-gender agenda, we have broadened our stakeholder engagement to diverse user groups, including non-binary, and transgender people, to ensure we design spaces that meet their needs. Gender-sensitive design also sits within a broader ethos of sustainability and well-being, since inclusive environments contribute to health and happiness. 

In the early days of all-gender toilets, we saw some universities simply rebadging their traditional male and female toilets with all-gender signage. The results were not popular – in most cases they have been wound-back – and a more nuanced design approach has been adopted. A similar trend was re-badging accessible toilets (designed for people with mobility impairment) as all -gender. This is also unsatisfactory as it conflates disability with gender diversity. It is now widely recognized that toilet stalls (partitioned cubicles with no acoustic or smell isolation) are not desirable as the all-gender solution. Instead, the ‘ensuite’ arrangement where each toilet is in its own small room with hand wash and hand drying facilities within the room is considered the gold-standard. Next best is toilets in their own small room with open, shared handwash facilities.  

Architectus and the University of Sydney 

Architectus was commissioned by the University of Sydney to collaborate on a benchmark study of all-gender facilities. The results have informed the University‘s approach to design, highlighting several key themes: 

• Creation of a welcoming and safe approach to all-gender amenities 

• Avoiding entrapment: ensuring no dead ends or narrow corridors compromise personal safety. 

• Neutral points of choice: providing clear visibility of all-gender amenities before entering the zone, allowing users to make informed choices. 

• Passive surveillance: designing habitable zones near entry points to discourage anti-social behaviour and enhance safety through passive surveillance. 

• All-gender or gender-inclusive signage: using all-gender or gender-inclusive signage helps individuals feel more comfortable and welcome in using the facilities.

Imagine public buildings where all-gender bathrooms are the norm, where every person, regardless of gender identity, can access facilities without fear or hesitation. Picture spaces thoughtfully designed to avoid entrapment, that balance passive surveillance with privacy, with clear, inclusive signage guiding the way. This is the future of all-gender design – it will be better for everyone.