Toronto-based environmental graphic design (EGD) firm Entro recently helped the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Group develop appropriate signage for ‘universal washrooms’ in health-care facilities.
The goal of universal washrooms is to ensure accessibility and inclusivity for a wider community, including not only wheelchair users and other people with disabilities, but also any individuals who may not conform to conventional gender norms. They include single-use washrooms, which are lockable and contain one toilet and sink, and multi-use facilities, where individual enclosed toilet stalls share a common sink area. As more of these washrooms are built, the need for consistent signage has become clear.
The design challenge was to improve upon the common pictograms currently used for washroom signage, so as to set a precedent that would accurately represent an inclusive environment, while requiring little explanation.
Entro’s team wrote guiding principles and recommendations for CSA in collaboration with the company’s industry partners, clients and Marni Paras, an Edmonton-based advocate for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) issues. Their solution was a toilet pictogram, accompanied by the word ‘washroom’ and, where applicable for physical accessibility, the well-known wheelchair icon.
“Signage should not emphasize who is walking in,” explained Entro in its report, “but rather what they are going in to use. There is no need to identify ourselves on signage when using a garbage can or a bus. It should not be any different for washrooms.”
