By: Jeanie Fitzgerald Pitts

Sponsored by: Bradley, Bradyl Storage Solutions

This course examines two notoriously uncomfortable spaces in the built environment—tenant storage areas and public restrooms—and explores why they so often evoke feelings of insecurity or unease. Traditional storage solutions, typically constructed from chain-link fencing or chicken wire, inadvertently put residents’ belongings on display and fail to provide a sense of privacy or protection. Likewise, public restrooms frequently feature sightlines into stalls, excessive under-door clearances, and poorly designed handwashing stations, all of which contribute to user discomfort and compromised hygiene.

Through a design-focused lens, the course highlights innovative approaches that redefine safety, privacy, and usability in these highly trafficked yet historically overlooked spaces. For storage areas, new enclosed containment systems and strategic placement within well-lit, regularly occupied locations can dramatically improve both security and resident confidence. For public restrooms, advancements in partition design and integrated all-in-one handwashing fixtures eliminate common visibility issues and support better hygiene practices, aligning with evolving user expectations—especially in the post-pandemic era.

By understanding the design-related causes behind long-standing issues in these environments, architects can incorporate features that enhance safety, accessibility, and comfort. The course also explores ADA considerations, LEED-aligned strategies, and key insights from the 2024 Healthy Handwashing Survey, empowering practitioners to create storage areas and restroom facilities that truly elevate the user experience.

Learning Objectives

After reading this article, you should be able to: 

• Design storage areas that enhance residents’ feelings of safety and security.
• Incorporate features and functionalities into a storage area that support ADA compliance and contribute toward LEED certification.
• Summarize the key trends and takeaways from the 2024 Healthy Handwashing Survey, which details how common handwashing practices and expectations of handwashing facilities have changed since the pandemic.
• Explain how advancements in all-in-one fixtures and partition styles enable architects to heighten the hygiene, comfort, and privacy people can experience in a public restroom.

Sponsored by

keywords: multifamily, MDU, ​tenant, storage, garage, lockers