clientcity of Sydney councilKings cross local Area command

Briefto reduce the incidence of public urination in the Kings cross area during friday and Saturday nights by providing easier access to toilet facilities and appropriate direction without compromising the positive experience of visitors.

Solution propoSedthe solutions we propose can be divided in to two main areas. the provision of toilets and its support partner, the provision of information services.

The Thin yellow lineHow do you HAndle tHe toileting needS of 30,000 witH juSt tHree puBlic toiletS? tHe AnSwer iS tHAt you cAn’t. our propoSAl SuggeStS A Multi-ASpect StrAtegy to Bring toiletS to tHe AreA And Help people find tHeM, tArgeting iMMediAte And long-terM deMAndS witH tHe proViSon of fAcilitieS And Supporting croSS-MediA SySteMS.

the ratio of visitors to public toilets in the area makes this an immediate concern. the proposal includes ensuring the use of existing public toilets, potential to use other facilities and commissioning new permanent toilets.

Half the battle with using public toilets is finding them. we propose a number of initia-tives for dealing with this issue. we suggest improvements to the city of Sydney council.’s website. we also discussed the possibilities of offering text-a-toilet Service, improved street signage and patrols by ‘cross guides’ on the street.

““35% of all complaints about Sydney’s toilets are to do with public urination.” - Mark driver, city of Sydney council public toilet policy group

we have up to 30,000 predominantly young people arriving each friday and Saturday night looking for the “party” the cross has become known for. its an edgy environment with unpredictable incidents and crime.

SituationSince the 1940’s ‘the cross’ has attracted the fringe dwellers of our society. the antisocial, prostitutes, drug addicts, the homeless and ‘colourful Sydney identities’ all flock to the part of Sydney that doesn’t sleep. recently the flavour has changed. Sleaze is making way for reckless.

Along with other antisocial behaviours, public urination has become a serious social and health issue.

with only one sign directing intoxicated men to three toilets located at the police station there is an understandable lack of commitment to using them. Many resort to finding a corner or wall on which they can relieve themselves.

walk though any lane and you’ll smell and see urine tracks on the walls and footpaths. police acknowledge that there is little alternative and tend to be tolerant of the behaviour. to fine someone would take up to three hours of an officer’s time while there are many more pressing duties.

Visitors come by all modes of transport their numbers swelling to peak at 1-2am. At this point there are thousands on the street. Virtually as soon as they arrive, their exit options rapidly decrease – the buses and trains no longer run through Kings cross and it is a dead zone for taxis around 3am.

Considerationswhile these issues affect many, so too do the traditional solutions. the construction of new public toilet facilities is a process that could take two to three years and requires lengthy negotiations with resident groups and business owners.

in any local government Area there would be significant concerns, in the high density Kings cross area the issues are magnified.

Some of the issues are: - public liability- potential for use for drug taking- potential for use as homeless shelter- degradation of the area- defacement and malicious damage- Attraction of undesirable persons - Sanitation- odour- crowd noise- Security- noise and disruption during construction

Project outcomethe Kings cross zone has become an entertainment and party precinct. it has a transient population that arrives for the party and leaves afterwards, much like a festival. it is our belief that it should be treated as such. while noise and violent behaviour appear to be the main issues, most would be content to see the party continue. we believe that by changing the tone from edgy, flighty and hazardous to a fun, high spirited festival environment many objections would be overcome.

we suspect that by condoning the breaking of the law in even a small way like public urination (wilful exposure or public nuisance) you may encourage further antisocial behaviours.

within our brief that means making the experience a little easier for cross visitors. Making it easy to locate and get to a toilet affords them the opportunity to behave in a legal and socially responsible way. perhaps that small gesture might subconsciously flow on to them thinking again about their next behavioural choices.

provision of toiletsthe ratio of visitors to public toilets in the area makes this an immediate concern.

existing facilities we need to make sure that the existing public toilets (at fitzroy gardens) are serviceable and attractive to use.

potential to use other facilities located in the Kings cross centre are a large number of toilets designed and suitable for public use. there are nine urinals, six male cubicles, seven female cubicles and a separate toilet for disabled users. we believe that an arrangement could be brokered between the owners and council to have these facilities opened for public use. there may be some physical security barriers required and the toilets would require security personnel on hand to oversee their use. we do however believe this to be a promising solution in an opportune location.

“with only one sign directing intoxicated men to three toilets located at the police station there is an understandable lack of commitment to using them.”

in addition, we propose that a number of urinals be located around main hubs of darlinghurst road , Kellett Street and Bayswater road. it would be our desire to ensure that these units are no further than 150 metres from the drawcard clubs and close to the well-worn urination hot spots.

Mobile urinals - Because our research indicates that men are the most in need of additional services1, we propose urinals as a means of coping with the needs of the large number of men on the street. we also see this as a way of reducing the load on the existing public facilities allowing more access for women.

our concepts for urinals are unique and answer the needs of the Kings cross situation. we have provided concepts for two trailer mounted urinal facilities. the unique advantage this delivers is that the units can be towed in to place in friday evening used that night, then towed away the next morning. they require no plumbing (stored on board), no electrical connection (battery powered with solar support) and take up roughly the footprint of a car. when towed away the waste can be emptied2, the unit high pressure cleaned and the water reservoir replenished. As the facilities would be absent when residents are using the area, we believe this solution would meet with less resistance. the fact that it requires

1 women are more likely to be admitted to a club to counter the gender imbalance inside. they often are not required to pay a covercharge on entry. we also contend that women are far less likely to use a public toilet than one in a club.

2 dilution combined with in-line uV treatment renders the waste a safe and nutrient-rich irrigation source.3 during its first week of operation alone, uK’s Satlav received 3,230 requests for information.

no services means the lead time to commission would be substantially reduced.these urinals have been designed to reduce any impediment to its use. they will be convenient, clean, safe, and private. they will be incorporate technologies to enhance the experience and make it fun. Stepping on the pressure pad located in front of he urinal bowl will illuminate the ‘engaged’ sign outside, extinguish the stair lighting and emit a dose of water to the hand basin. the action of the water though the hand basin (located directly above the urinal bowl) informs the user of the operation, reminds them to wash their hands afterwards and rinses the urinal bowl ready for use. Stepping off the pressure pad illuminates the stairs and changes the ‘engaged’ light to ‘vacant’.

commissioning new permanent toilets - As a longer term solution we propose that the process be put into motion to construct an additional small (3-4 cubicle) automated toilet block with greater accessibility to the active hub. we would nominate the north end of the Springfield pedestrian area as the preferred location.

information SystemsHalf the battle with using public toilets is finding them. we propose a number of initiatives for

dealing with this issue.

council website currently the city of Sydney council has a web page that allows the user to download a toilet map of the city. this is an empty experience for those that go to that trouble as the map contains no street names. the website also links to a list of parks with an indication of whether they have toilets, however our experience showed some of that information to be incorrect. we suggest that the toilet map link redirect to the national public toilet Map, the Australian government’s website that appears to be more concise and more regularly updated.

text-a-toilet Service our research revealed that the ‘Satlav’ service in the united Kingdom has been very successful3. the service offers immediate text back of your nearest public toilet based on the location from which you’ve dialed. the system boasts a database of council-run public toilets, train stations, shopping centers and other toilets available to the public. users pay the equivalent of 65 cents with the council contributing 20 cents.

improved Signage – the current signage at Kings cross has failed to clearly point out directions

“35% of women surveyed indicated that they would use a urinal device in a clean and private setting.” results of a survey conducted for this project – july 2009 “

for the late night crowds. if you need a toilet you need to know more than its general direction. we believe that signs should also include information about the facility, its open times and its distance. At night the signs should be illuminated (if the facility is open) and lights at the facility should act as a beacon to guide you in. our proposal include some new styles for consideration.

cross guides – in collaboration with the those working on the Kings cross environment, we propose that there is a need for another presence on the street besides the police force, medical crews and council’s street cleaners. these people are to be called “the cross guide”. this is a mixed of group of people who “dare to care” by patrolling the streets as a visible helpers to assist with the atmosphere of confusion, miscommunication, anxiety, fear, tension within the cross area at weekend nights.

the cross guides are also to be custodians of the toilets ensuring that antisocial behaviour is reduced therefore making them safer and cleaner for users and that the toilets presence in the community reinforces the cross guides brand. Having the urinals system associated with the non-authoritarian cross guides will afford them a level of protection against wilful damage.

1. cross guide uniform2. urinal Signage 3. playful Mix ̀ n Match concept / two unit urinals 4. d&g inspired concept / four unit urinals