Citywide Bathroom Strategy ↓
Public bathrooms remain one of the most important public space needs in New York City.
For seniors, parents with young children, pregnant or menstruating people, people with gastrointestinal issues, and many others, finding a bathroom can be a significant challenge that requires careful planning.
It is vital that the creation of public space and improvements in the public realm include public bathroom access so that our city can truly be inclusive to all.
About This Book ↓
This booklet serves as a continuation of “The Need for Public Bathrooms,” released in 2020, highlighting the heightened significance of public bathrooms in the wake of the pandemic and shifts in our lifestyle, work, and recreation patterns. It presents innovative, multifaceted and cost-effective solutions to improve New York City’s public bathroom system, addressing the myriad challenges the city faces.
We hope this booklet will serve as a resource for citizens, advocates, architects, urban planners, elected officials, government agencies, developers, private companies, local business owners, and others to understand the benefits of public bathrooms and how we can come together to improve our public bathroom network.
The project is supported by the Urban Design Forum’s Forefront Residency, a new initiative designed to help Forefront Fellowship alumni advance their work towards a more equitable city. The project is also supported by the Architecture + Design Independent Projects program, a grant partnership of the New York State Council on the Arts and The Architectural League of New York. Independent Projects grants are made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State legislature.
The views expressed here are those of the authors only and do not reflect the position of the Urban Design Forum, Architectural League, and NYSCA.
Forefront Residency ↓
Forefront Residency enables Forefront Fellowship alumni to deepen their work toward building a more equitable city. Through this new annual offering, Urban Design Forum supports creative and socially engaged collaborations emerging from the Forefront Fellowship with micro-grant funding, technical assistance, and networking opportunities.
Who We Are ↓
Julie Chou, AIA
Julie Chou, AIA, is a founding partner at Purpose by Design Architects. Previously, Julie managed a variety of affordable, supportive, and transitional housing projects at Magnusson Architecture & Planning. She is a member of Manhattan’s Community Board 5 and serves on the Land Use, Zoning, and Housing committee, as well as the Budget, Education, and City Services committee. Julie has become a leader in the movement for more accessible public bathrooms in New York City and leads a public bathroom working group with several community boards across the city. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Architecture from The Cooper Union.
Kevin A. Gurley, AICP
Kevin Gurley is an urban planner at Amtrak, working on expanding Amtrak service in cities across the United States. Previously, he was Manager of Planning at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in NYC, managing a portfolio of rail system expansion and enhancement planning projects, including building new subway lines and stations in New York City. He has extensive experience in both the public and private sectors, working on projects in cities in the US, Mexico, and China. Kevin holds a Master in Urban Planning from Harvard University and a Master of Architecture from Florida International University in Miami.
Boyeong Hong
Boyeong is a Data Analytics Consultant at the World Bank Group and a Research Affiliate at NYU Marron Institute of Urban Management. Her research interests focus on applying urban informatics to real-world problems in urban planning and operations by using big data analytics and urban computing. Boyeong holds a doctoral degree in Urban Informatics from NYU and a Master of City Planning degree from Seoul National University.