How School Washroom Quality Enhances Student Experience

How School Washroom Quality Enhances Student Experience

It seems like a useless consideration: how can school washroom quality enhance student experience? Obviously, students aren’t spending their whole day in the bathroom – the classroom is the central space involving education. However, school washroom quality matters. Here’s why…

This article will take a deep dive into how the quality and design of school washrooms can actually enhance student experiences. Looking to enrol more students in your school and improve parents’ perception of your educational facilities? We’re here to explain exactly how you can do this, through inspired school washroom design.

The Importance of School Washroom Design and Reputation

School environments are often carefully planned spaces that put the needs of children at the forefront of many design choices. For example, chairs and tables within classrooms are specifically built to suit the particular age groups that use that space. The classroom is considered to be at the heart of most learning activities; a place where teachers deliver engaging lessons and students become inspired.

Keeping this in mind, there are actually more aspects to the educational environment than are frequently considered. Behind the scenes, children and students require much more than just a classroom space. Facilities such as bathrooms and eateries are necessary for children to function, providing them with the comfort and energy they need to learn efficiently.

So, what about designing school washrooms? The importance of washroom design within educational environments is often overlooked. Of course, this is because teaching is done within the classroom. School bathrooms are forgotten as they’re just a facility, only to be used when necessary. However, they are entirely necessary; functional spaces that improve students’ comfort and wellbeing.

 

Improving School Status with Great Educational Washroom Design

The quality of educational washroom environments can have a huge impact on how both students and parents perceive the school. It’s not just the public facing spaces within the school that interior designers have to consider.

Whether you are trying to improve upon school status, or enhancing the ease of use for students… Don’t jump straight into re-designing the already suitable spaces within your educational facility. Taking a look at the behind the scenes areas such as school washrooms, and thinking about how they should be improved, is a great first step.

Imagine you’re walking into a café, and your first port of call before ordering is the toilet. You enter the washroom to find it’s grimy, unhygienic and full of outdated equipment. Would you still want to order food from that café, knowing the restrooms have been completely disregarded?

Work backwards and fix the toilet facilities first. You’ll then have amazing washrooms to build upon, from the inside out.

 

Parent Expectations and School Washroom Maintenance

When parents come to view a school, they’re looking to evaluate how suitable that particular school environment is for their beloved children. They want to look beyond the classroom. The classroom plays an integral part in their evaluations, of course – it’s where students will spend most of their time. But they also want to be assured that their children are well looked after.

Facilities, such as dining areas and student washrooms, are often more closely scrutinised than the classroom themselves. This is because when a great deal of effort goes into creating areas that care for the students, parents begin to comprehend just how much the school cares about their wellbeing.

As a major focal point for parents that are considering sending their children to a particular school, whether it’s a primary or secondary point of education, student washrooms should be well designed and hygienic. Read on to discover how quality bathroom design can also enhance the student experience, too.

 

How Student Experiences are Enriched with Quality Bathroom Design

Each and every one of your school’s students will visit the washroom at least once a day. It’s possible that teachers and admin staff may not consider the impact that school bathroom design has on their students. This is simply because they have no reason to use the facilities themselves.

Students are always bound to relate the quality of their washroom experiences to the reputation of the school itself. A fancy, well equipped classroom may provide them with all the learning facilities they need… But their needs don’t stop there.

Break times and washroom requirements can form the way students interact with teachers, other students, and even the information that is sent their way. Unhygienic bathrooms leave children feeling disheartened and forgotten about, while the necessities of washroom design and toilet requirements are disregarded.

In order to overcome this, it is imperative that school washroom design is improved. Rather than seeing the bathrooms as the final touch, you should be focusing on transforming them first. Especially right now, sanitised personal spaces matter more than ever.

Here are a few key tips as to how you can provide students with perfect washroom areas that will enhance their learning abilities.

Student Washroom Design Tips

  • Think about washroom traffic and how busy the space will become. Each school has varying amounts of students, and the position of every washroom will have an impact on how busy that area becomes. Frequently used bathrooms may become damaged more often, so the durability of appliances becomes a major consideration here.

  • Consider the hygienic implications with regards to bathroom facilities and fixtures. Fittings such as toilet seats can be carefully selected in order to minimise the amount of backsplash that occurs when flushing after use. Materials used to fit out the bathroom will also make a huge difference. Imagine you’re the cleaner in charge of sanitising the space. You want smooth, wipeable surfaces with no hidden holes where germs can accumulate.

  • Don’t forget about the aesthetic elements of your educational washroom. Students will appreciate how the school has worked to uplift their surroundings. This can be done by adding bold colours, textured installations or even natural elements, such as plants. Windows aren’t always appropriate for bathrooms, but consider strategically placed windows that invite outdoor lighting without compromising on privacy.
  • Educational content can be installed within washrooms, too. Learning is thought by many as being restricted to the classroom environment. However, children are constantly learning as they go about their day, taking in stimuli from every environment they come across. Think about placing infographics and posters within the washrooms, so they have something to look at as they wait to use the toilet.

Design Quality Educational Washrooms with BrookhouseUK

Wondering how you can achieve a well designed washroom space that appeals to both parents and students? BrookhouseUK have developed a range of bespoke services that will cater to all your educational bathroom design needs. With space utilisation services that allow you to provide for more students with less, to designing encouraging places that will inspire children to do better in the classroom…

We know just how important it is to consider your school’s status in referring and enrolling new students. Their entire educational experiences may be shaped by the interior environments they are surrounded by throughout these formative years. That’s why we’re here to help. Get in touch with our approachable team at BrookhouseUK if you’d like to discuss your ideas. We’re sure we can expand upon them, bringing your dreams to fruition!

Toilet Refurbishment Design Tips & Tricks

Toilet Refurbishment Design Tips & Tricks

Looking to spruce up your educational washroom areas? With our actionable list of tips and tricks for improving toilet refurbishment design, you can do just that. From taking into account how materials have an impact on hygiene, to ensuring you’re working with one experienced company right the way through… This comprehensive list checks all the boxes in making sure your toilet refurbishment project goes above and beyond expectations.

In considering these tips, it’s important to outline just why educational toilets have been overlooked for years. Here goes…

Why are Educational Toilet Facilities Often Overlooked?

  • They are (often incorrectly) perceived as ‘non-essential’ to the learning process. Toilet spaces in education aren’t central to the teaching experience, especially as students age. Nursery washrooms can be well designed as the stage of nursery learning is focused on handling basic human needs, however in later years they’re simply forgotten about.
  • Funding issues and affordability can be a problem. A lack of investment into these essential toilet facilities means that schools have to prioritise budgets and make compromises. As educational washrooms aren’t usually at the top for improving Ofsted results, they come further down the line after improving classroom environments and play areas.

Why Educational Toilet Refurbishment Needs to Improve…

  • New research has shown just how much educational toilets are disregarded, and the results are shocking. The results are seen worldwide, however even within the UK we have found some pretty disturbing issues.

  • Students are risking their health to avoid unsanitary toilet facilities. As adults, we all know the negative effects of dehydration. However, it has been found that UK students are avoiding drinking too much water simply so they can avoid using the restroom facilities as often. This can have dire consequences on their health, particularly at young ages.

  • Badly kept toilets do negatively affect education results. Some students have gone as far as admitting they would rather stay home in order to avoid the school bathroom experience. If kids are skipping school as a result of educational washrooms, it’s evident that something has to change.

  • Successful toilet refurbishment can help you avoid these washroom issues! If you read on, we’ll explain how you can make the most out of your toilet refurbishment project, keeping hygiene and sanitation at the forefront of design choices.

Utilise Space with Considered Design

In considering toilet refurbishment and design, you might not have a great deal of space to play with. That’s where space utilisation comes in! It doesn’t make sense to haphazardly place fittings into a space without considering the aftereffects of doing so. Great toilet refurbishment companies are the pros at offering space utilisation services, allowing you to do more with less. Innovative interior design techniques are put into use, considering exactly how each space is used.

Does a space seem ineffective? Are students having to go out of their way, wasting time in order to navigate an ineffective layout? If a bathroom isn’t laid out efficiently, this can even have a negative impact upon hygiene! For example, if a toilet is set too close to a sink, the spray of water from the toilet bowl can reduce sanitation standards.

Experienced toilet refurbishment companies know the value of getting this right. Taking the time to stop and consider how design impacts the user is essential, especially in small washroom spaces. We can help kick start the process of developing a well-designed, functional area for students to use!

Rest Assured with Complete Reliability

Equipment breaks over time, that’s just in its nature. School children can be especially careless within their surroundings; that’s sometimes in their nature too! Considering this, the most successful toilet refurbishment designers for education have made great connections with suppliers of robust toilet fixtures.

Reliability within these areas is extremely important, as even one broken toilet can cause a lot of distress when you have a school full of children to deal with. Broken toilets reduce hygiene, can lead to nasty smells and blockages. We can all agree that ensuring reliability is a must here!

Save money and hassle with BrookhouseUK’s well-selected, durable fixtures. We have developed great relationships with a variety of trusted suppliers, and after years of working with them we have a professional rapport that allows us to select the most appropriate fittings. We have worked with a variety of schools from different backgrounds in the past. Taking into account your budget and previous incidents, we can help you select the right materials to transform your toilets.

Represent the Educational Setting

Design always has a function, even in washrooms… Whether a space is purely there to fulfil a basic human necessity or not, we can implement certain design elements that quickly add visual appeal! Educational bathrooms are notorious for being neglected, dull spaces that lack inspiration or youthful energy. This is quickly changing, however, as modern design evolves year on year. We’ve recently been installing more vibrant and appealing washroom spaces within schools, ensuring that the interior of the bathroom suits the rest of the school on a whole.

Grey, drab walls and bleak cubicles? A thing of the past. Instead, we’re seeing educational materials incorporated into the design of such spaces. Pops of colour brighten up the space, while infographics on how to wash your hands well are seen on walls. Improving kids’ hygiene efforts can start in the bathroom! There’s no reason as to why your educational bathroom should completely disregard the rest of the educational and vibrant school spaces.

How Vibrant Colours Can Alter an Environment

Leading on from how pops of colour can alter a space, it’s important to consider colour psychology! We’ve been accustomed to the practice for years, as we have witnessed first-hand the impressive impact that just the colour of a wall can have on the viewer of any space. Toilets are no different.

This can be trend related, too! Update your washroom areas with pops of lime green, space-brightening orange and uniform royal blues. This will all help tie your design efforts together and ensure the toilet refurbishments fit in with the rest of the schools’ colour schemes, impressing students and parents alike.

Include Modern Materials that Keep Hygiene in Mind

As always, hygiene and safety remain a key consideration within bathroom spaces. In an educational setting, it’s simply an absolute requirement. Right now, with all the fuss surrounding hygiene practices, you don’t want to miss out on the latest innovations that will improve sanitation efforts.

New materials are being released for commercial use on a regular basis, and the experts in toilet refurbishment are staying informed about them. Ridged surfaces are harder to sanitise quickly, so they might have a detrimental impact on the overall cleanliness of a space. Smoother finishes are much easier to upkeep, and you don’t have to compromise on design! Innovations mean we can install a range of smooth surfaces with illusion designs embedded within the materials. It’s these types of developments that keep educational and commercial washroom design moving forward, and we’re always excited to see what the future holds!

Maintain Ultimate Safety and Social Distancing

Many great toilet refurbishment companies, such as BrookhouseUK, have great links with sister companies providing alcohol hand sanitisers, social distancing guideline materials and other equipment that will help keep you and your students safe. There’s simply no excuse for overlooking the safety of children, particularly in environments where hygiene is key anyway.

If anything’s important upon the safe return to school in September, it’s upholding strong stances on hygiene and safety. Design layouts can also be altered, even temporarily, with modular fittings that can be edited over time as social distancing measures are reduced.

Make the Most out of Designs with Perfect Product Selection

Without the know-how and an extensive background in toilet refurbishment and design, you might struggle to know where to begin when it comes to selecting products that fit your project. The most experienced toilet refurbishment specialists have a great deal of knowledge surrounding the best suppliers and most up-to-date designs that your project will benefit from.

Well-trained toilet refurbishment designers also have a keen eye for detail, understanding exactly which installations will stand the test of time. This is something of exceptional importance when designing under a tight budget! You don’t want to install cheap fittings that will only cost you a greater amount of money in the long run.

The way that such fixtures are designed can also impact hygiene with the educational washroom. For example, backsplash units can either limit or spread the harbouring of germs around a sink. These factors can depend on something as minimal as how deep the ridges in tiling solutions are, so it’s often best to get the experts in to determine which options are best for you.

Don’t Compromise on Aesthetics

Toilets aren’t what first springs to mind when we consider well-designed spaces, particularly within the educational sector. Despite this, the leading toilet refurbishment companies have been committed to changing this idea for years! Aesthetics are important within every designed space, from the inner cubicle to the outer entrance to the restroom itself. The way each area is designed can completely transform user experience. For example, if the entrance looks great but there has been no attention given to the design of the inner toilets, students may feel dismayed and irritated.

Toilets aren’t the most pleasant of places at the best of times, so providing a well-thought-out design with pleasing details can improve the space immensely. Limit the number of school children that are developing negative health habits by avoiding school toilets!

Remember: Affordability and Great Design Aren’t Mutually Exclusive!

Affordability is one of the most important principles when designing for schools, particularly in toilet design. Toilets aren’t usually seen as central to education, so the budget for these can unfortunately be added in as an afterthought. There’s a reason that many educational toilets are unlikely to be refurbished with modern fixtures, and this can have a detrimental impact on students. As we mentioned before, there are a number of reasons as to why this viewpoint must change. It’s having a negative impact on education, so seeing educational toilet refurbishment as a mere afterthought is to be avoided (at all costs)!

In considering how you’ll go about refurbishing your toilets, it’s inevitable that price might therefore be of utmost importance. However, you may be surprised to find that many innovative toilet refurbishment companies are working to find new, affordable solutions. You no longer have to compromise on cheap-looking, ineffective washroom spaces. Modern toilet refurbishment services such as BrookhouseUK offer new insights that allow them to add flair and affordability to their restroom spaces. We can help you budget in ways that help you achieve your restroom goals, without going overboard. One way they are able to achieve this is by offering custom-designed fittings…

Consider Bespoke Toilet Refurbishment Design

While modern schools can be built to very specific requirements that enable easier refurbishment execution, some older buildings or less well-designed spaces will require the use of bespoke fittings. Toilets in particular are one of these tricky areas, as you’re trying to fit so many areas of criteria into just one small space. You need to consider privacy, hygiene and user requirements all within what’s usually a very small designated room.

There are a few ways you can do this exceptionally well. In some cases, this may involve using bespoke or custom designed utilities. BrookhouseUK can design toilet cubicles and other necessities to suit your specifications. This allows you to cut down on unused space and put it to good use. It may also be more cost effective as you use only the required amount of materials.

How Technology and Innovation can Improve Hygiene

We’re passionate about incorporating great design into our spaces, and innovative technologies have the added benefit of improving sanitation results. Touchless inventions have been on the rise over the past decade, and they’re becoming more intuitive. Kids aren’t always the most hygienic to begin with, so taking care of their needs within toilet spaces should be carefully considered.

Installing flush systems that limit the need for touch will benefit children’s restrooms. The same goes for wave-activated hand taps, soaps and dryers, as the spread of germs is reduced, and health is not compromised. You can implement touchless door designs too – though encouraging hygiene doesn’t just stop with physical objects. Encouraging posters and incentives can show the importance of washing hands. Queueing systems that limit the spread of germs are also useful. Working with a toilet refurbishment company experienced in education will have a great deal of success in this area.

Find a Reputable Company to Execute the Whole Project

You’ll be wasting both time and money if you seek out the services of multiple refurbishment companies to carry out just one project. Your best bet is to do the research beforehand in order to ensure you’re selecting a reputable company that has the expert abilities you’re looking for. Read testimonials, take a look at case studies and even browse their blog – you’ll get to understand exactly the level of expertise that they have in toilet refurbishment.

We’ve put together this handy list of explanations as to why selecting one toilet refurbishment company to oversee the whole project can benefit you.

  • Save money – we all know just how much this matters when it comes to educational refurbishment projects… You won’t have to spend extra on the time spent discussing your ideas and objectives with a new team each time you move along with the toilet refurbishment process. Sticking with one team from the very start allows you to re-invest the money you’ve saved in developing your impressive new toilet refurbishment project!

  • Save time with reduced communication efforts. Again, you don’t want to have to re-explain everything each time you meet a new person within the team. You’ll definitely benefit from working with a toilet refurbishment brand that delegates one project manager to oversee everything.

  • You’ll benefit from a cohesive toilet refurbishment design experience. There won’t be any adjustment periods as you get used to working with various people. You can simply explain everything to your experienced project manager and get things done smoothly. Time is key here, so it’s important you’re not having a negative impact upon learning experiences with your toilet refurbishment project.

  • Stick to goals and expectations from the very first meeting. You want to work with someone that has years of expertise in dealing with educational washroom design. They’ll understand your goals from the beginning, and possibly even provide you with new insights and ideas that you may not have considered beforehand.

Contact BrookhouseUK for The Latest in Washroom Design & Innovation!

With years as the industry leaders in educational washroom refurbishment design, BrookhouseUK are wholly familiar with all the latest tips and tricks. Starting out as a family-based business, the intricacies surrounding washroom and toilet design is deeply embedded within BrookhouseUK’s very DNA. If you’re intrigued in our educational toilet refurbishment services, you can get in touch with us for more information. Our level of passion and dedication within the industry is unsurpassed, and we can’t wait to show you what we’re capable of!

BrookhouseUK’s Complete Guide To Washroom Refurbishment

BrookhouseUK’s Complete Guide To Washroom Refurbishment

As one of the UK’s leading educational refurbishment and design companies, we’re dedicated to providing our clients with the latest innovations and insights into how we can help push our industry forward. We all know how design practices are constantly changing, sometimes at a rapid speed. Even since we first began our educational refurbishment company, we have seen design solutions develop at a great speed. In light of this, and how things continue to adapt in order to provide teachers and students with only the best in educational design, we have decided to put together a complete guide to washroom refurbishment in schools.

While washroom refurbishment may not be the top priority for you to consider as you think about how your school might evolve, it’s an essential part of our everyday lives and in many ways; negative public washroom experiences can even ruin our day. Of course, we understand that a washroom isn’t perhaps the most central part of educational provisions. However, putting as much care into the areas that are often overlooked or behind the scenes can show that you really do care about your students’ wellbeing. This goes a long way in impressing parents and pupils alike, as it becomes increasingly evident that you are investing in matters beyond just the classroom.

How Public Washroom Facilities are Constantly Innovating

Public washrooms have always been a somewhat tricky area of the design world. The requirements surrounding privacy and hygiene can often leave us feeling limited in terms of the design solutions we can successfully implement. Despite this, we’ve always been a company that focuses on moving things forward. That is, we don’t want to compromise on aesthetics – instead, we’d rather innovate. This allows industries such as ours to evolve, with new ideas being brought to the forefront of our experiences at increasingly rapid rates. After all, if nobody within the washroom refurbishment industry looked at new ways to create design solutions, we would potentially still be living with the outdated public washrooms that are now thankfully a thing of the past.

That’s one of our favourite things about design – it’s ever-changing, and the intriguing nature of this can often bring about some great results! We probably won’t be living with the same public washroom facilities that we have today in 50 years. Things continue to adapt, and humans find great ways to innovate, particularly when it comes to interior design. Read on to find out more about how you can make the most out of our washroom refurbishment ideas. It’s certainly worth considering how you can help push educational facilities forward, and we’ll give you some actionable tips that will enable you to do so with ease.

Upholding High Hygiene Standards

Undoubtedly, one of the key things to consider when designing a public washroom is hygiene. Will your design allow cleaning teams to keep everything well-sanitised? This is an essential part of maintaining a hygienic public washroom experience – particularly within schools. You don’t want to reduce resources in overspending on cleaning costs, so aiming to keep sanitation as easy as possible should be a priority. As experts in washroom design, we are continuously considering the impact that each and every one of our design choices has on hygiene implications. For example, are there any fiddly or unnecessary design details that make a certain fixture harder to clean effectively? Will placing a soap dispenser in a particular area above the sinks mean that grime builds up below?

It’s our attention to detail surrounding these seemingly minor considerations that make our educational washroom designs a reverberating success. Without even noticing it, our schools are impressed by time and time again by the ways in which we have made lives easier for both students and staff. That’s one of the great things about successful washroom design. It isn’t always instantly noticeable, however over time, you do begin to notice the positive impact that certain design choices have on making our everyday experience run smoothly.

Hygiene standards and the expectations we have for the bathrooms we design is a multi-faceted area of consideration. How can we make sure that the environment itself stays clean, while also ensuring that the user can wash their hands effectively? We therefore also have to consider the importance of a range of hygiene facilities. As we’ve been doing this for many years now, it comes somewhat naturally to us. A lot of the decisions we make have come about as the result of years of experience; we know what works best, and why.

We have taken the time to gather a few (somewhat disturbing) facts about public washroom use and how to design solutions could potentially help eliminate these concerns below.

  • Germs from flushing the toilet can spread up to 6 feet away
    The consequences of this disturbing fact can be eliminated if you close the lid on the toilet bowl. However, toilet lids are not always commonplace in public restrooms. Alternatively, it’s important to keep the toilet far away from other equipment and try to move away from the toilet after flushing.

  • The average restroom floor has almost 800 bacteria per square inch
    Germs can collect easier on certain surfaces. For example, germs tend to gather in the grouted areas between tiles. This is why many public washrooms opt for other flooring options, such as lightly textured lino (which also has anti-slip properties).

  • Fabric towels spread a lot of bacteria
    There’s a reason fabric towels aren’t common in public washrooms, despite perhaps being the more sustainable option. The way they’re designed to absorb water means that bacteria is harboured within tiny folds and threads, so they’re not actually hygienic at all. This is why we opt for safer solutions such as hand-dryers.
  • Wet hands can spread up to 1,000 times more bacteria than dry hands!
    This means that before your hands are dried, you are spreading much more germs. This makes the space between washing and drying hands essential, and it’s important to minimise the space between these two processes.
  • Choice in materials can reduce harmful bacteria
    Certain additions or surfaces can be chosen that eliminate as much bacteria as possible. Stainless steel, for example, is one of the easiest surfaces to clean and can be topped up with germ-resistant products. Porous or textured surfaces, however, can trap more dirt.
  • 20% of people do not wash their hands after using restroom facilities!
    In an educational setting, the washroom is the perfect place to encourage good hand-washing behaviour and techniques. In doing this, we can help you design spaces where posters or other educational information can be installed, prompting students to maintain good hygiene.

Ventilation & Lighting

Alongside considering hygiene standards, the atmosphere plays a huge role in our public bathroom experience, too. Considering the impact of other elements such as ventilation and lighting can make or break a public bathroom space. We all know how much we prefer natural lighting in our environments; however, sometimes this simply isn’t a feasible option, due to privacy requirements. It’s therefore important to consider how we can adapt our spaces in order to make public bathrooms fully functional yet harmonious areas.

Thankfully, natural lighting doesn’t have to be ignored. It can be a great addition to any public space, and also helps us to reduce energy costs and our environmental impact. The many options available to us today in products such as frosted screens and privacy glass can be utilised in a great way. Innovative window fixtures are also seeing us move past the need to forget about windows entirely – and we expect that these innovations are sure to come on in leaps and bounds as our industry develops even further.

Ventilation is another area of consideration. Will your washroom have sufficient windows to air out the room? Or will you have to look towards using other means of ventilation, such as technology? At Brookhouse UK, we have a wide array of partners that we work alongside in developing the best solutions for our clients. We are the experts at taking in exactly what a space needs, implementing solutions that are effective in the long run.

Prioritising Privacy

In the public washroom, privacy is a must. The exception to this is in designing washrooms for very small children, where they may need help in going to the bathroom. Even then, privacy is still carefully considered, as we try to make the washroom safe yet reassuring. Children of school age can be very conscious about using the bathroom, so we’re constantly looking at new ways to make things just that little bit easier.

Here are a few of the ways that we work towards making sure everyone feels they have enough privacy within public washrooms, particularly in an educational setting:

  • Windows are installed at a privacy retaining level
    Windows are a source of concern in any restroom. Considering the average height of the bathroom user and installing windows at a higher level enables us to keep some natural lighting, without compromising on safety and privacy.

  • Single occupancy washrooms can improve privacy but may reduce space
    We’re pretty convinced that single-occupancy washrooms (with separate toilet, drying and washing facilities) always improve privacy; it’s like your own personal bathroom. However, in many public washrooms, this isn’t a feasible option. Space is reduced in these types of washrooms, and it’s not ultimately essential other than in some areas such as disabled bathrooms, where full open-space access is important.

  • Sturdier partitioning units are beneficial
    Installing partitions that have better structural properties is a great way to retain more privacy, whether that’s from soundproofing or even just making equipment more durable and resistant to damage. In schools where vandalism may be an issue, sturdy partitioning units that resist graffiti, etc. may be a great idea.

  • Unisex bathrooms may add more privacy
    This one depends on the design of the bathroom – many people don’t like using urinals, and actually tend to opt for the private cubicles instead. In unisex bathrooms, spaces are more likely to include partitioning units that do not show any aspect of the cubicle to outsiders, so this may be something to consider. Using unisex toilets can also save on space.

  • Frosted windows
    Where windows are installed, it’s important to remember they should be opaque. There are a huge variety of frosting and translucency options to choose from now.

  • Dedication to timely repairs
    If the functionality of a restroom becomes impaired, privacy can be reduced. Things such as broken door hinges, smashed windows, etc. all add to a lack of privacy. At Brookhouse UK, we always install high-quality fixtures that simply won’t need repairing as frequently as lower-standard materials.

  • Visible space between the restroom partitions is reduced, while also retaining safety
    In America, many public washroom facilities have visible gaps between the doors. One reason behind this is for the safety element – if someone is trapped in a toilet cubicle, they can be seen and subsequently rescued from the outside. However, in the UK, we’re just not familiar with that kind of visibility. We look for other means of improving safety in toilets, such as having privacy gaps above eyesight level or installing effective anti-trap locks.

Inclusive Design Decisions

Inclusivity within washroom design has always been something extremely important to us at Brookhouse UK. While there are certain regulations on what must be included in public washrooms, we also want to go above and beyond this. This means challenging preconceptions surrounding user experience and thinking outside the box. For example, in some schools and nurseries, we have been installing gender-neutral washrooms. This has come about due to the changes in social norms that much of us are questioning at the moment. It also helps children to feel more secure and included in some ways, making the washroom experience easier for them to handle.

We are also passionate about providing facilities that cater to the disabled washroom and wheelchair users. This involves re-thinking a lot of how we use some of the space we’re provided with, however, it goes a long way in improving inclusivity standards within schools!

In doing this, it’s important that we consider the range of ages that will use the washroom facilities. Younger children may need adaptable bathrooms, for example with sinks and mirrors that they can easily access. As children move up in the school, it’s likely that their washroom experience will change. We, therefore, look at new ways to adapt to each stage of the school’s washrooms in order to cater to the specific group of people that will use them.

Contactless Technology

Contactless technology has been around for a while now, somewhat fuelled by the importance of reducing environmental waste. So, we have had contactless hand dryers become the norm. However, the use of contactless technology is always adapting. With current hygiene concerns amidst the spread of COVID-19, we are also seeing more facilities requesting the use of touchless taps and flushing technologies.

Alongside these innovations, we’re looking further at ways we can make the overall washroom experience a simpler one. We all dislike having to touch public washroom doors and handles, even at the best of times. Recently, there has been an influx of products available on the market that enable people to open doors, push handles and press buttons without actually making contact with the equipment itself. Many of these products come in the form of handheld metal devices designed to perform a variety of tasks that we’d otherwise be doing with our hands – thus reducing the spread of viruses and germs. While this is a great idea that we’re sure we can all stand behind, the need for such a product could be solved with the design stage.

Since things and hygiene regulations are continuing to change, we have had a lot of inquiries about how we can help improve washroom facilities. Looking into this area has involved undertaking great deals of research by our experienced team, and thankfully, we’re adapting to find new ways of designing around the societal changes that will make everything easier in the long run. Technology is always adapting, so here are a few of the latest innovations that will help improve your new educational washrooms:

  • UV disinfectants and cleaning supplies
    Where sanitation is vital, UV products can help cleaning teams spot where the most attention is needed. These products may not be commonplace in schools yet, however, many organisations and businesses such as hotels already use them. As hygiene implications are on the rise, we can expect that a few innovative technologies such as these will grow to be more popular in the coming years.

  • Built-in hand-dryers
    Seamless fixtures that allow us to both wash, soap and dry our hands all in one place might be the next big thing for public washrooms. They’ve been a feature for years in cramped train toilet environments; watch this space.

  • Waterfall faucets
    Schools may not need the most high-tech facilities, however, it’s always interesting to consider how we could make things a little different. Waterfall faucets are a great way to add intrigue to any washroom area.

  • Lighting additions
    Where natural lighting is not always possible, you can add interest or draw attention to certain areas of the washroom with LED lighting additions.

  • Water-conserving sinks
    As sustainability remains crucial, we look at developing water-conserving fixtures. These reduce both cost and environmental impact and will educate students on how they can make changes that are less damaging to the environment in their own lives and homes.

  • Vacancy indicators
    Fitting in with the privacy theme, we all know how unnerving it is to have someone try to enter a cubicle we’re in. Vacancy indicators are a great way to remove some of this stress associated with public washrooms, and some are even becoming digitised.

  • Water purification systems
    Clean water is essential, and while it’s something we’re already accustomed to, there are a variety of ways of providing it. As our teams are fully trained in plumbing and fitting, we can discuss potential new ways of installing water purification systems with you.

Sustainable Solutions

In our current world as we know it, figuring out how we can cut down on our environmental impact is essential. Considering sustainability in educational areas such as schools can also do a great deal in educating the students of tomorrow about how and why sustainability is so important.

In the years since we’ve worked within the refurbishment industry, we’ve seen many elements of design evolve in ways that improve sustainability efforts. From going from using wasteful paper towels to touchless hand dryers to dedicating time towards sourcing more environmentally flush mechanisms, we can only expect that many more things are bound to change. Our team is ceaselessly devoted to helping ensure we can make this happen. We’re always intrigued by the new possibilities that ever-changing innovations are bringing to our design solutions, and we love to discuss new options with all of our clients.

Considering the types of materials used within public restrooms is also a great way to get the conversation about sustainability going. While we always prefer to stick to smooth, sanitised surfaces, we can do a lot of things in using recycled surfaces and cutting down on the waste products involved in installing fixtures.

Functional Minimalism

Public washrooms simply sometimes aren’t the space to be installing experimental designs that add nothing to user experience. While we’re all about keeping spaces aesthetically pleasing for our clients, we know where it’s best to implement these trends and techniques. In the bathroom, however, the function is more important to us. Minimalism plays a key role in aiding the cleanliness of an area. Fixtures such as sinks and toilets, that eliminate the harsh ridges that can collect grime and bacteria, are a great way to ensure effective sanitisation techniques.

The most hygienic bathrooms are sleekly designed, reducing the spread of germs from one area to another wherever at all possible. This may begin with the toilet fixture itself; as one flushes the chain, water can actually leave the bowl and spread to other areas. In reducing this, we look towards technologies that reduce the aerosol impact of flushing. The position of the toilet also plays a role – it should be kept away from essential areas relating to hygiene, such as sinks and hand-drying facilities.

Considering the design solutions that make things just that little bit more functional is essential. Wall-mounted taps are actually also easier to clean than their fixtured counterparts – and where touchless technology is not being utilised, we can switch off the tap with an elbow or wrist. It’s also a good idea to include provisions for storage areas within the bathroom. This means that stock isn’t kept outside of the bathroom, minimising the spread of bacteria from one area to another. Solutions such as under-sink cupboards are a great way to minimise this; however, considering how this can be stored safely within educational washrooms is another factor.

Public Safety Considerations

This moves us on to public safety considerations themselves. Washrooms can be areas where water is spilt, and trip hazards may become dangerous. We take a great deal of time in considering how we can reduce safety concerns, particularly when it comes to creating washrooms for younger children and students. New technologies such as innovative finishes on surfaces and floors allow us to install non-slip areas where they’re needed most. Other elements, such as floor drains, allow us to safely clean areas that may otherwise prove to be a hazard.

There is a range of other safety features that can be installed within the educational washroom. The materials used to create the spaces are important – most public washrooms now opt for shatter-resistant porcelain fixtures, which stop people from either vandalising or accidentally being injured by equipment. Thinking about the temperature settings on taps is another potential area for development. Too many times, we’ve been shocked by the unexpectedly scalding heat coming from the hot tap! This is particularly crucial in educational settings, where safety is of utmost importance at all times.

Investing in ‘Behind the Scenes’ Areas

We mentioned this one earlier. While washrooms are an essential part of everyday life, sometimes they are overlooked in investing in things that are more readily visible to onlookers. This gives the illusion that all areas of a school are fantastically designed and functional. However, if your washroom simply isn’t up to scratch with the rest of your refurbishment efforts, things can seem a bit off-kilter. In providing your students with the best educational experience possible, it’s vital that you extend your focus to areas beyond just the classroom.

Demonstrating to both students and staff that you prioritise their experience in areas that perhaps aren’t so central to the educational aspect of things can really improve their everyday lives. If you’re trying to recruit new students, focusing on overlooked places really helps to impress parents, too. The washroom does actually provide a great tool for education, and it helps to make any students’ school life easier. It’s a vital area that many educational facilities may not focus on too much; however, we understand the importance of such areas and continue to strive to improve them.

Timeless Design

Nobody wants to have to undertake a complete washroom refurbishment project every few years. In ensuring we provide our clients with the best possible service, we’re committed to installing the most up to date, state of the art facilities available. A lot of this involves working closely with our clients in order to construct a viable image that portrays how their educational facilities are expected to evolve within the coming years. Whether this is plans to expand on certain areas of the school, or simply involves being able to cater for an influx of new pupils – we’re dedicated to looking beyond the here and now. This enables us to design fully functional washrooms that remain innovative for years to come; you won’t have to worry about spending more money on upgrading each time something changes.

Public washroom design itself is fairly functional and minimalistic to begin with. That means trend influences perhaps don’t play such a central role in dictating how the area is designed. Instead, functionality remains key, so we tend to focus on areas such as hygiene and

Careful Space Utilisation

Public washrooms can be an area that’s overlooked quite frequently. Saving space within these areas is often high on the list of priorities, as we generally want to focus as much as possible on the classrooms and learning facilities themselves. Despite this, we don’t want to compromise on safety or privacy considerations. We have years of experience in using partitioning units within and outside of the washroom – and they’re certainly the norm when it comes to public washroom spaces. Using partitioning and modular additions allow us to re-design the space within a space. This is great for public restrooms, without having to completely build up new walls or rooms; we can completely re-configure the layout of a bathroom to your own specifications.

Space is important to us, as it often is within many schools. Over our many years of service, we’ve refined the ways in which we transform areas, to focus on using the best space utilisation techniques. For example, perhaps you would prefer to keep all your bathroom facilities within the same area in a school… However, you may not have considered that you might be having a negative impact on space by doing this. The disabled facilities may be saving more space if they’re placed elsewhere, enabling you to put other areas to great use along the way. Or perhaps the gendered washrooms should be split up, which could also remove some of the privacy issues related to public washroom use. We’re always more than happy to discuss any potential refurbishment techniques that will make your students’ lives easier.

As the all-important 2m social distancing rule also comes into play as schools reopen, we’re always looking at new ways that we may have to adapt our washroom spaces. For example, adjusting sink units so that people can wash their hands while remaining 2m apart may be a viable solution. As regulations are updated, we’re committed to making sure everyone remains safe and healthy in their educational environments, and we’re willing to talk you through the many ways in which we can achieve this.

A Seamless Experience

User experience plays an enormous role in the public washroom industry. In developing the high level of understanding that we have surrounding washroom use, we have adapted our techniques over years of experience. Strategies that improve the location, size, shape and even aesthetics of the bathroom all play into this careful consideration of techniques that aim to make everything easier for the user.

Will people have to queue to use the facilities? If so, where can they queue without restricting door access? These might seem like quite arbitrary factors for consideration; however, they may have a huge impact on everyday lives. We all know the annoyance in, for example, having a facility that won’t function fully due to an overlooked design flaw. At Brookhouse UK, we’re here to make everyone’s lives easier – and this means often focusing on the seemingly unnoticeable things.

The order within which the bathroom is set out may prove to be an area for reconsideration. Some public washrooms prefer wholly separate bathroom units, placing the toilet, sink and even hand-dryers in one room. Others prefer to spread these units out, which could potentially have better implications when it comes to cleaning techniques. Ensuring that everything is strategically placed in a way that limits waste or dirt, such as water dripping on the floor (which could create a trip hazard), means things are infinitely easier within the washroom. We look at a few of the key tips in doing this below:

  • The soap dispenser is not placed in a way that allows grime to build up below
  • The sink is located close to the hand-dryer, so water is not dripped everywhere
  • If using hand towels, the dispenser is located directly above the waste bin
  • Doors open in a direction that doesn’t limit movement around the washroom
  • Mirrors are in a functional place, situated close to the sinks
  • Storage solutions do not get in the way of usual bathroom use

These are just a few of the considerations that go into each of our educational washroom refurbishment designs. As always, if any of our clients have specific requests or things they’d like to change, we work closely alongside them and even the students to ensure that criteria are met!

Reducing Cost with Effective Design

As we understand the importance of keeping costs down in schools, we’re committed to working with you in ways that aim to reduce costs. In doing this, we evaluate each of the goals that are important to you and your students, so that we can prioritise what matters most to you throughout your refurbishment project. We will always try to achieve as much as possible throughout the process in the most cost-effective manner possible. With this in mind, we don’t cut corners. The clients we have worked with in the past have been exceptionally pleased with our unwavering ability to provide high-quality educational washroom facilities at outstanding prices.

With our great industry connections and reputation, we can help you secure amazing equipment for your new washroom refurbishments at impressive costs. Along the way, we also remain true to our commitment to you, the client. Providing outstanding customer service to all we work with is one of the reasons we’ve been so successful to this day, adapting and renovating spaces that will have a strong positive impact long after we’ve installed our designs.

How Brookhouse UK is Transforming Educational Washrooms Throughout Schools

If reading this article has brought a few ideas to the forefront of your mind, please do get in touch with us via our contact page. As we continue to innovate and push educational facilities forward, we are always delighted to discuss how we can work with you and your school in transforming everyday lives. You can also view an array of our previous projects over on our portfolio pages. We’ve included a range of case studies that highlight some of the work we’ve done with schools around the country – all of which have been thoroughly impressed by our timely efforts.

We know how important education is to our children, so we work as efficiently as possible while still upholding the many values we’re known for. Trust, safety and dedication are all strong foundations that pave the way for what we do here at BrookhouseUK. Our team is exceptionally friendly and always more than happy to help with any queries you may have concerning our washroom refurbishment services – and beyond. As we know the industry continues to change and many schools are trying to adapt to new regulations, we’re dedicated to providing our clients with only the best customer service possible. This means we endeavour to carry out our work with as minimal disruption as we can, keeping a safe distance while not negatively impacting upon the educational needs of students. Thank you for taking the time to read our complete guide to educational washroom refurbishment! If you’d like to read more about the services we offer to the organisations and schools we work with, feel free to click through a few of our other blog posts.

How Washroom Design Can Reduce the Impact of COVID-19

How Washroom Design Can Reduce the Impact of COVID-19

We all know how much the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us over the past few months. As we look deeper into how we can all return to work and some sense of normality, it’s essential that a few areas of our lifestyles are adapted. This will enable us to conduct our everyday routines in a safe manner, while still being able to get back to doing the things many of us have missed for months now.

We’re dedicated to providing our clients not only with amazing designs, but also with the safest options out there. In our industry, safety is a must. While the ideas around safety and hygiene are shifting due to the virus and how it may continue to have a profound impact upon all of our lives, it’s important to us that we innovate in order to keep our clients safe – and happy!

Public bathrooms are an essential element of our lives. Some of us are somewhat shocked to hear that they remain open in areas such as supermarkets despite the pandemic; however, they are a crucial part of everyday life. Ensuring that they remain safe spaces despite everything going on is something we believe in. Here’s just a couple of the ways we’re innovating in order to continue to provide hygienic washrooms in education!

Touchless Technology

Since the outbreak began, we have all seen many changes within businesses such as supermarkets. Many of them have installed touchless apparatus that allows us to sanitise our hands with just one easy swipe. This reduces the spread of any virus and bacteria, and we’re also being advised not to touch products or items where at all unnecessary. Many of us are hesitant about using public areas, such as washrooms, which may be relatively confined in terms of how much personal space we have.

At BrookhouseUK, we have plenty of experience in designing functional and effective washrooms. We’re therefore familiar with the techniques used within the sanitation industry. Touchless technologies have been in place for years now, particularly within washrooms. As people become more wary of touching surfaces and spreading the virus, we are also becoming more vigilant about our adoption of touchless equipment. Touchless hand sanitisers are one key means of achieving this, as nobody wants to continually have to push on the same button that hundreds have also used in the washroom!

This is one of the reasons that touchless hand-dryers came to be a common theme within public washrooms. While remaining environmentally friendly and not wasting an abundance of hand towels, people are still able to dry their hands without having to touch things unnecessarily. This development has since been implemented into other areas of the washroom, such as in touchless taps and flush systems.

It’s these kinds of innovative, touchless technologies that we’re looking deeper into as a company, as we navigate what will be a new, post-pandemic industry. Washrooms have always been a key area within which strong sanitation regulations are upheld, at least in our eyes; and the worries surrounding COVID-19 only make these matters increasingly pressing.

Smooth, Sanitised Surfaces

The ability to keep surfaces effectively sanitised is essential in every washroom. Public washrooms are infinitely trickier when it comes to making those all-important design choices. More people will utilise the facilities we choose to design, so we want to please everyone while keeping spaces aesthetically pleasing for all. That’s why the surfaces we decide to design within our washrooms are always selected with hygiene in mind. Scrubbing dirt or trying to sanitise a textured, ridged surface is infinitely harder than getting the job done with one simple swipe! While germs aren’t even visible, it’s important that we implement as many design techniques that we possibly can that aim to help us maintain cleaner public spaces.

Textured surfaces, while popular, simply aren’t a very feasible option for washrooms at the best of times. While we still like the impact offered by including a textured façade to our washrooms, we don’t have to compromise on hygiene in doing so. Much of our recent design efforts (pre-COVID) used wooden patterns embedded within smooth surfaces. This allowed us to add a deeper dimension to what is actually a fully hygienic, easy to clean surface.

As designers who take pride in our creative efforts, we don’t like to feel that we have to compromise on aesthetics. That’s why we take the time to discover new ways to innovate, rather than simply comply – if everyone had the same ideas, everything would look the same! We’re passionate about providing solutions that allow educational facilities to inspire, while focusing on comfort and hygiene at all times. We’re taking our ideas such as these a step further, as we consider the evolving ways in which we will need to design for a post-lockdown world.

Partitioned Elements

As we all know, cleaning efforts are being ramped up as a result of COVID-19. However, cleanliness has always been a huge factor to consider when designing washrooms! We have always taken great pride in the level of hygiene that our washrooms here at BrookhouseUK have helped educational organisations uphold. However, things are still continuing to innovate in order to specifically shield us against the virus. For example, the government has recommended that people try to remain 2m apart at all times. While this is not a worry considering the modular cubicles common in most public bathrooms, other areas may become concerning. Most bathrooms do not adhere to the 2m gap rule in relation to sink placement. We’re currently looking at new ways in which we can ensure our clients can continue to adhere to the social distancing rules we have all become so familiar with.

One solution to this may be to have sinks that are spaced further apart; however, as we specialise in space utilisation, we realise that space may not permit this. We have great links within the industry we work in, and we therefore have good connections with partners who can help us install effective partitioning units. These would ensure that we can remain safe while following those all-important 20 second handwashing routines! All the while, we’re committed to making these spaces look great, too.

BrookhouseUK Can Help Reduce the Impact of COVID-19 in Your Washrooms

While it’s still vital that everyone follows government guidelines and keeps social distancing, we think the aforementioned washroom refurbishment ideas can revolutionise the way we see hygiene in our everyday lives. Working in industries such as education, our priorities have always had a strong foothold in areas such as hygiene – however, current affairs continue to change the way we all work, and we remain vigilant in staying ahead of our competition.

At BrookhouseUK, we’re confident that we can help you adjust your educational facilities in a way that allows children to return back to school safely. As our motivated team are brimming with new ideas, and staying fully informed concerning the changes within industry, we’d be delighted to discuss any ideas you may have! Please get in touch if you’re interested via our contact page. We look forward to discussing how we can change your students’ lives in a positive way, even amidst everything going on right now. As always, we hope you are continuing to stay safe; however we are also looking forward to innovations that we are making throughout each of our design choices.

London Schools Call for Teacher Walls

London Schools Call for Teacher Walls

As the number of innovations being made within the educational sector increase drastically, many schools are adapting to impending changes and requirements. Particularly in cities such as London, space utilisation becomes a more significant issue. Fortunately, classroom designers and refurbishment companies have been working on new ways that will revolutionise the ways we save space within the classroom. This is one area of design that has become exponentially more important recently.

Due to current events, schools are being required to operate under social distancing measures. In environments where it is difficult to space students out in a safe way, this can become stressful and have an impact on students’ learning abilities. That’s why our current focus is on finding safe ways to transform classrooms for the lessons of tomorrow. Design has always played an important role in transforming the ways we live. The way our environment is structured has a huge impact upon how we interact with it – and with others.

As space saving solutions are the next big thing in educational design, we look towards new ways of doing more with less. Brookhouse UK has been leading the way forward in developing innovative classroom solutions for the past few years. One of the significant new designs they have been implementing is that of the “teacher wall”. As their refurbishment efforts are becoming increasingly popular, other schools within the London area are beginning to notice how effective these new designs are for both students and teachers – so they’re requesting more and more teacher walls.

What is a Teacher Wall?

After reading this first introduction, you may be asking yourself… What exactly is a teacher wall? It’s essentially a modular storage solution, designed to fit into a particular space within the classroom that suits your needs best. Instead of having ineffectively placed cupboards that don’t fit well in your designated spaces, the teacher wall is a solution that is carefully designed to save space.

Space for the teaching essentials such as interactive smart boards and projectors can also be included in some teacher walls. This creates a cohesive design that is focused on achieving educational success. As we know, all classrooms and educational spaces differ in size. We have therefore adapted our teacher wall designs to become modular, meaning we can successfully install a new teacher wall in any designated space! This level of innovation and adaptability is something we have refined over the past few years. Teacher walls have become more popular throughout the schools we refurbish, and we have focused on installing them for over 45 years.

How do Teacher Walls Change the Classroom Environment?

Every design choice we make within the classroom has an impact on day-to-day educational life in some manner. The teacher wall provides perhaps the most significant transformation… With its sectional design features, we can create bespoke teacher walls that are designed with your needs in mind. Accessibility is key, as we understand everyone needs to be able to reach what they need. The most important teaching tools become much easier to find.

That’s why organisation is one leading element behind the teacher wall. Nobody likes to waste precious time searching for things we need to do our jobs. With the teacher wall, everything has its own designated space. This means all our equipment fits into the educational environment in a way that allows you to find things with ease. Labelling systems also come in handy here, as you get to grips with your new organisational systems. However, over time, you’ll come to wonder how you ever coped without your teacher wall. We can guarantee that the changes made to any classroom will be instantly beneficial to your teaching systems, and here’s how… 

Why Do London Schools Benefit from Installing Teacher Walls?

In London, as with most cities, space can become limited within the classroom. This means schools are having to find new ways to adapt to their environments. Teacher walls are a great way to save space in an effective manner. They cut down on clutter and allow students to focus on their educational progress. Limit distractions by installing a clean, fresh looking teacher wall. Everyone that interacts with the classroom will reap the benefits.

In understanding how students learn and adapt, we have designed our teacher walls in ways that can benefit various schools. We work closely with each school in order to bring them exactly what they’re looking for in their end result. Many times, we go above and beyond in providing them with innovative solutions that they may have never even considered. This has a great benefit on each classroom environment and the educational success of students.

Another benefit is that we know it’s important to make the classroom a safe, clean space – particularly as current events continue to unfold… A smooth, sleek teacher wall is an effective way to store all your classroom essentials, from stationery to files and students’ work. Easy to wipe down surfaces reduce the potential for germs and enhance cleaning effectiveness. We understand that cleanliness and hygiene are becoming a significantly more important issue, and we are dedicated to focusing on the safety of the products we develop for each and every one of our clients.

How a Teacher Wall Can be Adapted to Suit Your Classroom

Our teacher walls are adaptable and can be modified in order to suit what your classroom needs. For example, the height, width and shape of your cupboards and storage systems can be carefully engineered to suit your requirements. This gives classrooms a great advantage, particularly as we are the specialists in observing how teachers and students interact with their classrooms.

Want a specific drawer for a particular item? Done. Want your smart board to fit snugly in the centre of your teacher wall? We can do that. Add-ons, such as seating, plug sockets, and customisable services are the perfect way to personalise any classroom. Make your life just that little bit easier, with the teacher wall.

Brookhouse UK’s Teacher Walls

If reading this has piqued your interest concerning teacher walls, and you think your classrooms may benefit – get in touch with Brookhouse UK. Despite the uncertain times we’re all going through, Brookhouse UK are continuing to innovate and design new environments for schools. With their unceasing dedication to the educational design sector, their motivated designers are passionate about finding new ways to adapt. Education is of the utmost importance to what we do. That’s why Brookhouse UK aim to make modern education as safe and comfortable as possible.

Many of their designs feature space utilising techniques, which are a great way to open up the classroom and allow for social distancing while learning. As the current situation we’re going through continues to change the way we will live, it’s important that you find the right design company that can help alleviate worries. Finding new design solutions that reduce social contact through providing enough space in the classroom is becoming the next big task for many educational facilities. Talk to us today about our design solutions and how we can help you move forward. You can visit our portfolio to see some of the past teacher wall designs we have implemented. You can also read about the success of our refurbishments in our case studies.

Increasing Employee Morale With Great Office Design

Increasing Employee Morale With Great Office Design

Increasing Employee Morale with Great Office Design

The way you lay out your office can have a transformative impact on the efficiency of your employees, but also how they feel about coming to work each and every day.

Far too often company culture is the only thing considered when it comes to employee morale, but there are a lot of other pieces to this puzzle. Increasing employee morale with great office design is a cornerstone of building a more welcoming, more open, and more collaborative space – and that’s what we hope to help you with and the rest of this quick guide.

Obviously, the physical space and real estate limitations you may be contending with when it comes to your specific office are hurdles and obstacles you’ll have to clear independent of the tips and tricks highlighted below.

At the same time, though, there are always approaches you can take to boost employee morale with intelligent office design.

Let’s dive right in!

Work on Flow First

If you do absolutely nothing else – nothing else entirely – to go about increasing employee morale with great office design other than improving the overall flow of your office you already have handled the bulk of the heavy lifting in this department.

In an ideal situation, you’re able to look at the entirety of your office when it is completely empty – devoid of people and furnishings – to get a feel for how you’d like to set things up and how you’d like things to flow.

In the real world, however, this is rarely the case. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a look at your office after hours (most people have left) and see if the flow is conducive to easy communication, collaboration, and helps to foster efficiency.

Look for stumbling blocks and barriers that negatively impact your space while optimizing flow and you’ll find that employee morale skyrockets almost overnight.

Strategically Locate Collaboration Spaces

The whole “open office” approach has sort of been debunked in the last few years, with study after study showing that it doesn’t actually improve efficiency but instead elevates stress a lot more than expected.

At the same time, the collaborative benefits of open offices definitely is something to look to implement in your office space – even if you aren’t going to be knocking down walls or tearing down cubicles anytime soon.

People still need to feel like they “own” their own little corner of real estate in the office but there should be spaces that have been clearly and strategically located as team work areas and collaboration zones. The spaces should almost always only ever be used when collaboration is necessary, giving these physical spaces and atmosphere that helps to elevate collaboration and sort of “triggers” that kind of teamwork effort, too.

Implement these design decisions the next time that you get a chance to overhaul your office and you’ll find efficiency, morale, and the general happiness of your employees and your team increases immediately.