The effect of participatory design approaches on the spatial configuration of general restroom areas in shopping malls

Contemporary shopping centers are commercial, social, and cultural hubs of modern urban life. These structures, also referred to as lifestyle centers, aim to provide visitors with the highest level of comfort while engaging in the act of shopping. Among the areas with the highest expectations of comfort in shopping centers are the restroom facilities, which are inherently considered the most private spaces and necessary amenities. Therefore, the quality of restroom facilities plays a decisive and significant role in visitors' preferences for shopping centers. These structures hold high public value and are buildings with diverse stakeholders and life cycles, making them suitable for implementing participatory design approaches. This research examined restroom areas within the context of participatory design approaches, focusing on a specific shopping center example—the research aimed to identify the processes involved in shaping these spaces. The fundamental question of the study was whether it is possible to enhance the interior quality of shopping center restroom areas through participatory design approaches. In this thesis, Kentpark Shopping Center, located on Eskişehir Road in the Çankaya district of Ankara, which experiences heavy traffic both in terms of vehicles and users, was evaluated using quantitative and qualitative research methods. As stakeholders of participatory design approaches, interviews were conducted with the shopping center's management, and a survey was carried out among the visitors. Additionally, the interior architectural analysis of restroom areas implemented and used by visitors at different times within the same structure was conducted. The survey and interview data collected within the scope of this thesis highlighted the contribution and importance of participatory design in interior architectural planning. The following conclusions, applicable to other public restroom facilities, were reached through this study: The comfort level of restroom areas determines visitors' preference for shopping centers. The most crucial criterion for users is cleanliness. The accessibility of restroom areas is the second most important criterion. The impact of functional and aesthetically designed restroom areas was found to be of approximately the same level of importance. The cleanliness of restrooms, which is the most critical criterion, is not solely dependent on cleanliness achieved through regular maintenance. Factors such as the materials selected for the space, contactless transitions, sufficient stall widths, faucet fittings, flush systems, hand-drying mechanisms, availability of necessary supplies for users, spatial dimensions, and even colors, lighting, and scent of the area contribute to the user's perception of cleanliness in the restroom. For users, cleanliness takes precedence over aesthetics. Therefore, it was concluded that designers should prioritize "cleanliness" and its associated "contactless usage" aspect while achieving aesthetics. The transformation and development of public restrooms have a significant role in advancing societal life. As demonstrated in this study, interior spaces shaped through participatory design methods are more democratic, efficient, and sustainable in both design and implementation processes and subsequent usage processes.