Victoria Station Washrooms
This unusual commission came from a direct approach by Network Rail’s director team and Design Council, who had co-developed a brief to inform a step-change in the quality and environment provided for passengers. The brief was simple and engaging; namely to develop a design for ‘world class’ facilities, with no fixed design preconceptions and a nine month programme from start to finish.
Landolt + Brown’s approach is based on enduring design quality, with references taken from London’s long-established hotels including Claridge’s and the Savoy and the amazing public conveniences on the Isle of Bute which all share robust and weighty, but elegant and timeless characteristics. At Victoria this is overlaid with the use of glazed brick, bronze, copper and terrazzo, all traditionally used in the best of London’s railway architecture. The approach deliberately adopts a ‘built in’ rather than ‘fit out’ approach.
With the exception of the sanitaryware and ironmongery, all elements are bespoke and include massive precast terrazzo wash troughs, terrazzo flooring and glazed brick wall surfaces with diagonal coursing set at the same angle as the stairs to create a strong visual link with the concourse above. Cubicles are lined with bronze and dust-pink satin glass with copper-faced doors. The design also includes an internal ‘greenhouse’ and carefully designed back-lighting to reduce the sense of being underground.
As well as creating a much more uplifting environment, the design approach established new principles for services distribution and the incorporation of security measures to minimise the risk of drug and weapon concealment and to discourage antisocial behaviour.
Feedback from station users has been overwhelmingly positive and this design approach has subsequently formed the basis of Network Rail’s national design guidance for public toilets at managed stations, prepared by Landolt + Brown. The practice is currently developing proposals for two WC locations at London Bridge station based on the same design approach.
