Changing places - Improving accessibility and enhancing social inclusion of people with a disability in the local community

The site is the Morrow Street Rest Centre, Wagga Wagga. The brief was to provide a fully accessible public bathroom with change table and hoist for people with severe or profound disability.

The Changing Places concept was developed in the UK in 2006 and became a British Standard in 2009. (Today there are over 970 accredited Changing Places facilities in the UK and over 20 Changing Places operating in Australia). The Changing Places model has been implemented by the Wagga Wagga City Council in the form of the ‘Marveloo’, a mobile Changing Places facility and through the redevelopment of the Morrow Street Rest Centre.

We truly enjoy working on local council projects and making a difference in our community by providing new and improved amenities. This ‘Changing Places’ project located in the Morrow Street Rest Centre in Wagga Wagga was no exception. Changing Places advocates for fully accessible public toilets with change tables and hoists for people with severe or profound disability across Australia. It aims to improve accessibility and enhance social inclusion of people with a disability in the local community. Our firm is a big believer in equity for all and will seize opportunities to make a positive contribution in our area.

Changing Places is considered a best practice example of universal design principles, with requirements additional and separate to AS1428.1. Along with meeting requirements to Changing Places accreditation, we also selected the colour and materials palette. The colour of mint green, cool grey and white to provide a refreshing, clean aesthetic.

The success of Changing Places has resulted in improved accessibility and enhanced social inclusion of people with a disability in the local community.