Are Dressing Compartments the Future for Public Locker Rooms?

We’re all familiar with the traditional locker room design: one long bench for every row of tall lockers and maybe a community shower area. The only privacy you have is behind a towel or in the bathroom stall, assumingthe locker room actually has a bathroom.

But with the recent debate over LGBTQ rights and gender-neutral bathrooms, privacy has become a major topic of conversation. It also has many building designers wondering if dressing compartments will soon be the norm in public locker rooms.

3 Benefits of Dressing Compartments in Public Locker Rooms

Individual dressing compartments actually make a lot of sense for use in public locker rooms. For one, they provide more privacy to guests than the traditional open floor plans for obvious reasons. It’s also likely that if guests feel more comfortable using your facility, they’ll be likely to return and refer their family and friends.

Another benefit of dressing compartments is that they’re easy to install. They can even be ceiling mounted, which leaves the floor completely clear. This makes it incredibly easy for the cleaning team to wash the floors effectively while also protecting the mounting gear from rust or corrosion.

Speaking of rust and corrosion, materials like high-density polyethylene (HDPE) can be used for dressing compartments that are perfect in locker rooms. This tough plastic resists rust, mold, graffiti, and bacteria. With HDPE dressing compartments, you can add more privacy to locker rooms while at the same time creating a healthier environment.

Are There Limitations to Dressing Compartments in Locker Rooms?

Although the benefits of adding dressing compartments to any locker room are obvious, they don’t come without certain drawbacks that need to be considered. For example, if you plan to add dressing compartments to an existing locker room, you’ll need to find room for them first. While some locker room designs may have an unused area that’s perfect for adding a few dressing compartments, others may need a slight floorplan redesign.

Meanwhile, franchise organizations like national fitness centers with multiple locations may face another obstacle: widespread implementation. While adding dressing compartments to one locker room may take some planning, it’s certainly a larger task to execute this update for multiple rooftops that may have unique floorplans. However, that’s not to say that adding dressing compartments shouldn’t be considered?

Will Dressing Compartments Be Mandatory in Locker Rooms?

As more people express support for federal legislation that would require gender-neutral bathrooms in all commercial buildings, it’s possible that a similar movement could focus on privacy issues within modern locker rooms. But will dressing compartments become a mandatory design feature for all locker rooms? It may be too soon to say.

However, legal mandates aside, the benefits that dressing compartments can have on a locker room and a facility are undeniable.

Want to learn more about HDPE dressing compartments? Check our free dressing compartments product kit.