When we were asked to redesign the public restrooms for the historic Ahwahnee Hotel, we again scoured the National Park Service archives for visual clues as to what those spaces were like when the hotel opened in 1927. Not surprisingly, there was virtually no photographic record of the restrooms, so instead we researched historic buildings from the same period in San Francisco to clarify our creative direction. A visit to Coit Tower and The Presidio in San Francisco, with their WPA murals and Arts and Crafts inspired tile design, helped set the tone for the wall tile and border in the men’s room. The basket weave tile pattern on the floor is consistent with the period, as are the mirrors framed in simple, dark-stained flat stock. Other period details include the 1930s schoolhouse style pendant light fixtures and the chrome plated brass rail and elbows that we used to stabilize the stalls and support the vanity sinks.
As a hedge against vandalism, we specified engineered quarts for the stall dividers, and ordered small samples of the material that managers and staff tried unsuccessfully to scratch with keys or deface with permanent markers. We designed the stall doors to mimic the distinctive original wainscot trim throughout the hotel, and, finally, we reclaimed a sealed over and long-forgotten broom closet we discovered on an early set of plans. We re-purposed that space as an integrated, illuminated trash receptacle, freeing floor space for a cleaner design in a restroom that feels appropriate for period and the location.
