Hygiene by Design

RISD Grad ID II · Spring 26

Hygiene by Design,
Not by Effort.

Five interventions for the public restroom.

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Public restrooms are a
silent risk
most people never think about.

We don't fail at hygiene because we don't care.
We fail because the environment doesn't support it. Our collection tackles the root: unconscious behavior in spaces where design currently works against us.

Unawareness
61%
of people didn't think restroom hygiene is a problem.
Too dirty to touch
63%
of people find public restroom surfaces too contaminated to interact with.
Shared responsibility
74%
agree it is our collective responsibility to keep public restrooms clean.

What the
science says
about restroom risk.

1.5m
Aerosol Height
Toilet plume reaches 1.5 meters within 8 seconds of an open-lid flush — completely invisible to the naked eye.
564K
Annual Deaths
WHO estimates unsafe sanitation facilities account for approximately 564,000 deaths annually worldwide.
36%
Norovirus Contamination
36% of environmental swabs in public restrooms tested positive for norovirus contamination.
89%
Bacterial Contamination
A study of 7,482 samples from public restrooms found 89.25% had detectable bacterial contamination.
2×
Surface Contamination
Open-lid flushing results in twice as many bacterial colonies on surrounding surfaces vs. closed-lid.
Read full research

Our approach.

Unconscious
Hygiene.

Transform hygiene from an extra task into the default setting.

Intuitive. Can be used without a learning curve.
Effortless. No additional steps required from the user.
Efficient. Elevating efficiency through automation.

The Collection

Five interventions.
One restroom.

Toilet
Toilet Seat + Button
Close and flush integration system.
Sink
Automated Hand Cleaner
Wash and dry in one seamless motion.
Bin
Sanitary Disposal Bin
Contained, odor-free, dignified disposal.
Handle
Door Handle
Exit without touching a contaminated surface.
Station
Baby Changing Station
Safe and hygienic for caregivers.

Guided By

Hannah Chung

CRITIC · INDUSTRIAL DESIGN, RISD

Peter Yeadon

PROFESSOR · INDUSTRIAL DESIGN, RISD

About Us

The team.

M
Moran
Toilet Seat + Button
RISD MID '27
D
David Li
Automated Hand Cleaner
RISD MID '27
C
Callia Chen
Sanitary Disposal Bin
RISD MID '27
L
Lucas Ma
Door Handle
RISD MID '27
V
Victor Bienko
Baby Changing Station
RISD MID '27