If you spend enough time out and about, you’ll inevitably need to use a public restroom. Unfortunately, this often means facing unpleasant conditions like poorly cleaned stalls, clogs, graffiti, and general discomfort.
But since using a public bathroom is already a stressful experience, why do many stalls have large gaps beneath the doors? In such a vulnerable moment, why must your feet be visible to anyone passing by? Why can’t people using public restrooms have full privacy?
There are several important reasons why increasing visibility inside a bathroom stall is beneficial. If the door reached all the way to the floor, it would be harder for others to notice if someone inside was experiencing an emergency, such as losing consciousness. The gap allows others to see if a person needs help and makes it easier for first responders to assist without having to force the door open.
Additionally, the gap helps discourage inappropriate behavior in public restrooms—like sexual activity or drug use—by reducing complete privacy and making such actions less feasible.
There are also economic and practical reasons for partial-height doors. Since these doors are standardized, suppliers and installers don’t have to custom-measure each one, reducing costs. Additionally, shorter doors make it easier to clean the floors inside and around the stalls. This design approach was famously used by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in the Larkin Building in Buffalo, New York (1903–1950). Many of his innovations, including small bathroom doors, eventually became standard in commercial construction.
If you’re still unsure whether gaps in stall doors are beneficial, consider that fully enclosed stalls restrict airflow, trapping unpleasant odors. Good ventilation is essential in public restrooms to keep the air fresh. The gaps also discourage loitering (though unpleasant smells probably do that too).
Keep in mind—feeling a bit uncomfortable in a public stall is intentional. And if you were to faint from lingering odors, at least someone would be able to notice and help you.
