Sink with Adjustable Height (2017)

Styrofoam, acrylic paint, spray paint, clay, and wood After designing the bathroom for the visually impaired, I wondered what I could create to reduce discrimination in common spaces. Taking inspiration from my bathroom design, I created a tangible solution to one of the many problems that people with special needs encounter when they access bathrooms. As a child, I remember not being able to reach the tall sink, so I would have to use a step stool or ask my mom to lift me up. After researching and spending time with people with special needs in summer camps, I realized that while people with healthy bodies, like myself, can adjust their heights accordingly to use the sink, people who cannot move as easily have a difficult time reaching the sink. Because of this, many of them do not wash their hands after using the restroom, which compromises the health of the community. After reading this issue, I designed a sink that can adjust its height automatically, depending on the height of the person using it. A motion sensor detects the user’s height and prompts a wooden stick, attached to the sink, to move up or down. Additionally, shelves and container spaces attached to the sink at different heights allow the user to easily find whatever they might need after washing their hands. If implemented in public bathrooms, this solution could reduce the discrimination towards people with physical disabilities in everyday products, while encouraging a healthy community and lifestyle.