Changing Places Case Study: The National Space Centre

A Bold New Mission

Instantly recognisable and one of Leicester’s landmarks, the National Space Centre opened in 2001 ready to educate and inspire people of all ages. The centre is an educational charity specialising in space science and astronomy which sees in excess of 300,000 children and their families come through the doors each year.

Although the Centre was built at a time when a focus on accessibility was essential, the inclusion of a Changing Places facility was not incorporated into the initial design. Thanks to funding from the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) and the Foyle Foundation the team was able to add this much needed provision for current and new visitors.

Changing Places Toilet Adaption

The centre was purpose-built to house exhibits and the original design didn’t leave much room for future additions. Chief Engineer, Graham Law explains:

“Once we had secured funding for a Changing Places toilet, we next had to figure out where we could put the toilet. We were short on space but needed the toilet to be accessible, easy to find and meet the minimum size required for Changing Places standards.”

RISE, eager to work with such a prestigious venue found a solution that involved demolishing the existing disabled loo to make way for a truly inclusive disabled bathroom complete with height adjustable adult-sized changing bench, hoist, and peninsula toilet.

The new Changing Places facility is right at the heart of the centre and features a custom paint job to incorporate the loo into its surroundings and includes extra such as quirky door signs and a custom feature wall graphics.

“Adapting the space we already had was a very good compromise,” says Graham. “Looking at it now, you wouldn’t know it hasn’t always been there, which is always a sign that you’ve got it right.”

RISE quickly completed all building works, including equipment installation, during the April 2021 lockdown.