Access Guide
About
- There is a campus parking lot available.
- The name of the nearest parking lot is Sharples Lane Lot.
- View information on Swarthmore College Parking Lots (opens new tab) .
- Student permit parking is available in the Cunningham South Lot. View information on parking on campus
The nearest parking lot containing visitor parking spaces is Field House Lot. View information on visitor parking. - The Gender & Sexuality Center is a small rectangular building with 3 floors.
- There is 1 stairway within the building. There is no elevator.
- The floors are unsigned, but are known as the first floor, second floor and third floor.
Getting Inside
- The approach to the building is step-free via slopes with varying degrees of gradient.
- There is step-free access throughout each floor, but access between each floor is via stairway only as there is no elevator.
- The Gender & Sexuality Center has 2 entrances. The main entrance provides step-free level access to the 1st floor.
- The main entrance is signed as 'Gender & Sexuality Center'.
The rear entrance is not signed. - The main entrance gives direct access to the first floor of the building, from which there is stepped access to the second and third floors via stairway.
- The rear entrance gives direct access to the second floor of the building, from which there is stepped access to the first and third floors via stairway.
Getting Around
- There is step-free level access throughout each floor of the building; however access between each floor is via stairway only (the building does not have an elevator).
Step-free access to the second floor is possible by entering the building through the rear entrance, which gives direct access to the second floor. - Floor surfaces along circulation routes consist of low pile carpet, deep pile carpet, and shiny wooden flooring. There are rugs and mats on the floor in many places.
- There are resting areas in some circulation and lobby areas with a mixture of seating.
- There is not wayfinding or floor plan signage within the building.
Restrooms and Changing Facilities Available
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Single-occupant Restrooms with Accessibility Features
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- There is 1 single-occupant restroom with accessibility features.
- The single-occupant restroom with accessibility features is located on the first floor, to the rear right of the kitchen as you enter the building through the main entrance.
- The single-occupant restroom with accessibility features has a right hand transfer space.
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Standard Restrooms
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- Step-free gender inclusive restrooms are located on the first floor.
Entrance (Main Entrance)
- This entrance is located at the front of the building, at the end of the cloister linking it with Olde Club.
- There is step-free level access at the entrance.
- The entrance area is clearly signed.
- There is a canopy or recess that provides weather protection at the entrance.
- There is a key fob/card reader at a height of 3ft 6in (106cm).
- There is a single manual door at this entrance.
- The door opens away from you.
- The door requires effort to open.
- The door has a lever handle.
- The width of the opening is 2ft 9in (83cm).
- There is a squared threshold (more than 1/2in) at the opening.
- The door has a low visual contrast.
Entrance (Rear Entrance)
- This entrance is located to the rear of the building, at the top of the ramp leading up from Sharples Lane.
- There is step-free access via ramp at the entrance.
- The ramp has a gradient of 1:6.
- There is a step-free level resting area.
- The width of the ramp is 2ft 12in (91cm).
- The ramp has handrails on both sides.
- The entrance area is not clearly signed.
- There is not a canopy or recess that provides weather protection at the entrance.
- There is a key fob/card reader at a height of 3ft 1in (94cm).
- There is a single manual door at this entrance.
- The door opens away from you.
- The door requires effort to open.
- The door has a lever handle.
- The width of the opening is 2ft 4in (72cm).
- The door has a medium visual contrast.
- There is step-free level access as you enter the entrance.
- Despite the signage, there is a manual door at this entrance.
Stairway
- The stairway surveyed is located diagonally to the left as you enter the building through the main entrance.
- The floors which are accessible by stairway are the first, second and third floor.
- There are 20 steps between floors.
- There is a handrail that switches sides.
- The handrail is not easy to grip.
- The height of the handrail is 3ft (92cm).
- The handrail does not cover the flight of stairs throughout its length.
- The handrail does not extend horizontally beyond the first and last step.
- The steps are unmarked.
- The height of the highest step is 8in (20cm).
- The minimum tread depth is 9in (24cm).
- Lighting levels were uneven at the time of the survey, with pools of light and shade and unshaded light sources.
- There is a single manual door on the second floor, to enter the part of the stairwell leading up to the third floor.
Restroom with Accessibility Features (First Floor - Kitchen - Gender Inclusive - Right Hand Transfer)
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Location and Access
View
- The restroom surveyed is a single-occupant restroom.
- The restroom surveyed is located on the first floor, to the rear right of the kitchen as you enter the building through the main entrance.
- The restroom surveyed is approximately 12yd 1in (11m) from the main entrance.
- The most accessible route to the restroom has step-free level access, narrow corridors/walkways and narrow doorways/openings.
- There is step-free level access into the restroom.
- There is Braille signage on or near the restroom door.
- The door into the restroom opens outwards and has a high visual contrast.
- The door requires effort to open.
- The door has a doorknob.
- The width of the restroom door opening is 2ft 9in (84cm).
- The door has a twist lock.
- Internally the door has a low visual contrast.
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Dimensions and Features
View
- The overall dimensions are 7ft 1in x 8ft 7in (215cm x 262cm).
- The turning space dimensions are 5ft 3in x 6ft 1in (160cm x 185cm).
- There is a lateral transfer space to the right of the toilet as you look at it.
- The lateral transfer space is 4ft 11in (150cm) (from the side of the toilet bowl to the wall).
- There is a lever flush on the transfer side.
- There is a horizontal grab bar on the rear wall and on the side wall.
- The horizontal grab bars have a high visual contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The toilet seat is 1ft 6in (46cm) from the floor.
- The toilet seat has a low visual contrast.
- There is a wall-mounted toilet paper dispenser that can be easily reached when seated on the toilet.
- The toilet paper dispenser has a high visual contrast.
- The toilet paper dispenser is 1ft 7in (48cm) from the floor.
- The sink is 2ft 9in (85cm) from the floor.
- The area underneath the sink is unobstructed .
- The sink faucet type is lever-style mixer.
- There is a wall-mounted soap dispenser.
- The soap dispenser has a high visual contrast.
- The soap dispenser is 4ft 2in (128cm) from the floor.
- There is a wall-mounted paper towel dispenser.
- The paper towel dispenser has a high visual contrast.
- The paper towel dispenser is 4ft 3in (130cm) from the floor.
- There is not a hand dryer.
- There is a mirror above the sink/counter top; however, its bottom edge is not within 40in (1000mm) maximum from the finish floor.
- There is no shelf.
- The stall has a wastebasket and a sanitary products receptacle.
- There are two coat hooks.
- There is a low visual contrast between the walls and floor.
- Lighting levels were uneven at the time of the survey, with pools of light and shade and unshaded light sources.