Designing for Strength – Inside the Modern Washroom

Celebrating World Architecture Day 2025

Today we join our clients around the world in celebrating World Architecture Day, which this year focuses on Design for Strength. It’s a theme that captures the heart of what we do at Venesta.

Strength in architecture has many layers. It’s seen in structures that endure, in materials that age gracefully, and in designs that continue to serve their purpose long after the first users move through them. For us, it means creating washrooms that perform beautifully year after year, even in the most demanding environments. From busy public spaces to high-end commercial buildings, every Venesta system combines architectural intent, technical precision and lasting value.

What Strength Really Means in Washroom Design

Strength in a washroom is about more than materials. It’s about how design, performance and longevity work together to meet the realities of everyday use.

Architects and specifiers look for different kinds of strength:

Structural strength
- the rigidity and load-bearing design that resists movement, impact and wear.

Performance strength
- how well a space copes with moisture, cleaning, privacy and hygiene over time.

Enduring strength
- the sustainability, accessibility and cost-efficiency that define long-term success. 

When all three align, the result is a space that looks strong and feels built for life.

Embodying Strength in Materials

Every Venesta product is built to last, supported by a ten-year guarantee across our range. In challenging environments such as schools, transport hubs and leisure centres, SGL (Solid Grade Laminate) provides the foundation for strength.

Our SGL toilet cubicles, panelling, vanity units, lockers and benching are manufactured from 13 mm solid grade laminate, a material impervious to water and highly resistant to impact. Even the smallest details matter. Our SGL coat hooks are load-tested to 30 kg to meet the demands of busy, high-traffic spaces.

Specifying SGL gives architects confidence that their designs will look good, function well and remain easy to maintain long into the future.

Refined Strength with Solid Surface Washtroughs and Vanities

For many commercial washrooms, the balance between hygiene, longevity and design precision lies in specifying Solid Surface. It is a strong contender when architects need something refined yet resilient.

Our Education Solid Surface washtroughs are fully DfE-compliant and built for heavy use in schools. They are thermoformed to reduce the number of joints, improving hygiene. A single trough can be made up to 3,000 mm long, or multiple units can be joined seamlessly on site. You can choose from a range of profiles and specify their structure with different underframes or panels.

When you want a more bespoke or luxury option, our Solid Surface vanity units and Solid Surface washtroughs are ideal solutions. They deliver a smooth, non-porous finish that resists stains, impact and microbial growth, in a choice of 22 finishes to suit any aesthetic.

By including Solid Surface as a strong option, your washrooms can combine high hygiene standards, design flexibility and structural integrity — exactly what “Design for Strength” means in demanding spaces.

Structural Rigidity: Titan and Centurion Systems

Two of our most trusted systems, Titan and Centurion, are designed for spaces where rigidity and reliability are essential.

Titan cubicles are floor-to-ceiling with minimal clearances, giving the structure exceptional strength and stability. Aluminium framing and a reinforced base make Titan the natural choice for education, transport and public buildings. At Factory International in Manchester, Titan was specified for its ability to balance durability with refined design, matching the architectural quality of the venue.

Centurion brings a similar focus on strength with a touch of elegance. The system’s full-height and privacy options include wall channels and fluted aluminium pilasters that extend to the floor for greater rigidity. Rolls-Royce in Derby chose Centurion cubicles for their offices and factory buildings, where heavy footfall required systems that could handle continuous use while still maintaining a smart, professional look.

Both these case studies demonstrate how strength can be both structural and aesthetic, precision-engineered to support form and function equally.

Precision Performance

Strength goes beyond the visible surfaces. It depends on how every element fits and functions together.

Our Vepps pre-plumbed panelling system is built around a robust aluminium frame. Sanitaryware and flush systems are fitted and tested in the factory to ensure alignment and performance before installation. The result is a washroom that performs as well behind the panels as it does in front of them. With engineered hinges and secure fixings, Vepps maintains panel strength while making maintenance simple.

Strength in the Details

From hinges and indicator bolts to coat hooks, every component in a Venesta washroom is designed to perform under pressure. Small details like these preserve alignment, extend lifespan and protect the integrity of the installation.

Strength, after all, is often found in the details that no one notices.

Sustainability as a Measure of Strength

True strength stands the test of time. That’s why we design commercial washroom solutions that last for decades, not years. Using long-life materials such as SGL and Solid Surface reduces waste, limits resource use and supports sustainable building practices. Our manufacturing methods are refined to minimise offcuts and maximise precision, ensuring strength and sustainability work hand in hand.

Built to Endure

Every day, washrooms face constant wear, humidity, cleaning and impact. A strong design takes all of this into account. From fixings and tolerances to how the structure responds to use and maintenance. Strength is not one feature; it’s the outcome of careful design decisions that ensure beauty and performance last side by side.

Design for Strength. Specify for Longevity.

On World Architecture Day, we celebrate the architects and designers who create spaces that inspire and endure. Venesta is proud to play a small part in that process by designing commercial washroom solutions that are strong in structure, performance and purpose.

Let’s build stronger spaces together.

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