Together with Spanish train manufacturer Talgo S.A., we reimagined accessibility in the train toilet as a holistic experience designed to meet the needs of people with a wide range of physical, visual, auditory and cognitive requirements. Our aim was to understand barriers consistently from the perspective of the people who encounter them in everyday life. The goal was to use these insights to develop, together with our partners, a solution that is more intuitive, safer and more comfortable for all passengers.

1/ User Research & UX-Concept

We began by seeking to understand. Together with blind and deaf people as well as wheelchair users, we explored the reality of existing train toilets through interviews and an initial mock-up. The findings formed the basis for an Ideation Booster workshop with Talgo and the development of a holistic UX concept for space, orientation and interaction. In two usability tests, we evaluated and optimised the proposed solutions together with potential users, consistently grounding the design in their real-world needs.

2/ Industrial Design & CMF

Based on the UX concept, we developed the visual and spatial design of CHLOE. From the outset, form, function, colour, material and finish were considered as one integrated system. Using the mock-up, we iteratively evaluated the design and refined it down to the smallest detail. In parallel, the technical design was developed in CAD. The final CMF concept combines orientation and accessibility with a bright, high-quality atmosphere, translating CHLOE’s functional ambitions into a distinctive and cohesive visual identity.

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3/ Interface Design

Alongside the physical space, we developed CHLOE’s digital interface design. We created a clear information architecture and intuitive interaction logic for displays, touchscreens and other controls.
Visual, acoustic, spoken and haptic signals were combined into a multimodal system. Through iterative testing, we optimised both the presentation of information and the interaction experience. As a result, interface and space work seamlessly together to create a consistent, accessible user experience.

Together with our partners, Industrial Design and Interface Design came together in a fully functional 1:1 mock-up that makes CHLOE’s holistic experience tangible and testable. A consistent guidance system combining light, contrast, haptic elements, spoken information and acoustic signals enables intuitive orientation. Bright materials and soft forms create a welcoming and reassuring atmosphere. Adaptive components and multiple modes of interaction respond to individual needs. This allows accessibility to be experienced and evaluated both physically and digitally under realistic conditions.

CHLOE combines design expertise with the specialist knowledge of partners from a wide range of industries. Together with Talgo and a network of 16 partners in total, we brought together technologies, materials and solutions and reimagined them for sustainable use on the railway. These include lightweight solutions from Krüger Aviation, circular materials from SEKISUI KYDEX, the Body Dryer from Valiryo and sensor technology from CAPTRON. CHLOE is therefore the result of genuine co-creation, extending across both company and industry boundaries.