9 creative staircases
stairs are generally pretty boring.
don’t get me wrong: if the staircase gets me from one level to another, it’s succeeded as a design. i just wish they were a bit more exciting.
here are a few examples that might actually keep me amused for a few minutes before i realise i’m wheezing.
1. storage staircase
designer: unicraft joinery
i can’t believe this type of staircase isn’t already widely used in homes – for people with very little storage space this could be extremely valuable. simply use each step as a drawer and no-one will even notice.
2. musical stairs
information about the musical staircase in the sony building in ginza, tokyo seems to be sparse. check out the video below for a demo. to actually make a tune on these steps would involve jumping up and down like a mental case trying to hit the correct note, possibly breaking bones on the way. it’s like a hardcore version of the king-size piano in ‘big’.
3. crooked stairs
designers: gabriella gustafson and mattias ståhlbom
these abstract stairs look brilliant but i can’t help thinking that the chances of falling down them would be significantly higher than normal. if i woke up crusty-eyed in the morning with these in my house i’m pretty sure i’d attempt to walk down the middle and quickly become unconcious again.
4. slide staircase
designer: rodney miller @ wood innovations
multi-millionnaire scott jones decided to splash his cash on a spiral staircase-slide and instantly made a lot of people jealous. local craftsman rodney miller was called upon to create this 17 ft mahogany toy, a job which took a whopping 15 months to finish. the slide also includes fibre-optic lights which can change to 8 different colours.
5. internal log staircase
designer: dave stewart
thought to be the world’s only internal log staircase, this beauty has been carved from one giant 140 ton kauri log. the beast took a total of 500 man hours to carve and finish and can be found at ‘ancient kauri kingdom’ in new zealand.
6. retractable staircase
designer: aaron tang
industrial designer aaron tang created these futuristic retractable stairs using ’simple hinges and pistons’. they could be used where living space is limited or where access to a certain level of a building needs to be restricted.
7. steel ribbon stairs
designer: thomas heatherwick
london-based designer thomas heatherwick created this amazing 55 ton steel staircase for the opening of the new longchamps store in new york last year and has since recieved praise from all angles. the construction of the staircase was apparently a logistical nightmare, each of the 17 seperate units having to be installed precisely, stretching up to the ceiling.
8. suspended stairs
designers: jürg conzett and rolf bachofner
it’s not often you see a stairway used to bridge a gorge. swiss designers jurg conzett and rolf bachofner decided this would be the best way to cross the traversinertobel in switzerland as the only safe opposing points were at different elevations, meaning a traditional bridge could cause a few problems. the incredible staircase-bridge measures 56 metres in length.
9. ‘impossible’ spiral staircase
designer: unknown
there are many mysteries surrounding the construction of the spiral staircase at loretto chapel and many believe the appearance of it to be a miracle. design-wise, the staircase is extremely impressive – there is no visible central beam to hold the staircase up and no nails have been used during its creation. however the central spiral is so narrow that it does indeed act as a support beam for the staircase.
Filed under: architecture, arty, design, interessant, photo, technology, wow | 154 Comments
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Great collection. Thanks for linking.
Another awesome set DD
Welcome back to the blogosphere!
I believe #2 the musical staircase is actually from the museum of science in boston.
The impossible staircase is not quite as impossible as it seems: http://www.snopes.com/horrors/ghosts/loretto.asp
I am so totally getting stairway #1 installed in my home when Hubby does the upstairs addition. Genius. Great site, by the way.
Those things look damn dangerous. Surely they are not ADA compliant. And that tree one is not green. And the guy on the slide is mocking me.
Two creative uses of staircases:
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/nationwide_stairs?size=_original
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/danish_parkinsons_disease_association_stairs?size=_original
here
Hi !
If you consider it actualy replaces a ladder, #3 is not that extra risk you could expect… I guess it’s pretty narrow anyway !
Thanks DD for this great panel on a subjet no one but you could think about
I remember seeing the first staircase a while back on some other site. Indeed, it is used in places with very little space; If I remember correctly that staircase is located on a sail boat.
You could find another one here: http://www.fotorevista.com.ar/convocatoria/PHPgraphy/index.php?display=0609-Arquitectura%2F082.jpg
Three stairs begin from the same point, only one heads to the roof, the other end nowhere.
It is in the Museo do Pobo Galego in Santiago de Compostela
Great blog!
While being interesting to look at, most of them would be down right dangerous to use
I love the slide concept. I once interviewed for a company that had a slide in its office. That pic brought back lots of happy memories.
#1 is cool for storage then i like 4 to 9 (excl.
they’re pretty cool. my favourite is the tree one, it’s great. those abstract ones are just too much 4 me as well. pity i culdn’t c the musical one, i guess the video’s blocked.
Wow, I love the retractable staircase. That would be perfect for a museum that only allows people to the upstairs gallery at certain times of the day.
Here are some interesting left-right alternating stairs that are often found in old fire-houses, as they save a lot of space…
http://www.stairplan.co.uk/spacesaver.htm
Hi. I have another to add to your collection. It is a spiral cantilevered out from the interior wall of a brick turret. Each of the stairs is embedded in the wall so that there is no center support, but there is a center railing that spirals around with the stairs. It is made entirely of recycled materials. It was designed on the spot in a crazy building that I was involved with about thirty years ago. I have a great picture looking down from the top landing. How can I email it to you?
Michael
wow so cool.
The Museum of Science in Boston did indeed have a musical staircase in the past, but every time I’ve been there in the past few years the staircase has been inoperational. In any case, it never had the lights that the stairs in the video on here do.
I’ve seen staircases like #1, but I’d be concerned about someone leaving a drawer half open so that when you go down (or up) them in the night, you would either break an ankle stepping into an open drawer or trip and fall down the whole flight.
#3 is an arty version of the “ships ladder” or alternating-tread staircase. For very tight conditions they work, but they are a trick to walk up and down.
I absolutely love the slide, the tree and the suspended stair and am intrigued by the steel ribbon stair. I can see how that one would be a nightmare to install.
yeah there is a musical staircase in the museum of science in Boston too but its not the same one as in the video
1st one is cool
Staircase #3 solves a problem of space, it is not just a whim. While a stair with parallel steps in that brief space would leave the steps very short, this allows for the whole foot to rest confortably. It has to be the correct foot in each step, though. It is often used in boats which are always short on space (and so is the first one with drawers in each step), though I have often seen them with its edges shaped like an S instead of straight.
I’ve actually seen that staircase in the church. It’s total BS. It’s just a rickety old staircase. They just use the legend to grab money from unsuspecting tourists.
I believe the last one is in an old Catholic church in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
several of these don’t seem practical to me …
#1 would cause problems in my house, because my kids don’t shut drawers properly. That could cause someone to break their neck!
You didn’t include the Double Helix Staircase in the Chambord Chateaux in France. Two staircases that wrap around each other like DNA (made before the discovery of DNA). It’s the BOMB!
Yup the Boston display is likely older. I remember it from the late 80s I believe. (I went there as a kid) and it was amazing.
Actually the Boston museum of Science has a lot of fond memories for me, for some odd reason.
The most practical one i see is the one with the drawers…..ingenious…
these are amazing! I love the different ideas. I wish as a Realtor I would see more stairs like these in homes.
I love the third and the fourth !!!!! hehe
Creative indeed.
THE LAST ONE #9 WAS IN A MOVIE MADE FOR TV? IT IS BASED ON THE LEGEND. THE CHURCH WAS BUILT BUT THE CHOIR LOFT HAD NO WAY OF BEING USED DUE TO NO STAIRS MADE BY THE BUILDER?
THE LEGEND OF A DRIFTER COMING TO PAY FOR HIS KEEP BY BUILDING THE STAIRS IS GREAT. HE BUILT IT TWICE AND THE WOOD TO THIS DAY IS UNKNOWN. THE LACK OF NAILS AND CENTER SUPPORT ARE INTERESTING ON THEIR OWN. THE CHURCH IS NOW OWNED BY BUSINESS INTERESTS ONLY ACTIVITIES IT SEEMS. THE MOVIE IS WORTH SEEING, BUT I HAVE FORGOTTEN THE TITLE BUT IT CAN BE FOUND ON THE COMPUTER.
Beautiful… I especially like the slide and the impossible staircase. I would totally go for those in my own home. Well, if I could afford them, that is.
Good point on #1 about drawers being left open. They could be made safer, however by some automatic closing mechanism. Even something as simple as a weight on a rope run through a pulley would do the trick.
There is also a musical staircase at the Science Museum of Minnesota… been there for many years.
The double helical staircases at Château de Chambord :
Oups :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mireille/69517144/
The storage staircase is actually rather common on houseboats. They manage to squeeze storage in wherever they can.
Great!!
I love such picture collections.
Awesome page, thanks for the great entry. Very diverse but all unique and awesome in their own way. And really, why aren’t there more stair/slide combinations in the world? Wouldn’t we all be just a little bit happier if there were?
How about using some capitalization so you don’t look like an idiot?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalization
#9 is in fact located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. it is in the loreto chapel, as named. it was built in the mid-1800’s. it is the first gothic chapel on the west side of the mississippi. the most impressive thing about it, in my opinion, is that the piece of wood that runs along the bottom of the stairs is actually a single piece of wood. the origins of the wood in which it is built is unknown. the little support that one can see in the photo, on the top right was not added in the 1980’s, as was the banister. they finally decided to add the banister after a few choir members, over the years, fell off the stairs on their way to the loft and died. unfortunately who ever added the banister attached it to the actual stairs, causing weakness throughout, hence the newly added support. what they should have done, is add a freestanding banister so that the original stairs remained unsullied. it seems, however, that modern american man is not so inventive. speaking of which, the chapel has been made touristy in the cheeziest and kitschiest way possible, with a prerecorded explanation of the history.
Staircase #3 is an awesomely amazing space saver…genious!
awesome…… ^^
Very interesting eh… Will keep visiting to see if there any update
..
Thanks for sharing
Dear Wizard. Read “about” then go away.
Santos-Dumont, the Brazilian inventor of the airplane and the use of the Wristwatch, lived in Petropolis in a studio-house, named A Encantada (the Enchanted).
To save space, he designed these stairs:
External 1
External 2
External 3
Internal 1
Internal 2
The steel ribbon stairs is one of the coolest architectural features I’ve ever seen.
I know that last staircase too. One of the few things in a “Stumble” I’ve actually seen in person
Amazing! I love this. Will blog it soon.
I love staircase 7, sooooo creative!!!!
You forgot the best one though, by Ross Lovegrove.
_wow! very creative and awesome the number 7 and very useful number 1!
Thanks DD for this great panel on a subjet no one but you could think about
Amir
These are awesome, I want to build one for our new office!
I love the slide!
Valami szenzációsan jók!!!
Gratulálok a kitalálóknak!
Az isten üzenete:
ÁLDÁSOM RÁTOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(ja jók a lépcsők is ja)
I have visited your site 867-times
This is a spectacular blog that highlights human creativity at its finest.
Congratulations on the research that went into this.
I am always amazed and fascinated by the inventiveness of the human mind and this posting is yet another great example.
Well Done.
Richard Rabins
http://www.alphafive.com
Cool stairs
Hey, this is a really neat list! the last one reminds me of some sort of M.C. Escher fantasy.
Wow! This was a great post – I’d never seen any of these before. I agree that the crooked stairs, while visually appealing, are probably very dangerous – I don’t think I’d even have to be half asleep to break my neck on them! Thank you for sharing these!
Great pictures. Thanks.
My cousin’s house has a staircase similar to #3. It’s much more vertical than a normal staircase.
#1 is very good, brilliant idea !
What a great collection of staircases! I especially like the one with the drawers. What a great idea.
Great collection. What a novel topic to blog on… the steel ribbon staircase is particularly brilliant.
Great compliation! I like the understair storage concept, but for safety reasons, for a down-treading persons sake, perhaps instead of drawers, make the treads lift on hinges restricted to a bit less than 90 degrees so they are self-closing?
It would seem to me that number one only has the bottom three steps for storage.
If you look close the other steps have no pull tab, and also no visible drawer.
I’d like to see someone walk down the crooked stairs
i think there should be more videos, but other than that impressive
I love the post but since i was about 18 (i am now 24) my friend’s family has had an “impossible” staircase made of mahogany
Post 71 stole my idea while I was reading the other comments!!! Even to having the hinges set so far back the lids would be self closing. You’d also have less sliding ‘mechanism’ hidden behind the drawers (as they would instead be ‘boxes’) so you would still be able to have a full under-stair cupboard.
‘Wizard’ – Leave-off the guy you supercilious toss-pot, first; he has the balls to use what looks like a real name, not a pretentious ‘handle’ like you or I. Second; he probably didn’t realise he had caps lock on until he hit enter, an easy mistake we’ve all made, third; there are clues (writing ‘computer’ in full rather than ‘pc’ or ‘google it’) as to his being new to computing/surfing, and should be encouraged, not attacked by a full-time Wan*er, what you ‘wizard’ need to do is eff-off! And yes – I know all about my punctuation thanks!
I want the one with the big tree in my house.
You should look at pictures of the State of Iowa Law Library on Flickr. There are beautiful spiral staircases in there.
http://flickr.com/search/?q=iowa+law+library
thats pimp!
actually the impossible staircase is impossible
a guy came with a box of nails and some 2×4’s and built it in a day without a break
then he disappeared
my friend has a spiral staircase and a bunch of cats who always sit around on it
#1 has a risk factor. What if someone accidentally forgot to close one of the drawer and someone else comes running down for whatever reason and neglects to see it in time until they stumble on it and trip and fall?
great collections
i wish i could have those types of staires in my home
bhaktapurgirl
mazzako.blogspot.com
I like the first one with the drawer. That is a nifty idea! Got me looking at my own staircase to see how I could implement that.
I just saw the musical stairs in the Museum of Natural Science in St Paul MN. They are really fun to run up and down!
Wow the crooked stairs (No.3) would be quite a challenge for a drunk person haha!
but the slide one’s would be really fun!
ron paul for president 2008!
the slide one does look like fun, hard to get up tho.
My daughter’s bed is elevated so that the dresser drawers and desk are below the mattress. The steps to get to the bed are drawers. Ingenious. But I like the tree!
It wd be gd 2 c wot wd happen if u reversed the sound on the sony stairs. ie climbing the stairs, use the sounds for declining…bit ov a psychological twist…
They also have a musical starecase at the Science Musiem in Minneapolis (I think there may be quite a few of these around). Also, I found it interesting that Scott’s slide made it in here, I have actually been down that
The last one is believed to be made by none else then Jesus himself. I’ve seen the documentary on Discovery, the real facts are incredible (no support system, no nails, unknown type of wood), but the legend was born due to the maker. He made the stairs too quickly, requested no payment and disappeared without ever reviling his name.
Nice stairs. I gor some ideas what to do in my house. Thanks for this!
The tree house one is the best, but the slide one is a close second
I so LOVE the tree one! I want that in my house!
Number 3 is an accident waiting to happen.
Wonderful stairs. I like the most those bridge ones.
Cool page. I never knew there were so many cool stairwells.
Those look amazing, especially the old tree. While obviously the tree is dead, the fact that it is still intact is awesome.
Nice Stairs.
neat, but i think this one is better
http://www.wired.com/images/slideshow/2007/03/gallery_lovegrow/5_B_DNA_in_office.jpg
i THINK ‘WIZARD’ IS A PURE BAWBAG TOO!!
This is a tribute to the creativity of humankind, form and function inextricably linked. I am especially intrigued by the drawer stairs. What a boon for bi-level apartment dwellers! I’m already daydreaming about what I would put in mine…tarot collection…candy stash…cat toys…hmmmm
Actually the storage staircase is common in just about every house – just usually the storage is in the form of a closet accessible from the side. This is probably safer than having a drawer that someone could trip on if its left open.
We actually had a slide staircase. It was wonderful! After many years of use, nails started popping up and pants started ripping as kids slid down it. Still, it was a blast!
I think I’ve seen a variation of steel ribbon stairs in the UK, but not 100% sure where it was.