Member-only story
The Architecture of Stairs Around the World
Stairs are also a tool for health and a work of art.
Did you know that the architecture of stairs in different parts of the world can say a lot about those places?
“The staircase is a beautiful object, which, in its ever-changing forms and its interplay of space and form, offers an endless field for architectural invention.”- Joseph Maria Olbrich.
Stairs are a structure designed to connect a large vertical distance by dividing it into smaller vertical distances, called steps.
Stairs may be straight, round, or may consist of two or more straight pieces connected at angles.
Types of stairs include staircases (also called stairways), ladders, and escalators.
One thing I’ve learned is that no country’s stairs are the same. Architectural trends may come and go, but they all seem to have an impact on how stairs are built around the world.
Stairs can be made from all kinds of materials.
There are all kinds of different types: sweeping staircases with ornate railings, narrow stone steps that lead into underground…