In many cultures all over the world and in different eras, architects have had an obsession with stairs, whether for ceremonial purposes, or for the visual and spatial excitement in a more utilitarian context. In another blog, I will be looking at specifically at ramps, an even older solution to navigating a change in level, although very much back in the designer's repertoire as we become more conscious of universal accessibility . The massive pyramids of the Ancient Maya, the over-scaled steps up to the Parthenon in Athens, and the elaborate stairs on the ceremonial route within the Forbidden City in Beijing, give us an idea of the diversity of design approaches that have been used to express power and authority. But today, I want to look at some more modest uses of stairs, in a domestic setting. Until as late as the mid-twentieth century, the design of stairs was often dictated by class and expense - the main stairs for the household owner's family and guests was often a ve...
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