STAIRS

FAUL . Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade de Lisboa | 2014 | 2nd Semester | Inglês Técnico Adriana Brazão . 7306 | Diogo Simões . 7349

STAIRS Technical Dictionar y

definição dicionário

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dictionary definition

Componentes e Terminologia

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Components and Terminology

Tipos de escadas

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Types of Stairs

Enquadramento

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Background

estilos

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styles

corpo vs forma 30

BOdy vs form

ESCADAS STAIRS Pronunciação: PT /iʃ.ˈka.ðɐs/ Pronunciation: UK /steər/ US /ster/ Hifenização: es|ca|das Hyphenation: stairs Substantivo feminino, plural de escada. Noun, plural of stair.

1. Série de degraus pelos quais se sobe ou se desce 1. A set of steps leading from one floor to another. entre um piso e outro.

Originally from the old english word stǣger, of GerPalavra cuja origem vem do latim tardio scalata, do manic origin; related to Dutch steiger ‘scaffolding’, latim scala from a base meaning ‘climb’.

CAIXA DE ESCADAS STAIRCASE Pronunciação: PT /ˈkaj.ʃɐ.de. iʃ.ˈka.ðɐ Pronunciation: /ˈstɛːkeɪs / Hifenização: cai|xa|de|es|ca|das Hyphenation: stair|case Substantivo feminino, singular.

Tradicionalmente, caixa de escada é um termo para escadas entre paredes, apensar de no seu uso contemporaneo estas ultimas já não serem uma estrutura obrigatória para a sua estabilidade.

Noun, singular.

Traditionally, staircase is a term for stairs accompanied by walls, but contemporary usage includes the stairs alone.

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Componentes e Terminologia

Components and Terminology

Degrau Parte do degrau que é pisada. A sua espessura é decidida para corresponder às mesmas especificações que o soalho. A “profundidade” do cobertor é medida do limite do degrau ao encontro com o espelho entre degraus. A “largura é medida de um lado ao outro do degrau.

Tread

The part of the stairway that is stepped on. It is constructed to the same specifications (thickness) as any other flooring. The tread “depth” is measured from the outer edge of the step to the vertical “riser” between steps. The “width” is measured from one side to the other.

Espelho Distância vertical entre cada cobertor nas escadas. A omissão de elemento fisico para compor o espelho resulta num efeito de “escada aberta.”

Riser

Cobertor Distancia medida num plano ao longo do degrau subtraída a distância de sobreposição do degrau seguinte.

Going The distance measured in plan across the tread less any overlap with the next tread above.

Altura da Escada

Comprimento da Escada

The vertical portion between each tread on the stair.

This may be missing for an “open” stair effect.

Total Rise The height between floors (or landings) that the flight of stairs is spanning.

Total Run or Total Going Horizontal distance from the first riser to the last riser.

Linha de passo

Pitch line A notional line connecting the nosings of all treads in a flight. The line forms the greatest possible angle with the horizontal, subject to the special recommendations for tapered treads.

Inclinação

Pitch The angle between the pitch line and the horizontal plane.

Linha de passo

ALTURA ÚTIL DE ESCADA

Degrau de arranque ou Degrau em perfil toroidal

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Walkline For curved stairs, the inner radius of the curve may result in very narrow treads. The “walkline” is the imaginary line some distance away from the inner edge on which people are expected to walk.

Headroom The height above the nosing of a tread to the ceiling above it.

Starting step or Bullnose

Where stairs are open on one or both sides, the first step above the lower floor may be wider than the other steps and rounded. Besides the cosmetic appeal, starting steps allow the balusters to form a wider, more stable base for the end of the handrail.

Components and Terminology

Exit Step

Tread Riser Rise Flight of Stairs

Going Arrival Step

Stair Landing

Floor

Total Run

Stairs’ Length

Nosing An edge part of the tread that protrudes over the riser beneath.

Bocel ou Quina

Stringer or just String

Longarina

Winders Winders are steps that are narrower on one side than the other. They are used to change the direction of the stairs without landings. A series of winders form a circular or spiral stairway. When three steps are used to turn a 90° corner, the middle step is called a kite winder as a kite-shaped quadrilateral.

Degraus de Revolução

Trim Normally applied where walls meet floors and often underneath treads to hide the reveal where the tread and riser meet.

Rodapé

Banister, Railing or Handrail The angled member for handholding, as distinguished from the vertical balusters which hold it up for stairs that are open on one side; there is often a

Balaústre , Trilhos ou Corrimão

The structural member that supports the treads and risers. There are typically two stringers, one on either side of the stairs; though the treads may be supported many other ways. The stringers are sometimes notched so that the risers and treads fit into them.

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Componentes e Terminologia

railing on both sides, sometimes only on o ne side or not at all, on wide staircases there is sometimes also one in the middle, or even more.

CorrimĂŁos de parede

Easings Wall handrails are mounted directly onto the wall with wall brackets.

trilho NĂşclear

Core rail Wood handrails often have a metal core to provide extra strength and stiffness, especially when the rail has to curve against the grain of the wood.

balaustrada

Poste de remate

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Baluster A term for the vertical posts that hold up the handrail.

Sometimes simply called guards or spindles.

Newel A large baluster or post used to anchor the handrail.

Since it is a structural element, it extends below the floor and subfloor to the bottom of the floor joists and is bolted right to the floor joist. A half-newel may be used where a railing ends in the wall.

Components and Terminology

Tipos de escadas Types of stairs

Escadas de Tiro

Staircases with straight flight The group of staircases with straight flights is, perhaps, the most widespread. The presence of straight flights, treads located straight across the trajectory, landings makes them convenient, functional and straight. This group includes Straight stairs, Quarter Landing Stairs, and also Half Landing Stairs.

According to general rules the amount of treads in one straight flight shall not exceed 16. Despite their simple forms pertinent components may communicate a unique style to the staircase. You may read more detailed how to choose components for a staircase in Stairs Design section.

The most simple in terms of design, manufacture and installation is the staircase with straight flight.

Straight stairs Despite its simplicity, it is convenient and functional.

It is easy to go up and down it, as also to carry things on the next floor. But the presence of one long flight makes this type of staircases limited in height. As you already know, the amount of treads in one straight flight shall not exceed 16. The usage of staircases with straight flight is feasible only in those cases when we need to join two levels connected by imaginary straight line.

If two flights of stairs going in one direction are supplemented by a landing, the minimum depth of the landing shall amount to the sum of the step length and the depth of one tread in plan. If depth of the landing shall be more than the value received, the increase shall be a multiple of the minimal depth value.

The landing divides the staircase into two, thereby reducing quantity of treads in one flight, and makes walking more comfortable. But the usage of staircases with straight flights and intermediate landing is limited in view of inefficient usage of space needed for the stair flight construction.

Quarter Landing Stairs Quarter Landing Stairs represent a variety of straight stairs, which also include a landing. But here the landing is needed to change a direction of the flight by 90 degrees and at the same time it serves as a place for rest when moving. The landing may change its position in the flight from its beginning and up to its end. Staircases of this type are more convenient and safe than straight staircases. Due to the presence

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Tipos de Escadas

Escadas em L com patamar

of the landing the flight is divided into two, thereby reducing quantity of treads in one flight, and makes walking more comfortable.

You shall pay particular attention to the shape of landing. As you already know from the section How to build stairs, the depth of landing shall be longer by half of the tread width in each direction, or by the whole tread width in one direction.

Staircases of this type enable rationale use of the space needed for the stair flight construction.

Half Landing Stairs Half Landing Stairs are also a variety of staircases with straight flights. Just like Quarter Landing Stairs they also have a landing, but here it changes a direction of the flight by 180 degrees already and also serves as a place for rest when moving. The landing divides the staircase into two, thereby reducing quantity of treads in one flight, and makes walking more comfortable.

Staircases of this type are very convenient, functional, and safe.

Pay attention to the shape of the landing. Just like for Quarter Landing Stairs, the depth of landing shall be longer by half of the tread width in each direction, or by the whole tread width in one direction.

Winder Stairs Winder Stairs are the stairs with a turn by 90 and 180 degrees, but in contradistinction to Quarter Landing Stairs and Half Landing Stairs on turn the wedgeshaped treads are used for their construction. It is no need to construct an intermediate landing, and also to reduce the space occupied by the staircase.

In terms of design, staircases of this type possess soft and flowing lines, which underline their beauty, of course. And such staircase looks evidently intriguing, as if inviting to go up the radial stairs. However, staircases of such type satisfy safety requirements.

The treads on turn being located not straight across the trajectory and tapering at one side build a zone inconvenient for walking. But if you design it all correctly, you can minimize the discomforts In view of absence of an intermediate landing the amount of treads according to general rules is limited to 16.

Staircases of this type are complicated in designing and require accurate calculations. You can read about Winder Stairs calculation in more detail in the section How to calculate stairs.

Single Winder Stairs Single Winder Stairs are stairs with a turn by 90 degrees. Winder treads may change their position in

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Escadas em L com degraus de revolução

Escadas meia volta

Escadas em U

Escadas em U com degraus de revolução

Types of stairs

the flight from its beginning and up to its end. However, it is worth mentioning that the staircases with winder treads located at the beginning of the flight are more convenient than those with winder treads located at the end of the flight. This is because of winder treads located at the beginning of the flight are well within view from below, and it is handier to maneuver with things when you carry them onto the next floor.

Double Winder Stairs Double Winder Stairs are stairs with a turn by 180 degrees. They are more compact than Single Winder Stairs. In this type of staircases we can distinguish two varieties: smoother passage of winder treads from turn to turn, and more abrupt passage. Stairs with smoother passage are more convenient but they occupy more space.

Escadas curvas

Escadas cilindricas

Escadas elipticas

Escadas circulares

Arched Stairs Arched Stairs are the stairs with a flight resembling an arch in its shape. The treads in such stairs are wedge-shaped as well, but tapering at one side is not very vital as that at Winder Stairs. They are elegant and graceful in appearance, and with pertinent components the staircase looks very effective. They are very difficult-to-make because all basic details, closed strings and (or) open strings, as well as handrails are curved.

Spiral Stairs Stairs of this type have stair flight resembling a circle or a part of it in its shape. Here just like in Winder Stairs and Arched Stairs the treads are wedgeshaped, but all of them (except for the last one) are uniform-sized. Spiral stairs have a central vertical post constituting the backup abutment for all treads in the flight. Due to their spiral shape such staircases look very effective. Such staircases are not convenient for frequent use in view of fast climbing up on a confined area.

Compact Stairs These are stairs occupying minimum space in the house. Quite often they are called “goose-step” or “sambo” stairs because of the distinctive shape of their treads. You shall start going up or down them only with the “proper” foot; otherwise you may end up by falling down. When designing Compact Stairs it should be taken into account that as a rule most people start moving with the right foot. That is why the quantity of treads in the flight shall be such as to start going up or down with the right foot. They are extremely inconvenient and not ergonomic consequently the usage of such stairs shall be limited. They can only be installed in utility rooms where there is particularly little movement.

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Enquadramento

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Background

ENQUADRAMENTO

BACKGROUND

A escada é considerada uma das invenções mais antigas na história da humanidade. Embora não se consiga datar a sua origem, é possível afirmar que este objecto teria duas interpretações marcadas no início da sua história: uma mais funcional, associado à necessidade do Homem em ultrapassar obstáculos naturais ou aceder a infra-estruturas mais altas; e, uma outra, de culto, relacionando-se com os deuses como um símbolo, aparecendo como relação entre a terra e o céu, a astronomia e, por vezes, com escalas não antropométricas.

The stair is considered one of the most ancient inventions in the history of mankind. Although we are not able to date its origin, it is possible to assure that this object would have two kind of interpretations in the beginning of its history: one more functional, associated with the need of Man to overcome natural obstacles or access higher infrastructures; and, another one, of worship, relating to the gods as a symbol, appearing as a relation between earth and sky, astronomy and, sometimes, with a non anthropometric scale.

Ao longo do tempo, a relação da escada com o Homem deixou de ser meramente operante ou religiosa ganhando um sentido arquitectónico que, mudando a sua linguagem e carácter através de várias eras, viria a ser explorado não só na arte como em outras disciplinas.

Overtime, the relationship between the stair and Man ceased to be merely practical or religious gaining a architectural sense that, changing their language and character through several eras, would be explored not only in art but as in other areas.

GRAVURA Influênciado pelo Surrealismo e Romantismo, a meio da sua vida, o arquitecturo e desenhador Giovanni Batista Piranesi começou o seu registo da Carceri Prisons ou Prisões Imaginárias. Neste trabalho, ele começa a representar a prisão como uma ruína, onde enfatiza a presença estrutural no espaço, sempre ambíguo, noção essa aumentada pela presença de escadas e galerias, remetendo para uma ideia de infinito.

ETCHING Influenced by Surrealism and Romanticism, in the middle of his life, architect and etcher Giovanni Battista Piranesi started to register the Carceri Prisons or Imaginary Prisons. In this work he starts to represent the “prison” has a ruin, where he emphasizes the structural presence in space, always ambiguous, notions enlarged by the presence of staircases and galleries, receding into a idea of infinity.

Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s: VII - The Drawbridge (1745)

FOTOGRAFIA Eadweard James Muybridge era um fotografo britânico, conhecido pelos seus estudos sobre o movimento, humano e animal. Com estas duas sequências de fotografias pretendeu capturar a mecânica humana em relação com a escada.

PHOTOGRAFY Eadweard James Muybridge was a British photographer known for his work on the subject of movement, human and animal. With these two sequences of pictures he intended to capture the human mechanics in relation with the stairs.

Eadweard Muybridge’s: Ascending Stairs (1884-85); Woman Walking Downstairs (1887)

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Enquadramento

PINTURA

Combinando um estilo cubista e futurista, é uma das obras mais conhecidas de Marcel Duchamp. Influenciado pela obra de Marey e Muybridge, tenta capturar o movimento sobrepondo sucessivamente uma sequência de imagens.

PAINTING

Combining a cubist and futurist style, is one of the best known works of Marcel Duchamp. Influenced by the work of Marey and Muybridge, he tries to capture movement trough successively overlapping a sequence of images.

Marchel Duchamp’s: No.1 (1911); Nude

PSICOLOGIA

Nude Descending

Descending a Staircase a Staircase No2 (1912)

PSYCHOLOGY

Maurits Escher era um famoso artista com conhecimentos ligados à matemática e geometria, utilizando-os para produzir inúmeras litografias tematicamente relacionadas com o impossível.

Maurits Escher, was a famous artist with knowledge related to mathematics and geometry, using them to produce innumerous lithographs thematically related to the impossible.

Em Ascending and Descending Escher reproduz o sentido de uma escada infinita, que não nos permite nem subir mais alto nem descer mais baixo, conhecida como a escada de Penrose.

In Ascending and Descending Escher reproduce the sense of an endless staircase, which does not allow us to climb higher or to descent farther, known as the Penrose stairs.

Lionel Penrose, psiquiatra e pioneiro no estudo genético da deficiência mental, publicou este conceito, com o seu filho Roger, no British Journal of Psychology em 1958.

Lionel Penrose, psychiatrist and pioneer in the study of genetic mental disabilities, published this concept, with is son Roger, in the British Journal of Psychology in 1958.

M. C. Escher’s: House of Stairs (1951); Relativity (1953); Convex and Concave (1955); Ascending and Descending (1960)

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Background

CINEMA

CINEMA

Vertigo de Hitchcock (‘58) Scottie persegue Madeline pela torre do sino, partilhando a sua vertigem e o horror da cena.

Hitchcock’s Vertigo (‘58) Scottie persues Madeline up to a bell tower, sharing is fear of heights and the horror of the scene.

Contempt de Gordard (‘63) Paul sobe a casa Malaparte, sob o promontório, onde jaz a procura pelo amor perdido de Camille.

Gordard’s Contempt (‘63) Paul goes up house Malaparte, over the promontory, where rests the searh for Camille’s lost love.

The Shining de Kubrick (‘80) Jack sobe os degraus, exibindo o horror da sua ascensão maníaca sob a vulnerável Wendy.

Kubrick’s The Shining (‘80) Jack go up the steps, showing the horror of his maniac uprising beneath the vulnerable Wendy.

A Caixa de Manoel de Oliveira (‘94) Um polícia embriagado sobe a rua, caricatamente, apresentando o cenário do drama.

Manoel de Oliveira’s A Caixa (‘94) A drunk policeman climbs the street, in a foolish way, presenting the drama’s scenario.

Titanic de James Cameron (‘97) Rose e Jack encontram-se na escada principal, cenário que viverá da sua relação.

James Cameron’s Titanic (‘97) Rose and Jack meet in the main staircase, scenario that would live of their relashionship.

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Categorias e estilos

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Categories and styles

ESTILO STYLE

ROMÂNICO ROMANESQUE

Castelo de Dover | Kent, Inglaterra 1179-88

Dover Castle | Kent, England 1179-88 Known as the “Key to England”, the Dover Castle, had an important role through history of England. Composed by large blocks of stone - overcoming the fragile wood constructions - entrenched on the massive walls, stairs, appear strictly as function, at this time, were needed, in one side, for the necessity of getting to higher ground as fast as possible and, in other, the defensive side, to jeopardize the attackers momentum they were narrow and had different rise heights.

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ESTILO

GÓTICO GOTHIC

Catedral de Rouen | Rouen, França 1480 | Guillaume Pontis

Rouen Cathedral | Rouen, France 1480 | Guillaume Pontis France, the cradle of gothic architecture, the architecture of great cathedrals. In Rouen Cathedral, stairs appear as a spatial connection from the interior of the temple to the library. Built in late Gothic, this stairs show the high point of the stone craftsmanship and engineering. The combination of structure and esthetic, and the relation between the stairs and the rich interior of the cathedral reveals one of the most singular examples in Gothic stairs.

Hotel Chambellan | Dijon, França 1490

Chambellan Hotel | Dijon, France 1490 In late 15th century we can already observe the use of the gothic style applied in dwelling. Now known as the Chambellan Hotel, is was a old mansion in Dijon.

This fine example shows how stairs, as a sculptured element, was part of the composition and organization of the block. The way it’s ornamentation is presented in the last floor and flows down the stairs, curling as they open into the patio, shows how important this element is in the reading of place.

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STYLE

RENASCIMENTO Renaissance

Biblioteca Laurentina | Florença, Itália 1523-25 | Michelangelo

Laurentian Library | Florence, Italy 1523-25 | Michelangelo Notorious by the revival of the Greek and Roman classical architecture, the Renaissance marked an important period in our history. A remarkable example of that is the Laurentian Library. Know by its use what sustains this example are the stairs of Michelangelo, three flights of steps that goes, from the vestibule, upward into the library door, functioning as a continuum of the library itself.

Villa Farnese | Caprarola, Itália 1559-75 | Jocopo Barozzi da Vignola

Villa Farnese | Caprarola, Italy 1559-75 | Jocopo Barozzi da Vignola Also known as Villa Caprarola, was consider the demonstration of Farnese’s power. It’s consider one of the finest examples of Renaissance design. The key element of its spatial composition is the Scala Regia, the major staircase that leads to the main floors. As a need to please both functional and artistic necessities, the low steps allowed guests to reach the first floor without dismounting their horses. But the truth is that, in this way, it made the stairs, beyond the design, a great anthropomorphic path.

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ESTILO

manuelino manueline

Convento de Cristo | Tomar, Portugal 1160-1593 | Diogo de Torralva

Convent of Christ | Tomar, Portugal 1160-1593 | Diogo de Torralva The Convent of Christ, besides is Templar history, is a place of a confluence of styles in time. Articulating the space of the convent through cloisters with different characters. The Main Cloister, the last one to be constructed, has a renaissance style, but only the facade, the corridor belonged to another one that was demolished, maintaining its stairs. This enclosed spiral stairs, with its manueline ornamentation, lead to the Wax Terrace were we can relate ourselves with the Charola and the city below.

jacobita jacobean

Casa Hatfield | Hertfordshire, Inglaterra 1611 | Robert Cecil

Hatfield House | Hertfordshire, England 1611 | Robert Cecil The Jacobean style was a second phase of Renaissance architecture in England. This country house had a elaborately carved staircase in Oak in the exponential concretization in this style. Contrarily to early Renaissance this work was made in wood, in a more noble and specialized craftsmanship, this style accomplishes designs, technical and esthetical, never made in the past.

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STYLE

barroco baroque

Palácio Weißenstein | Bavaria, Alemanha 1711-18 | Johann Dietzenhofer

Weißenstein Palace | Bavaria, Germany 1711-18 | Johann Dietzenhofer Built with local sandstone materials, this summer palace enacts, in its staircase atrium, all the theatrical exuberance proper from the Baroque. In this example we can analyze the axial relation between the stairs and the atrium itself, with a high painted ceiling, providing a scenic entrance into the building. It is also tangible the more existence of detailed ornamentation and the interaction it has with the paintings and its colors in space, how it adds another dimension to the vertical movement.

Residência Würzburg | Würzburg, Alemanha 1720-44 | Balthasar Neumann

Würzburg Residence | Würzburg, Germany 1720-44 | Balthasar Neumann The Würzburg Residence is a palatial building with a unique staircase, different from all the other’s in German baroque palaces. Maintaining all the characteristics of the building style, as the arrangement of the flight of stairs and the communication it as with light, it is the high painted ceiling and its baroque decorated vault that gives the space is depth, giving it its importance.

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ESTILOS

rococó rococo

Palácio Prinz-Albrecht | Berlim, Alemanha 1737–39

Prinz-Albrecht Palace | Berlin, Germany 1737–39 Destroyed during the World War II, it is by this images that we can perceive the significance of this iron staircase during Rococo, consider a more light and elaborate version of the Baroque. The way the stairs are balanced over the floors supported by iron columns that are able to dissipate through the space, emphasizing the light structure, with fine and antique ornaments, that turns and makes it way up.

Palácio Spagnolo | Nápoles, Itália 1738 | Ferdinando Sanfelice

Spagnolo Palace | Napoli, Italy 1738 | Ferdinando Sanfelice From the patio, it’s the way this building is know, by its peculiarly facade, stair sculpt. According to a late Baroque, but consider a Napolitan Rococo, this palace presents a unique featured in that time, this confrontation in movement towards the direction of entrances, creates this idea of the staircase as a place of encounter and socialization, adding the human to this theatrical representation in this distinctive background.

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STYLES

romantismo Romanticism

Palácio Monserrate | Sintra, Portugal 1858 | James Knowles

Monserrate Palace | Sintra, Portugal 1858 | James Knowles Edified over the ruins of a neo-gothic mansion, this is a example of Romantism, very patent in its region. Denying the principles of harmony, order and proportion, reviving a medieval idea, rejecting the Classic but following the Manueline and Baroque, caring for esthetic composition of spaces. All in marmble, this stair, with is laced stone, it’s very subtle the way it presents to the atrium giving a certain flow as we go up.

BEAUX-ARTS BEAUX-ARTS

Ópera Garnier | Paris, França 1861-75 | Charles Garnier

Garnier Opera | Paris, França 1861-75 | Charles Garnier Expression of the French Neo-Classical school, the Beaux-Arts pretended a revivalism of Baroque and Rocoro style giving it a more modern and impressionist finish. Respecting a classical ideal, it gives importance to certain architecture elements such as staircases. This over scaling and monumental staircase is the image of the concretization of this style, using different marble colors, it separates itself in two divergent flights of stairs leading to the Grand Foyer.

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ESTILOS

VICTORIANO VICTORIAN

Estação St Pancras | Londres, Inglaterra 1868 | George Gilbert Scott

St Pancras Station | London, England 1868 | George Gilbert Scott Victorian architecture marks a period of revivals during the reign of Queen Victoria. This building was an interpretation of Romantic Gothic, adding the technology of the Industrial era. With the need of a new station, part of the old one was turned into a hotel, creating this stairs. appealing to the industry of steel, this still remains as a piece of pure Romantism allied with the Neo-Gothic building.

CHICAGO CHICAGO

Edifício Monadnock | Chicago, EUA 1891–93 | Burnham & Root

Monadnock Building | Chicago, USA 1891–93 | Burnham & Root Known by being the tallest iron frame building with a load-bearing masonry exterior wall ever constructed, lie inside a beautiful and innovative aluminum staircase.

Illuminated by skylights, we notice the presence of those sculptured elements that go down the skyscraper. It is a great example of the Chicago’s School, as the applications of steel-frame technologies contributed to characterize the overall space aesthetic, defining a very important architecture era.

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STYLES

ART NOUVEAU ART NOUVEAU

Casa Batlló | Barcelona, Espanha 1875-77 | Antoni Gaudí

Casa Batlló | Barcelona, Spain 1875-77 | Antoni Gaudí Inspired by natural forms and structures, in architecture it was the attempt to relate buildings with present environment. Finds its expression on the art of freeform, relating it with movement, here lies the importance of this style on the concretization of stairs. It’s distinctive the way Gaudi relates the design of the handrail, and how we endorse, with the movement of human body going up that wood steps, how the ceiling curls and creates a sensation of enclosure.

Casa Tassel | Bruxelas, Bélgica 1892-93 | Victor Horta

Tassel House | Brussels, Belgium 1892-93 | Victor Horta Consider the first true Art Nouveau building, the Tassel Hotel has a very innovative plan for the time as well is design of materials and decoration. Groundbreaking as also the design of his well known stairs, illuminated by a light shaft, it’s thorough the way finishes the stairs as in all particular elements through the building. Although this project doesn’t have so much relation with particular natural forms, the truth is that the natural flow is patent through the building and, particularly, the stairs.

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ESTILOS

neo-gótico neo-gothic

Livraria Lello e Irmão | Porto, Portugal 1906 | Francisco Xavier Esteves

Lello e Irmão Bookshop | Porto, Portugal 1906 | Francisco Xavier Esteves Harboring one of the oldest bookshops in Portugal, Lello & Irmão stands out by is famous stairs. With a Art Nouveau facade, all is interior is a Gothic Revival.

Maintaining the idea of the style, the most important improvement on his interpretation is the use of wood, allowing more plasticity, carving the stairs in mid air.

Another important point his the adaptation, on this revivalisms, of a style always allayed to religious temples or mansions it can be adapted to other scales and building uses.

neo-romantismo neo-romanticism

Casa Fonthill | Pennsylvania, EUA 1908-10 | Henry C. Mercer

Fonthill House | Pennsylvania, USA 1908-10 | Henry C. Mercer Also known as Fonthill Castle, it is as early example of poured-in-place concrete building although it’s not in there that resides this construction interest but, yes, on is Romantic decoration and design. As in the previous example the significance resides on the adaptation of such an aesthetic style to common spaces and simple stairs, giving it, immediately, another pride and ambience. The design of the stairs also allay with is coating, the cut and long steps, providing a slow rise movement, turning the light and curiosity into the house.

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STYLES

purismo purism

Villa Savoye | Poissy, Franรงa 1928 | Le Corbusier

Villa Savoye| Poissy, France 1928 | Le Corbusier One of the most known houses in the history of Modernism, the Villa Savoye embodies a pure modern building. Materialized from reinforced concrete, the villa, elevates itself supported by ground-level pilotis, here the stairs as a important significance. The staircase becomes the element that connects the exterior and the interior, beside is interpretation, in this case, of functionality, is dynamic and existence as element of transition gives it a particular character.

expressionismo expressionism

Fallingwater | Pennsylvania, EUA 1934-48 | Frank Lloyd Wright

Fallingwater | Pennsylvania, USA 1934-48 | Frank Lloyd Wright Inspired on Japanese Architecture, this well known building, by Frank Lloyd Wright, stands not as a literally concretization of Expressionism in early Modernism but as an Expressionism of character and identification. The way which relates to the surrounding and people. One element that covers all that it the stairway that leads directly down to the stream below, just concrete slabs engaged in the wall, pendulant, clutched to the steel cables.

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ESTILOS

brutalismo brutalism

Museu Arte Moderna | Rio de Janeiro, Brasil 1948 | Affonso Reidy

Museum of Modern Art | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1948 | Affonso Reidy MMA follows the idea of Brutalism, and it interpretation in Brazil, the concept of the large concrete structure. It gives an architectural image that communicated strength, functionality, and, of course, a frank expression of materiality. We can denote the exposure of the building’s functions, in this case it is a public building, elevated from the ground. presenting a dramatic cadence of external pillar elements and, underneath the volume, a stairs bend down, in reinforced concrete, with such a appeal, touching the soil.

construtivismo constructivism

Bevin Court | Londres, Inglaterra 1954 | Tecton

Bevin Court | London, England 1954 | Tecton Led by Berthold Lubetkin, a Russian emigrant, Tecton were a practice office with several housing projects in London. All of their projects had a little touch of Constructivism, combining a advanced technology and engineering, always related to politic. In this particular project the staircase appears has the core of the building, fusing his aesthetic and political concerns it’s created a stunning constructivist staircase. Is interesting how this stairs gives personality to this housing construction, taking part of the daily life and his social relations.

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STYLES

modernismo modernism

Alte Pinakothek | Munique, Alemanha 1946-57 | Hans Döllgast

Alte Pinakothek | Munich, Germany 1946-57 | Hans Döllgast This example shows how the interpretation that the modernism provides can be very helpful in the perception and concept of restoration. This Old Pinakothek is one of the oldest galleries in the world. Erected in middle of 19th century, it was damaged during the World War II, resulting in an intervention that created a spacious staircase, leaning against the new facade, presenting itself to the old. The high ceiling, the way that light penetrates that space and the coating in stone, marks a truly dignifying atmosphere in that space.

Palácio Itamaraty | Brasília, Brasil 1970 | Oscar Niemeyer

Itamaraty Palace | Brasília, Brazil 1970 | Oscar Niemeyer Following the Brazillian Modernist line, and is personal, Oscar Niemeyer tries to relate the building with the spatial and political questions, associating them to the construction, presenting the arcs, their imposition and rhythm. But is inside that he sculpts, in concrete, the stairs, the dramatic element that is noticed in the great hall, giving it a aesthetic factor and presence in space. With it long stride it’s almost palatial the way we descent that steps.

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ESTILOS

pós-modernismo post-modernism

Züblin-Haus | Estugarda, Alemanha 1983-84 | Gottfried Böhm

Züblin-Haus | Stuttgart, Germany 1983-84 | Gottfried Böhm Allying reinforced concrete and new technologies, this building presents an enormous light flooded hall, defined by is inner facades and the vertical column of distribution. With Postmodern architecture returns the idea of reference, in response to the formalism of the international style. It is a clash of function and new aesthetic, many times related with companies, marking their economical strength, this affirmative construction gains is identity also through the stairs, not as an transposable element but as a imposing structural matter.

Pirâmide do Louvre | Paris, França 1989 | I. M. Pei

Louvre Pyramid | Paris, France 1989 | I. M. Pei More notorious by is large glass and metal pyramid, the Louvre take in is entrance one of the most important moments in is visitation. With a idea of purity but giving it in all a great sense of esthetic, I. M. Pei finds in the stairs the vital relation that the entrance hall has with the exterior. The manner the stair whorl, it’s way up or down, loose from space, provides it’s user to soak up the relation provided between the Louvre and it’s pyramid.

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STYLES

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Corpo VS Forma Body VS Form

Stairs, as we’ve showed throughout the work, is a design element of a strong functional component that was subject of cultural and artistic expression.

The latest ​​extrapolation of the idea of ‘stair’ as being nothing more than the embodiment of a succession of related elements in proportion to the human body, with the space and the metrics of gestures and human body’s physical dimensions, opened up a whole range of possibilities in Design and Architecture .

This sight made the ‘step’ sufficient condition for the existence of a stair.

Now-a-days, architects and designers take this basic element and create a variety of forms, exploring new and more uses, further more than just another element to reach a second space.

On this matter we highlight the architect Sou Fujimoto. In his the work ‘Primitive Future’, Fujimoto elaborates a series of reflections on issues of architecture with the way man relates and transforms the natural environment that surrounds him. In this series of studies, Fujimoto concludes that the idea of ​​transparent and artificial cave announces the possibilities of the future of architecture. The stair is here an implicit concept of relationships between body proportion, form and space, the way human relates.

(UP). Conceptual model of a architectural cave (Right). Metrical scheme between body, space, form and use

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Another example of this is Sou Fujimoto’s ‘Final Wooden House’ project that was built as a copy in the sculpture park of the Kunsthalle, a construction by Philip Johnson. Here, everything is interwoven organically, material, furniture, façade, applications. And the main feature is how the forest as an open system allows for more applications than it has rooms, the wood sculpture is open for any new view which discovers a new benefit. Like the forest it shows us horizontal and vertical layers or levels, provides protection and endless space for fantasy and diversified residence.

“There are no separations of floor, wall, and ceiling here. A place that one thought was a floor becomes a chair, a ceiling, a wall from various positions. The floor levels are relative and spatiality is perceived differently according to one’s position. Here, people are distributed three-dimensionally in the space.

This is a place like an amorphous landscape with a new experience of various senses of distances.

Inhabitants discover, rather than being prescribed, various functionalities in these convolutions.” - Sou Fujimoto

(UP). Conceptual scheme and metrics (Up-Right). Final Wodden House’s interior 1 (Down). Final Wodden House’s interior 2

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