Stair of the Week: Why We Have Handrails
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto 
on 08.27.08
Litigators' heaven by Wiley Miller
, Full image here
We like showing examples of innovation in stair design; in non-residential settings it encourages people to walk instead of taking the elevator; in residential settings we like to show designs that take up less space and integrate storage.
So many of the gorgeous stairs we show (like the storage stair shown below) don't have handrails, which are required by building codes just about everywhere. I know people who have put them in just to get past the building inspectors and then have taken them out after the unit is approved for occupancy. I suppose the rules are there to protect us from ourselves and our architects, but it certainly stifles innovation. What do you think? ::Stair Porn
Purple Area via ::Stair Porn
More Stairs without Handrails
Stair of the Week: Danger!
Garbage Architecture: Stairs by Jan Korbes
Strange Stairs
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