Beyond Steps: The Staircase as an Educational and Artistic Landmark

Project idea

In this project the importance of not neglecting or underestimating the design of staircases in buildings. It highlights that stairwells are typically overlooked, resulting in cramped, poorly lit, and poorly ventilated spaces. However, since stairwells are the busiest areas in a building, they should be well thought-out and representative. The project emphasizes that staircases can be beautiful elements that can be designed in various ways and made from different materials. They can also serve as a link between users of a space. The presents a parametrically designed staircase as an example, which uses an ordinary concrete mass shaped by a golden section with a Fibonacci curve. This staircase could be used to teach engineering principles, explain the golden ratio and the work of Leonardo Fibonacci, and serve as a resting place and lookout tower. Ultimately, staircases are seen as multifunctional elements that can be used both indoors and outdoors, offering opportunities for exploration and reflection.

Project description

Beyond Steps: The Staircase as an Educational and Artistic Landmark
Staircases are often overlooked and underestimated in architectural projects. As a rule, narrow stair arms wrap around a concrete wall and hide an elevator behind them. This arrangement can create a cramped, dark and poorly lit atmosphere that lacks proper ventilation. However, the stairwell is one of the busiest spaces in any building and therefore deserves to be one of the most thoughtfully designed and representative spaces. It should be a place where users feel both safe and free.
A staircase is a versatile architectural element that can be designed in countless ways, shaped into different forms, made from almost any material and used for different purposes. It transcends its basic function as a means of vertical movement within a building. A well-designed staircase can become a beautiful and integral part of the architectural experience, serving to connect not only different floors but also the users who move along them.
This parametrically designed staircase is an example of an innovative use of a conventional concrete structure. Inspired by the golden section, the staircase incorporating the Fibonacci curve is transformed into an educational and artistic work. It serves multiple purposes beyond mere functionality.
First, the staircase can be used as an educational tool in engineering disciplines, illustrating design principles and safety standards. It provides students with a tangible example that allows them to understand and appreciate the complexity of staircase design.
Second, it serves as an artistic canvas to help art students understand the concept of the Golden Section and the importance of Leonardo Fibonacci's contribution. Incorporating the Fibonacci curve into the design of the staircase encourages users to explore the mathematical beauty that can be found in nature.
In addition, the staircase offers a place to rest, its four-metre spiral tower providing a sheltered space for passers-by to talk and relax. It functions as a lookout tower that offers unique vantage points, and as a residential staircase that brings people together.
This multi-functional staircase can be used indoors or outdoors, used to host specialized meetings or invite random passersby to stop and reflect. It encourages exploration and curiosity and prompts visitors to reflect on the presence of the Fibonacci curve in the natural world.
In fact, staircases need not be an everyday necessity. Through thoughtful design, it can become a central element of a building that embodies functionality, education, art and relaxation. This staircase is a testament to the potential of architectural elements to inspire and engage, transforming an everyday building into a dynamic and multifaceted space.

Technical information

The staircase will be concrete monolithic with two supporting spindles that should carry the staircase up. The base is a concrete slab that can be placed in any space. At the beginning of the stair arm, the foundation will be deepened to a specified value according to a subsequent structural calculation.

The stair arm will be enclosed by a light metal structure made of 25 mm diameter steel members. The individual members will be arranged with a certain offset and will thus create an imaginary separation from the surroundings, but at the same time the people inside will still be in contact with the events taking place outside.