Ideas of yesterday for today and tomorrow STAIRCASES Ideas of yesterday for today and tomorrow Tanya Jhaveri Section B

HISTORY The stairs are one of the oldest buildings in architectural history, they have always played a central role in the history of humanity, although it is difficult to tell exactly in which year they were born, it is believed his appearance was by the year 6000 before Christ. The stairs seems to change shape with the change of architectural eras, reflecting the trends used in different ages and revealing the talent of those who designed them.

HISTORY – Monuments with stairs The great wall of China – built 2000 years ago. Adalaj vaav – built in 1499. Mayan Monuments – built 2000 years ago.

HISTORY – Inventor The inventor of staircases is a Swiss architect WERNER BOSENDORFER in 1948. Werner is a piano manufacturer and owns Yamaha. Originally staircases were called “STAIRSTEPPES.” Prior to stairsteppes people moved between buildings using ramps or ladders.

HISTORY – End of 19th centuary  Peter Nicholson developed a mathematical system for stairs and railings approaching the art of the stairs to the workers of wood and metal.  Eva Jiricna in London started designing stairs in glass and stainless steel which gave the stairs a sleek and futuristic look in 1980.

Main components of staircases

Main components of staircases Min rise (mm) Max rise (mm) Min going (mm) Max going (mm) Private stair 150 220 300 Utility stair 190 250 400 General access stair 170

Staircase Dimensions

Stainless steel Stairs. Today’s materials Glass Stairs. Stainless steel Stairs. Timber Stairs. Concrete Stairs. PFC Stairs Steel Thrust Stairs Metal Stairs Wooden Stairs Laser cut plate Stairs

Types of stairs Straight stairs Quarter turn stairs Half turn stairs Three quarter turn stairs Circular stairs Spiral stairs Curved stairs Geometric stairs Bifurcated stairs Combination Stairs

History of spiral stairs Stair designs were used to thwart invaders in the castles of the medieval time period. These stairs were mainly used in Greek and Roman castles. In the Bible, two spiral staircases were depicted as being a part of Solomon’s Temple, which would suggest that spiral stairs were being used some 3000 years ago.  The earliest example is believed to appear in Temple A in Selinunte, Sicily, to both sides of the cella, which was constructed around 480-470 BC

Staircases of today

Staircases of today

Advancement in Staircases- Escalators A man from Massachusetts named Nathan Ames is credited with patenting the first escalator in 1859, despite the fact that no working model of his design was ever built. It wasn’t until 30 years later in 1889 that Leamon Souder patented his escalator-like device that used a series of steps and links jointed to each other to carry passengers between floors. However, just like Ames’ model, Souder’s was never built either. Souder would then create four more escalator-style patents, including two that were for a spiral moving staircase. Yet again, all of his detailed drawings would stay on paper and never constructed. In 1892, Jesse Reno patented the “Endless Conveyor or Elevator,” and George Wheeler patented his ideas for a more recognizable moving staircase. Just as the inventors before them, neither were ever built.

Advancement in Staircases- Escalators Three years later, Charles Seeberger began producing drawings for a form of moving staircase similar to the one Wheeler created. Seeberger’s design was much like the escalators that are used today. Seeberger would eventually buy out Wheeler’s patent in 1897 and incorporated his designs into his own. He would then join the Otis Elevator Company in 1899, who would build the first ever working moving staircase

Advancement in Staircases- Escalators A Swiss company called Schindler introduced their first version of the escalator in the mid-1930s. Today, the Schindler Company is the largest maker of escalators and second largest maker of elevators in the world.

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