stairs

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Design

A 10-Ton Copper Staircase Designed by CEBRA Floats Above Copenhagen’s Redesigned Experimentarium Museum

A twisting set of floating copper staircases intertwine at the main entrance of Copenhagen’s new science and technology center, the Experimentarium. The museum, and its four-story Helix staircases, were designed by Danish architecture studio CEBRA who wanted to create a subtle nod to the institution’s science-based curriculum. The design is an abstract version of a DNA strand’s composition at an extraordinary scale. At over 300 feet long, the staircase includes 20,000 pounds of copper and 320,000 pounds of steel.

CEBRA won an international architecture competition to design the building in 2011. In addition to doubling the exhibition space of the Experimentarium’s original building, the re-design also includes a roof terrace, new staff facilities overlooking the museum, and convention center, and a large cafe and picnic area. You can see more images of the build-out, and CEBRA’s designs on their website and Instagram. (via ArchDaily)

Design

Uplift: An Endlessly Rotating Stair Sculpture Powered by the Sun

Uplift is a architecturally-minded desk sculpture that slowly rotates using the power of the sun. The walnut work hovers inside a glass bell jar, powered by a steel and brass mechanism that allows the staircase endlessly rotate. The mesmerizing design was invented by friends Tom Lawton and Ben Jandrell, seasoned inventors who spent the last two years optimizing the technology behind the spinning object.

The first generation of Uplift sculptures are currently produced by the pair in Lawton’s home town of Malmesbury, UK, and are being funded through Kickstarter. You can see more of Lawton’s inventions, like this motion-activated running light he co-invented with Jandrell, on his website.

Art

80-Year-Old Wooden Escalators are Repurposed as a Sculptural Ribbon by Artist Chris Fox

Artist Chris Fox was tasked with repurposing two pairs of timber escalators that were first installed at Sydney’s Wynyard Station in 1931. The escalators have carried passengers for over 80 years and slowly became an iconic symbol of the city’s identity. Fox’s solution is Interloop, a twisting, accordion-like ribbon that is now suspended from the station ceiling, stitching together 244 wooden escalator treads in an otherworldly design.

Fox says Interloop is intended to permanently enshrine the motion of the escalators while also communicating that passengers remain stationary while riding them. The piece is the final step in a significant overhaul of the station that now features new elevators and escalators, a larger concourse, and improvements to ventilation and ticketing.

You can read more about Interloop and the history of Wynyard Station in the Sydney Morning Herald, and see more photos and behind-the-scenes process shots on Chris Fox’s website. (thnx, Evan!)

Design

A Japanese Home Designed Around a Climbable Earthquake-Proof Bookshelf

Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves are lovely, and can act as a robust focal point in any home, though accessing the high shelves can be a problem. The common sidekick has always been ladders which can also add character and charm, but for smaller homes like in Japan they can be a nuisance, occupying too much space for not enough usage. Japanese architect Shinsuke Fujii came up with a simple, yet brilliant solution that solves another problem too: earthquake safety.

The “House in Shinyoshida,” as it’s called, named for the neighborhood in Yokohama where it stands, was conceived shortly after the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake. The client, who happened to be an avid book lover, approached Fujii with the task to design a home around a large bookshelf that’s both easily accessible but also one that won’t spill all the books if there’s ever a tremor.

The solution was to slant the entire western-facing façade and create a built-in slanted bookshelf whose shelves also function as a ladder. The slant allows family members of all ages to climb up and reach books, but also keeps the books from falling should an earthquake ever shake the home. The slanted façade also has the effect of creating an open feeling in the family room, where the home’s high perch allows for plenty of sunlight to enter through the large windows. (Syndicated from Spoon & Tamago)

Art

A Color Spectrum Stairwell in Lima Painted by ‘Xomatok’

Bringing both color and light to a drab stairwell in Lima, Peru, artist and illustrator Xomatok painted this piece titled “Snake of Light” in the Villa el Salvador district as part of a collaboration with Crehana. You can see more of his light-based mural and design work on Instagram.

Art

Treacherous Stair Steps by ‘Skurk’

Here’s a fun piece from last April by Norway-based artist Skurk who turned the light fixtures of this stairwell into a creepy anglerfish that lights up at night. You can see more of his latest work on Instagram. (via Colossal Submissions)