Stairs, Ramps, Lifts

Stairs are much more than mere links between different levels. As vertical elements of architecture, they can create arresting spatial displays. For example, the dynamic, black staircase sculpture in the UN building in Copenhagen by 3XN is the focus of the six-storey foyer. As architect Kim Herforth Nielsen describes in an interview, stairs are a means of stimulating communication. The same concept is pursued by Angela Fritsch in her design for an international school, where the broad, open staircase forms a central feature of the building, providing areas where pupils can sit. In contrast, the route through the Danish Maritime Museum in Elsinore by BIG is staged as a sequence of ramps and bridges that offer constantly changing and spectacular spatial impressions.

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