Housing and Space Management

Housing And Space Management 3(2+1)

Lesson 18 : Designing Circulation Spaces

Staircase

Staircase is the main thorough fare of inter – communication between floors. If the upper floor is exclusively devoted to bed rooms, the staircase can be at any convenient place inside the house. If it, is used for sitting purposes also the position of stair case must be in an entrance independent of the other rooms, preferably on the ground floor – Front verandah

Requirements of a good stair case:-

• Should be airy and well lit.
• Stairs should be easy and comfortable to climb. Two basic dimension in a staircase that determine the comfort is Tread (depth of foot rest) and Riser (height of a step). 6” Riser and 11” Tread are satisfactory dimensions and the next best is 6½” and 10”.
• There are two rules for guidance to determine the mutual relation between the tread (depth of foot rest) and riser (height of a step) Tread x Riser = 65-66 inches (11x6 or10x6 1/2) or Tread+(2xriser)=23 - 24 inches. The limiting dimensions are, that the riser or height of step should never be more than 8 inches and the tread or depth of the foot rest, never less than 9 inches.
• There should be at least 6 ½ ft clear headway above any stop.
• The width of the stairs in a winding flight should be at least the same as in the straight one.
• The staircase width never be lesser than 3”. However the width of 3 ½’ – 4’ will allow two people to stand abreast and pass by each other. It also easily permits pieces of heavy furniture to be carried to the upper floor.



• Stair case should not have triangular or winding steps at all. Not only do they tax the integrity of carpet layers, but they cause a positive harm to the people going down the stairs are much more likely to slip on the winders than on the straight steps. If they slip they fall down a large number of stairs – which is likely to make the fall serious. Young children are very susceptible to this.
• As for as possible the height of the risers should be uniform.
• Each flight should have not less than three steps at least all flights should have
• equal number of steps.
• The railing should be quite simple in design so as to facilitate cleaning.
• Staircase should be fire proof, if it is one.
• Not more than ten steps in one flight. Mid-landing after every flight minimizes tiresomeness while climbing series of flight.
• A stair case just in front of a house gives a poor appearance unless it is treated for elegance.
• The staircase must be placed in a position easy of approach, and convenient for both the lower and upper apartments.
• In a large house a separate staircase for servants with upper landing in a lobby is convenience.

Various forms of Staircases
The forms of staircases are various, the simplest being a straight flight, which type should only be used to a low storey. In towns, where space cannot be allowed for convenient forms, they are often made angular, circular or elliptical, with winding steps, or are constructed of composite form partly straight and partly circular. In large buildings, where convenience and beauty are the chief objects of attention, winding steps are seldom introduced when it is possible to avoid them. Well-designed stairs should be planned as simply as possible to afford easy and convenient access to the higher level.

• Dog-legged stair is so termed from its supposed resemblance to a dog's hind leg. In this form the staircase is divided in width into two equal parts and the outer string of the upper return of the stairs rises in a vertical plane immediately above that of the lower flight
• Spiral stairs are circular or polygonal on plan and built around a central pillar or newel, which may be square, polygonal or circular in section. This also is a form of stair-building especially suitable for erection in stone, the central newel being formed on the step itself, and the other end well pinned into the masonry of the wall

Glossary of important terms in staircase:

Flight: The steps between levels including landings.
Landing: An area at the top or part way up the stair that either acts as a resting place, a change of direction or is the end of the stair.
Tread: The surface of a step, which you tread or step on.
Riser: The distance between each step. i.e. the vertical space between each step.
Rise: The actual or measured distance between treads.