6 ms·

I don't think you can see through these stairs, seems however like it is possible to build glass stairs without them being fully transparent.

gruez 4y ago
I wouldn't say "you can't see through these stairs". It looks like the glass itself is transparent (ie. it's not frosted or anything), but there's some sort of reinforcing mesh that partially obscures it.
- ghaff 4y ago
  I think the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue has a similar type of design.
- 0des 4y ago
  All of these glass stairs near me are so scuffed up you can only just tell a human is above it
samstave 4y ago
You know what would be REALLY cool - using the electronically frosting glass which turns opaque, and have it activated anytime anyone steps on the stairs. We installed these in a hospital's ER department for all the ER and ICU bays. So it was clear - but if there was a Code being called (i.e. someone crashing/going into arrest) they can flip all the glass opaque. This worked REALLY well in a hospital in LA which had very small ER bays - and getting an entire crash team with intubation etc packed the tiny space with like 10 people. Having a curtain in there consumes people space... One way is to have 2 or 3 stair treads ahead and behind of the foot placement (weight) turn opaque. Another thing would also be good for LEDs to light up the frosted treads as they are walked on with a soft glow, but very strong edge defenition (such as a colored-glowing edge of a contrasting light. Have the stairs light in a running sequence when an emergency/fire alarm is sounded. (but not so fast as to cause vertigo on fleeing tenants. --- With that said, I dislike glass stairwells in general. Take SalesForce's 50 Fremont building in San francisco. Up between like levels 39/40 - there used to be a lawfirm in that space prior to Salesforce buying the build which contained a completely 80's-Cocaine-Infused interior design with a spiral stair going between the floors. They replaced the gaudy railings of the large spiral stair with curved glass panels. They weigh like 500 pounds each, are extremely expensive (due to the helix nature of the curve) -- but they proved to be really difficult to install without breaking. I know we went through at least two of the very top panels breaking, but it may have been as many as three breaking during install) The point is, I know how fragile they were during install - so I do not trust their seismic ratings. I would say though that the glass stairs in the flagship SF Apple store are made with like ~7-poly-layered glass with the same tech used un windscreens... but these treads and rails in apple are thicker than anthing I had seen prior... But still - the last place I want to be standing upon during any seismic event is made of glass. --- Seismic torsion/twisting on the panels will still statter/crack them -- but into smal little square diamonds that can still fuck you up quite easily if youre body is also being violently thrown against them whilst walking up/down in a skirt during an earthquake.
- malepoon 4y ago
  Please no, if you need to add so much complexity just to work around problems with glass stairs, it's better to just go with boring normal stairs.
  - majewsky 4y ago
    In a way, GP's post perfectly captures what's going wrong in much of modern software "engineering". Piling on and on more complexity to work around follow-up issues, instead of having the courage to go back and reverse a bad decision.
    - samstave 4y ago
      What I am illustrating is that MILLIONS and MILLIONS$$ of dollars go into the design of these "environments" -- every major Architect on the planet will continue to do such, while claiming to be LEED/GREEN/etc... Gensler is famous for such. My job was to ensure proper installation and implementation of said designs in conjunction with all trades (Not the stairs per se...) But - these types of designs are not going away. (Glass' primary material is effectively "free" from the earth (not in energy or manpower etc)) --- So we can call out all we want, but this stuff is here to stay.
  - samstave 4y ago
    To be clear, see my other reply below -- I agree with you, its just that I know a LOT of architects. (worked with the infomous Frank Gheary on MPKW, designers of billionaires homes and yachts) The design ideas are going full video game. Forever. Have you played any level on Hitman 3? The level design on this video game surpasses a lot (or more) of architectual designs I have worked on building IRL... So, the idea is that "smarter materials" "LEED/SMART buildings" "tech permeating every aspect of a building" -- so that basically any future building ~20 years from now is going to be a toxic supersite once it peaks its lilfetime.) --- What I personally just dont have experience with in this space ; Building Lifecycle Management ;; We put in all this tech, that relies on plastics, heavy-metals and carcinogens embedded in the building, in a less-harvastable way, when EoL -- and we have a shit ton of recycling problems to solve... else, just throw it all in the ocean like we have been doing for eons.

gruez 4y ago

I wouldn't say "you can't see through these stairs". It looks like the glass itself is transparent (ie. it's not frosted or anything), but there's some sort of reinforcing mesh that partially obscures it.

ghaff 4y ago
I think the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue has a similar type of design.
0des 4y ago
All of these glass stairs near me are so scuffed up you can only just tell a human is above it

samstave 4y ago

You know what would be REALLY cool - using the electronically frosting glass which turns opaque, and have it activated anytime anyone steps on the stairs. We installed these in a hospital's ER department for all the ER and ICU bays. So it was clear - but if there was a Code being called (i.e. someone crashing/going into arrest) they can flip all the glass opaque. This worked REALLY well in a hospital in LA which had very small ER bays - and getting an entire crash team with intubation etc packed the tiny space with like 10 people. Having a curtain in there consumes people space... One way is to have 2 or 3 stair treads ahead and behind of the foot placement (weight) turn opaque. Another thing would also be good for LEDs to light up the frosted treads as they are walked on with a soft glow, but very strong edge defenition (such as a colored-glowing edge of a contrasting light. Have the stairs light in a running sequence when an emergency/fire alarm is sounded. (but not so fast as to cause vertigo on fleeing tenants. --- With that said, I dislike glass stairwells in general. Take SalesForce's 50 Fremont building in San francisco. Up between like levels 39/40 - there used to be a lawfirm in that space prior to Salesforce buying the build which contained a completely 80's-Cocaine-Infused interior design with a spiral stair going between the floors. They replaced the gaudy railings of the large spiral stair with curved glass panels. They weigh like 500 pounds each, are extremely expensive (due to the helix nature of the curve) -- but they proved to be really difficult to install without breaking. I know we went through at least two of the very top panels breaking, but it may have been as many as three breaking during install) The point is, I know how fragile they were during install - so I do not trust their seismic ratings. I would say though that the glass stairs in the flagship SF Apple store are made with like ~7-poly-layered glass with the same tech used un windscreens... but these treads and rails in apple are thicker than anthing I had seen prior... But still - the last place I want to be standing upon during any seismic event is made of glass. --- Seismic torsion/twisting on the panels will still statter/crack them -- but into smal little square diamonds that can still fuck you up quite easily if youre body is also being violently thrown against them whilst walking up/down in a skirt during an earthquake.

malepoon 4y ago
Please no, if you need to add so much complexity just to work around problems with glass stairs, it's better to just go with boring normal stairs.
- majewsky 4y ago
  In a way, GP's post perfectly captures what's going wrong in much of modern software "engineering". Piling on and on more complexity to work around follow-up issues, instead of having the courage to go back and reverse a bad decision.
  - samstave 4y ago
    What I am illustrating is that MILLIONS and MILLIONS$$ of dollars go into the design of these "environments" -- every major Architect on the planet will continue to do such, while claiming to be LEED/GREEN/etc... Gensler is famous for such. My job was to ensure proper installation and implementation of said designs in conjunction with all trades (Not the stairs per se...) But - these types of designs are not going away. (Glass' primary material is effectively "free" from the earth (not in energy or manpower etc)) --- So we can call out all we want, but this stuff is here to stay.
- samstave 4y ago
  To be clear, see my other reply below -- I agree with you, its just that I know a LOT of architects. (worked with the infomous Frank Gheary on MPKW, designers of billionaires homes and yachts) The design ideas are going full video game. Forever. Have you played any level on Hitman 3? The level design on this video game surpasses a lot (or more) of architectual designs I have worked on building IRL... So, the idea is that "smarter materials" "LEED/SMART buildings" "tech permeating every aspect of a building" -- so that basically any future building ~20 years from now is going to be a toxic supersite once it peaks its lilfetime.) --- What I personally just dont have experience with in this space ; Building Lifecycle Management ;; We put in all this tech, that relies on plastics, heavy-metals and carcinogens embedded in the building, in a less-harvastable way, when EoL -- and we have a shit ton of recycling problems to solve... else, just throw it all in the ocean like we have been doing for eons.