preprints.org > engineering > architecture, building and construction > doi: 10.20944/preprints202404.1762.v1

Preprint Review Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Version 1 : Received: 25 April 2024 / Approved: 26 April 2024 / Online: 26 April 2024 (16:57:56 CEST)

Stairs are among the key elements in architectural composition, both aesthetically and spatially. They are also one of the main innovations in architecture and building, allowing pedestrians to bridge considerable height differences with relative efficiency. It is therefore surprising that, in spite of all stair regulations in building codes, stairs are responsible for a huge number of accidents – second only to motorcars. The extent of safety failures suggests that user interaction with stairs is poorly understood by designers and policy makers. This is not unrelated to the lack of research into the design and use of stairs. Templer’s seminal work is the exception but it dates from 1992 and since then little has been done to understand the relation between architectural design and stair performance, including safety. To redress this, we can build on affordance-based analyses of stair climbability, which establish a clear connection between the form of a stair and the perception of action possibilities and dangers by all kinds of users. By doing so affordances establish a comprehensive and consistent framework for the analysis of architectural designs, which utilizes both domain and psychological knowledge, including as a foundation for computational applications.

interaction; safety; affordances

Engineering, Architecture, Building and Construction

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