escalators are not accessibilty aids, they’re there for efficiency, and should be used as such.  They’re designed to get people where they need to go faster.  ie: don’t just stand on the escalator.  If you can’t walk up or down them, you should be on an ELEVator.

EXCEPTION CLAUSE:  IF you decide to ignore this rule, STAND TO THE RIGHT SO I CAN PASS YOU ON THE LEFT.

Without going into the dream that inspired it, I want to have a basement or at least a low level room/area that is only accessible by a staircase that is on a third or second story.  The ides is to have a normal stairwell where staircases are stacked on top of each other, but it skips a floor, and then the stairs go the opposite direction on that lower level.  I’ll probably need to mock up a 3D model or something if you can’t understand that.  That area would come in handy if you were being invaded by robbers, they’d expect the basement to only be accessible by the 1st floor, or by going down, but you have to go up to go down…

One of my favorite things in industrial and functional art is efficient use of space.  People design their furniture and living spaces to make life work well in small places.  This ins’t your feng shui movement/placement, this is getting the best use out of space.  I’ve seen hgtv shows where couples fit everything they own, neatly and conveniently, in a 400 sq ft condo.  I should pull out some of those links…everything from single foot staggered stairs, to entire walls that move and can be used for storage.

This little idea of storing books in the staircase is pretty awesome.  Kallie and I have a lot of books, and if we ever live on a boat, this would be one place we could store them all.  Kind of gives a new meaning to treading lightly on the words you speak.

http://www.geekologie.com/2008/02/bookshelf_stairs_are_freaking.php

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/at-europe/at-europe-london-closeup-the-amazing-staircase-042543