Stair Design

STAIR DESIGN
Bahasa Inggris Arsitektur Dr. Ir. Erna Winansih, MT.

DESIGN OF STAIRWAYS
Design of the stair configuration depends on the floor space

available, the floor-to-floor height, pedestrian movement volumes
and patterns, and the groups of people who will use the stair.
STAIR USER GROUPS
DISABLED PEOPLE CARRYING FOOD, DRINKS, AND SUPPLIES:

Avoid placing stairs where people will routinely carry food
Provide an alternative access way so those who and drink that may spill on the treads. Avoid stair designs
cannot use stairs are not denied entry. where workers must carry bulky or heavy objects, or anything
else that may limit their view of the treads or affect their
balance.
ELDERLY AND DISABLED CHILDREN

Stairs for use by children need an additional, lower
For the elderly and some handicapped people,
handrail. The minimum distance between balustrade
designs that depend only on stair access and egress
members must be less than a 3-½ in (8.89 cm) sphere to
should be avoided.
prevent the passage of a small child. For control of
toddlers, the stair may be closed by a gate.
FACTORS THAT AFFECT LOCATION
FIG
• Where large crowds of people will use the stairs (theaters, stadia, fire egress for large buildings),
the stair should be located so that it does not cause a hazardous bottleneck by making a sudden change
of direction, such as a dogleg stair. The stair should be located to encourage continuous direct flow.
• Avoid pedestrian movement directional conflicts at the top and bottom of the stair. Fig. 1 shows a stair
leading directly to and across a passage with heavy traffic.
• Avoid direction, view, and illumination changes. Fig. 2 illustrates several potentially hazardous layout FIG
conditions-the bottom of a stair where sunlight may blind users or a fascinating view that may distract 2
attention.
FIG
• Avoid entry- or exit-way hazards. Fig. 3 shows a door opening directly onto a landing.
• Avoid a configuration that violates the "keep-right" principle (the convention in the United States, which
reportedly is a learned habit adapted from national driving rules of the road). Helical flights that ascend by
spiraling up to the right, and dogleg and other layouts that ascend to the right, enable those ascending to
keep to the right with little effe fig. is reduces the likelihood of conflicts with those descending (Fig 4).
FIG
4
• Avoid fire-escape stairs that these may the ground floor pres avoid down into a basement. The end
people during emergency, drawing them down to a dead end.
• The existing environment may limit the amount of space available for a stair. The existing this constraint
exists, establish the size of area that is available.
FIG
Codes prescribe minimum widths and maximal protrusions of hand codes

proots swings in egresatype, Fig. 5 indicate th based on rails and
decupancies and building worming to typicates these clear spees for a
representative case. Conforming to typical code require. ments, the door
swing does not intrude more than 50 percent of the specified minimum
width of stair, including clearances for handrail and the door thickness
and hardware in all operating positions.
Stair layout to provide areas of refuge

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) along with universal de sign
recommended practices provide for means of safe egress and refuge within
smoke-protected areas and exit ways, properly consid ered along with stairwell
design. Areas of refuge are fire-protected zones for people who are unable to
use stairs to await assistance in an emergency. A wheelchair space 30 x 48 in.
(76.2 x 122 cm) free and clear of the exit pathway must typically be provided
for every 200 cupants or portion thereof per floor, with a minimum of two
places per area of refuge. Fig. 6 indicates provision of refuge areas for ind
viduals in wheelchairs FIG
6
2 STAIR TYPES AND PERFOMANCE
Direction and flow: The direction of

travel that people will take to and Stair shape, area, and
from the top and bottom of the stair performance: The amount of
will be affected by the stair layout, floor space a staircase occupies
and vice versa. is related to its shape. Some
layouts use less space than
others, and some are more
effective than others for
moving stretchers, furniture,
crowds of people, and so on.
DETERMINING DIMENSIONS
Stair design in buildings may be governed by several codes and stan

dards. Refer to the applicable building code, fire code, handicapped
code, occupational safety and health regulations, Department of
Housing and Urban Development Standards, ANSI Specifications, and
other applicable codes. While these codes establish minimum
standards that must be followed, the recommendations indicated in
this article are based on empirical research findings of stair use, which
should be considered as a design check based on Level of Service and
as appropriate to augment minimum requirements.
WIDTH
Stair width design is influenced by comfort, capacity, and reach. For single-file use in
public places, the minimum width is 29 in (74 cm), while 38 in (97 cm) provides comfort.
Side-by-side walking requires a minimum width of 56 in (1.42 m), with a more
comfortable module suggesting 69 in (1.75 m).
Capacity planning involves assessing people per minute per foot width. Occupant load per
floor is determined by floor area and occupant density. Evacuation planning considers total
occupant load, evacuation time, and flow density, with levels 4 to 8 generally acceptable.
To prevent queues, it's advised not to exceed Level D density. Level E, with 13 to 17
persons per 12 in (30.1 cm) width of stair per minute, should be avoided. Assuming 15
persons per foot width, an effective stair width of 6.67 ft (2.03 m) is required for
evacuating 200 people in 2 minutes. Considering handrails and walls, a better effective
width is 7 ft (2.13 m), and a total of about 8.17 ft (2.49 m) may be necessary.
THANK YOU

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STAIR DESIGN

Bahasa Inggris Arsitektur Dr. Ir. Erna Winansih, MT.

Design of the stair configuration depends on the floor space

DISABLED PEOPLE CARRYING FOOD, DRINKS, AND SUPPLIES:

ELDERLY AND DISABLED CHILDREN

Codes prescribe minimum widths and maximal protrusions of hand codes

Stair layout to provide areas of refuge

Direction and flow: The direction of

Stair design in buildings may be governed by several codes and stan

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