50 Times Designers Went Ahead To Make The Worst Stairs Nobody Asked For (New Pics)

Ever looked at something – or someone – and thought “What’s the actual point?” It turns out there are lots ofuseless thingsin the world but surely stairs should never make the list.

To prove a point, to no-one but myself, I did a quick Google search. “What’s the point of stairs?” The results yielded no surprises: “The primary purpose of stairs is to provide a simple and easy means of moving between levels.” “Provide access from one floor to another.” “Provide a suitable means of escape in case of fire.” And so on and so forth.

Bored Pandahas compiled a list of some of the most epic and bizarre stair design fails that might leave you thinking your eyeballs are deceiving you. And in case you ever encounter any of them, we spoke to two experts. One about the hidden purpose of strange stairs and another about how to remain firmly on your feet.

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Good Luck Getting Furniture And Drunk People Up These Things

“Stairs lend themselves to fantasy and artistic aspirations and it’s easy to get carried away and forget about functionality!” said world-renowned designer and architect,David Rockwellin an exclusive interview with Bored Panda. Rockwell is the Founder and President of theRockwell Groupand has won several awards, so he knows a thing or two about what works and what doesn’t.

But of course, there will always be stairs that provide the perfect falling down moment.

I Don’t Think The Owner Of This Hotel Thought This Through

Dr. Shirley Rietdykis a professor of kinesiology at the University of Purdue in the United States. An expert in the study of human movement, balance, trips and falls. She’s spent years scrutinizing the science of slips and slides on stairs – accidents that many of us might put down to clumsiness, environmental factors, or sometimes even, bad staircase design.She chatted to Bored Panda to take us through the lesser known steps of climbing stairs. It turns out the journey of a thousand miles begins even before you take a single step.“When approaching a staircase in the home or the community, you will visually scan it before you reach the staircase. The visual scanning provides information regarding the location of the first step, as well as the height and depth of the treads, the number of steps, and location of handrails (if present),” said Rietdyk.“This visual information is used to guide foot placement and foot elevation to ensure that you climb the stairs safely. The visual information is gathered before you reach the staircase, and the visual information is updated as you climb/descend the stairs. Thus, it is important that vision is not impaired or obstructed.“She warned that carrying large items like laundry baskets, or moving boxes adds an extra level of risk.Now throw in some bad stair design and imagine your brain doing backflips, as it tries to decipher an optical illusion of hieroglyphics, before translating it into a language your limbs can understand.

She chatted to Bored Panda to take us through the lesser known steps of climbing stairs. It turns out the journey of a thousand miles begins even before you take a single step.

“When approaching a staircase in the home or the community, you will visually scan it before you reach the staircase. The visual scanning provides information regarding the location of the first step, as well as the height and depth of the treads, the number of steps, and location of handrails (if present),” said Rietdyk.

“This visual information is used to guide foot placement and foot elevation to ensure that you climb the stairs safely. The visual information is gathered before you reach the staircase, and the visual information is updated as you climb/descend the stairs. Thus, it is important that vision is not impaired or obstructed.”

She warned that carrying large items like laundry baskets, or moving boxes adds an extra level of risk.

Now throw in some bad stair design and imagine your brain doing backflips, as it tries to decipher an optical illusion of hieroglyphics, before translating it into a language your limbs can understand.

This Gave Me An Aneurysm

This Staircase. I’ve Almost Fell Down Several Times, And It’s A Pain To Go Up

To avoid getting tripped up, Dr. Rietdyk says it’s important to remain focused when using a staircase. Especially if they’re badly built. “Take your time, make sure your hands are available (i.e., not carrying something, not in your pockets), ensure you look at the staircase, avoid distractions (phone, texting, conversation, activities in environment that draw your attention), turn the lights on, use the handrail, wear reasonable footwear,” she told Bored Panda.Reasonable footwear, you say? Definitely time to ditch those 7-inch Marc Jacobs Kiki boots. Unless of course you want to be likethis model who took the fall for fashion.

Reasonable footwear, you say? Definitely time to ditch those 7-inch Marc Jacobs Kiki boots. Unless of course you want to be likethis model who took the fall for fashion.

Can You Guess Where Does The Step Start And End In The Stairway Of My University?

The Staircase At My Hotel Room Just Drops Off

Rietdyk was recently part of a team of researchers that spied on students using staircases on campus. The team wanted to find out why young adults are the third most likely age group to fall on stairs (after toddlers and the elderly) – and why young women are much more likely than their male counterparts to take a tumble. Thestudy, published in 2023, notes “although less than 1% of the waking day is spent on stairs, 12% of falls in young adults occurred while navigating stairs.”The team used hidden cameras to monitor risk behaviors associated with falls. These included wearing inappropriate footwear, not using handrails, skipping steps, using electronic devices and other distracting activities, not keeping hands free to grasp the handrail in the case of a stumble, and not looking at feet.Of the more than 2,400 students observed, all those who lost their balance were not watching their step. 69% of those who fell exhibited two or more risky behaviors. Young women made up around 80% of the risk-takers. And it was about more than wearing designer heels or platform boots. The research revealed that women were less likely to use the handrail, more likely to be carrying something and more likely to be chatting to someone while walking.

The team used hidden cameras to monitor risk behaviors associated with falls. These included wearing inappropriate footwear, not using handrails, skipping steps, using electronic devices and other distracting activities, not keeping hands free to grasp the handrail in the case of a stumble, and not looking at feet.

Of the more than 2,400 students observed, all those who lost their balance were not watching their step. 69% of those who fell exhibited two or more risky behaviors. Young women made up around 80% of the risk-takers. And it was about more than wearing designer heels or platform boots. The research revealed that women were less likely to use the handrail, more likely to be carrying something and more likely to be chatting to someone while walking.

Wheelchair Ramps In Pakistan

A Little Nauseating Looking Down

This Staircase In My Home. Architects Told My Parents This Was The Best Solution To Fit The Small Space. After 20 Years, I Still Sometimes Save Myself From Falling Down

Since Rietdyk emphasized the importance of being able to see where you’re going, those wearing spectacles might think they have a leg up on others when it comes to navigating a difficult flight of stairs. But don’t be fooled, said Rietdyk. “Bifocals or progressive adaptive lenses will distort the view of the staircase; if you wear bifocals, tilt your head down to ensure you are looking at the stairs through the middle/upper portion of your lenses.”

These Stairs In An Airbnb That We Are Wiring

The Stairs Leading To This Bedroom

Handicapped-Accessible Ramp In Germany

Scrolling through these images, it would seem not much thought goes into the design of stairs. But there’s actually (supposed to be) a whole psychology behind staircase design. Shape, size, color and lighting all play a part in how we navigate stairs, how we feel while using them – and whether we even choose to use them.“Often the stairs we design are sculptural, monumental centerpieces. Because of my interest and background in theater, I like to think about stairs as a central part of the choreography of a space,” said Rockwell. “Stairs really have a huge transformative power in terms of defining how we enter and exit a space, which makes them an intriguing design challenge. And the user’s experience and interaction with architecture and interior design elicits emotion in the process.”

“Often the stairs we design are sculptural, monumental centerpieces. Because of my interest and background in theater, I like to think about stairs as a central part of the choreography of a space,” said Rockwell. “Stairs really have a huge transformative power in terms of defining how we enter and exit a space, which makes them an intriguing design challenge. And the user’s experience and interaction with architecture and interior design elicits emotion in the process.”

Stairs In Front Of A Local Beer Stand At A Festival

Alternating Tread Staircase. I’ve Fallen Down It Before When I Was Going Too Quick And My Life Flashed Before My Eyes, Especially With It Being Easy Enough To Fall Over The Railings

In Mexico, We Have Handicap Stairs

Calming or earthy colors promote a sense of relaxation for a slow meander up or down a flight of stairs. Bright yellows, oranges or reds keep us on high alert and get us moving faster - useful in the event of anemergencyevacuation.With that in mind, let’s just hope you never have to flee a building using any of the stairs pictured here.

With that in mind, let’s just hope you never have to flee a building using any of the stairs pictured here.

This Space-Saving Staircase Has Alternating Half-Steps

This Restaurant Had Wheelchair-Accessible Washrooms… Down The Stairs

Me On My Girlfriend’s Stairs

Rietdyk has this warning should you encounter – and choose to use – a strange looking staircase: “Often, the first time someone uses an unusual staircase, they will be extra careful. But with repeated use of the staircase and they don’t slip, trip, stumble or fall, they may become over confident, and then pay less attention, walk faster, leave the lights off, etc.”

Disastrous Stair Gap

Please Step On Your Kitchen Counter To Go Up

This Was A Wheelchair Ramp To A Mall, But When People Started Using It For Shopping Carts The Mall Decided To “Fix” The Issue Like That

One of my most spectacular falls happened many years ago. Let’s call it my student days (or nights). So spectacular was that stumble that it’ll likely live rent-free in the shadows of my mind until my dying days. I’d gone out to play pool with a group of friends. The place was popular but had a never-ending stairway to hell. What felt like over a hundred of those old, creaky wooden steps with some twists and turns thrown in for good measure. And barely any lighting – for chaotic effect. I guess we figured the night was worth the flight. So up we went.But what goes up must come down… And when I say “come down”, what I mean is I made it halfway (semi-gracefully), before my foot missed a beat and my ass took a beating. I bounced the rest of the way down – all the way out onto the sidewalk. Luckily for me, no major injuries were reported, save for a bruised bum - and a broken ego.

But what goes up must come down… And when I say “come down”, what I mean is I made it halfway (semi-gracefully), before my foot missed a beat and my ass took a beating. I bounced the rest of the way down – all the way out onto the sidewalk. Luckily for me, no major injuries were reported, save for a bruised bum - and a broken ego.

Imagine Being Late To Catch The Train And Realizing Where This Leads Halfway Down

These Stairs Where You Have To Hug The Wall Or You’ll Sprain Your Ankle

Left Leg Goes Straight, Right Leg Carries On Down. Plus, It’s On Marble At A Swimming Pool

While the primary purpose of stairs is to get us from point A to point B (on our feet), there’s a whole other level to them many of us might not even realize.David Rockwell calls stairs ”a form of art”. And is there such a thing as bad art? We’ll leave that for you to decide.In hisTed Talk, “The Hidden Ways Stairs Shape Your Life”, Rockwell described how stairs shape our movement and emotions: “As we move across a stairway, the form dictates our pacing, our feeling, our safety and our relationship and engagement with the space around us.”“So for a second, think about stepping down a gradual, monumental staircase like the one in front of the New York Public Library. From those steps, you have a view of the street and all the people around you, and your walk is slow and steady because the tread is so wide," he told the audience, before adding, “That’s a totally different experience than going down the narrow staircase to, say, an old pub, where you spill into the room. There, you encounter tall risers, so you move more quickly.”

While the primary purpose of stairs is to get us from point A to point B (on our feet), there’s a whole other level to them many of us might not even realize.

David Rockwell calls stairs ”a form of art”. And is there such a thing as bad art? We’ll leave that for you to decide.

In hisTed Talk, “The Hidden Ways Stairs Shape Your Life”, Rockwell described how stairs shape our movement and emotions: “As we move across a stairway, the form dictates our pacing, our feeling, our safety and our relationship and engagement with the space around us.”

“So for a second, think about stepping down a gradual, monumental staircase like the one in front of the New York Public Library. From those steps, you have a view of the street and all the people around you, and your walk is slow and steady because the tread is so wide,” he told the audience, before adding, “That’s a totally different experience than going down the narrow staircase to, say, an old pub, where you spill into the room. There, you encounter tall risers, so you move more quickly.”

What Kind Of Disabled Ramp Is This?

I Saw This House For Rent. Original Hardwood And Bonus Death Trap Stairwell

These Weird Stairs I Found On A Hiking Trail

So, if you happen to take a tumble on the stairs after drinks at your local bar, you have our blessing not to blame it on the alcohol.Provided you weren’t engaging in any other risky behavior, blame it on the stairs. Obviously. They should have understood the assignment and encouraged you to walk at a slow and steady pace.

So, if you happen to take a tumble on the stairs after drinks at your local bar, you have our blessing not to blame it on the alcohol.

Provided you weren’t engaging in any other risky behavior, blame it on the stairs. Obviously. They should have understood the assignment and encouraged you to walk at a slow and steady pace.

Useless Access Ramp In A Dubai Shopping Mall

Brand New Handicapped Ramp At My Local Public Park

Odd Staircase Design

This Ridiculous Wrist-Breaker Handrail. This Was A Real Handrail That I Saw At A Real House

They Don’t Like Visitors I Suppose

Arbitrary Stairs In The Middle Of A Hallway

Carpeted Stairs, Except That Last One

Ramp Followed By Stairs, Outside My Clinic

This Staircase At My University Has No Perceivable Purpose

This Double-Spiral Staircase

My Mate Moved Into A New Apartment And This Is His Staircase

These Stairs At An Art Museum Are Horrible. I Have Difficulties In Depth Perception Even If My Eyesight Is Perfect And I Had To Keep My Hands On The Ramp At All Time