April 13, 2014: Glass staircase

[Undertoad]

Yeah. Glass staircase. This is not a feature.

Imagine the Windex bill of this Tel Aviv penthouse; the living area includes three floors, and they're also connected by an elevator, BUT STILL.

Do you want to climb this with both hands full of groceries? What if you have to pee?

[monster]

nuh-huh. not using that.

[Clodfobble]

Glass-glass, or Saf-T-glass like they put in car windows? I mean, I'd have no problem walking on it, because the Israelis are a modern civilization with engineering and building safety codes just like us, at least for the wealthy. I believe it wouldn't break, whatever it's made of. But the first time you drop something heavy and chip it, you've got a permanent bare foot hazard until you replace the entire pane.

[gozar]

I was in an Apple Store in San Francisco and saw someone trip and fall on the glass staircase. They weren't hurt, but when he caught himself he cracked one of the stair treads.

The laminated glass was still sound, and people kept walking on it - but it looked pretty easy to break.

[xoxoxoBruce]

So it was laminated, not tempered.... good move.

[Sundae]

I couldn't use it.
I lose my rhythm on ordinary stairs, so the see through nature of these would baffle my poor little mind so much I'd have to go up on step at a time, like a toddler.

[xoxoxoBruce]

That's me, doing the butt-bump down those stairs.

[glatt]

No handrail. They don't meet code in the USA.

I also imagine simply having a handrail on the side walls would do a lot to make them seem safer. And everyone would be gripping that handrail tightly as they use these stairs.

Edit: If that was my house, there would be a dirty smudge at hand level as every single person using these steps holds the palm of their hands against the bare wall.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I also imagine simply having a handrail on the side walls would do a lot to make them seem safer.

Yes but still not legal, even a handrail on both sides won't cut it. Must have solid or stiles close together so a kid can't get through if he tries.

I say he because little sugar&spice&everything-nice would behave better.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Must have solid or stiles close together so a kid can't get through if he tries.

Yeah, I was giving them the benefit of the doubt that those cables supporting the inside edges of each step are close enough together (I think 4 inches?) that they met that requirement. But it's hard to tell from the pictures. They are probably too far apart to meet US codes.

[Yellow #5]

Any cute lady friends (that make a habit of wearing skirts/dresses), would grow weary of me sending them upstairs to get things.

[Diaphone Jim]

That apartment is not too far from the Gaza Strip, but on a different planet.

[monster]

yes, I think Yellow#5 was planning to use it for a little Gaza Strip viewing...

[Clodfobble]

Ha!

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by monster

yes, I think Yellow#5 was planning to use it for a little Gaza Strip viewing...

Baby calls it a 'landing strip'.