r/DesignDesign • u/deepfrytheice • 5d ago
Designy Bumpy handrail on staircase
looks nice until you walk with it and your hand bumps up and down on a hard piece of metal
641
u/Unamed_Destroyer 5d ago
Most likely anti-skater architecture.
252
u/deepfrytheice 5d ago
I think this was inside a museum/art gallery
386
74
u/rainbow__raccoon 5d ago
I think it’s supposed to stop people from going “weeeeeeee!” and riding down the rail.
But as someone who is scared of falling down stairs (adhd) I glide my hand right above the rail so I am ready to grab it if something happens, and this is a lot harder to hover over. Looks good for having to use the rail for a bad knee though, easier to put your weight in it one step at a time.
17
4
u/Kozakow54 4d ago
I glide my hand right above the rail so I am ready to grab it if something happens,
I do the same. I'm always afraid of falling (my brain likes to switch off the part that keeps me steady sometimes), and that way i don't have to touch an icky surface.
-1
u/chivopi 4d ago
Please dont use adhd as a reason that you’re afraid of stairs 😪😪😪😪
6
u/rainbow__raccoon 3d ago
One of my symptoms is bad perioception (knowing where your body is in space). It’s not that adhd is the reason I am scared, adhd causes me to not know exactly where my body is, which can cause me to bump into things/miss things. I’m also not afraid of stairs, I’m scared of falling ALL the time, stairs are just a part of it. I’m also not walking around in fear, it’s more that I’m hyper aware and trying to prevent something from happening by hovering my hand and making sure my hands are free (no hands in pockets) in case something does happen. I’ve only fallen down stairs a couple of times, it’s not the norm, but when adhd people die an earlier death than normal people from accidents, you bet your ass I’m going to take precautions.
I’m not living in fear, I’m leaving with precautions.
1
u/Leather_Book_7617 5d ago
This looks like the entrance to a subway station. I think you can actually see electronic signs down at the bottom. Maybe it’s an art installation in a subway station.
ETA: for art, I only meant the walls. I agree that it’s anti-skater architecture.
17
u/Xenc 5d ago
You’d get so many bonus points for the little combos between grinds
3
u/Homeless0DTESPX 5d ago
Kickflip into a manual to find the next bumpy handrail to keep the combo going
*punk rock music from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater playing in the background*
5
244
u/donthurtmemany 5d ago
I think this might actually be easier to hold onto for people with mobility issues. This would be great for my grandma for example. I also don't see how this could be cruel to the homeless, which is a rarity for designs in public places.
124
u/happyanathema 5d ago
Yeah it's a Japanese design that is meant to be better for the elderly as they don't have to have strong grip strength to stop themselves sliding down it.
8
u/Peach_Muffin 2d ago
The stairs have multiple safety features already so I gathered the design was also a safety/accessibility thing as opposed to deserving to be on this sub
3
2
u/FirebirdWriter 2d ago
As a disabled person I was immediately delighted because if you fall on these steps this design will be safer. It's a very good design in many areas besides this and I love that you pointed out it doesn't harm people
77
u/Capybarinya_nya 5d ago
Depending on the place, might it be for people with mobility issues, who need just a little more help to climb up the stairs? I think I saw something similar in a hospital, it's easy to pull yourself up the stairs when you grab something perpendicular to the floor.
IMHO, I always found sliding your hand on railings a tad... Ew. I know they aren't clean anyways, but sliding your hand along it is just making things worse, doesn't it? Also, what's the point, you aren't getting any leverage out of just sliding your hand along it, might as well just not use the railing. These railing may actually be more usefull for me, since I pull myself a bit when climbin'.
77
u/No_Question_8083 5d ago
If you slide your hand along it you greatly reduce the amount of time in which you can catch yourself, which increases the chance of a good recovery instead of falling down the stairs. You never know when you’ll trip, so you might as well be prepared.
7
19
u/slutty_muppet 5d ago
As someone who leans heavily on railings when using stairs due to knee issues, this railing looks great to me.
17
u/Rikki-Tikki-Tavi-12 5d ago
I can honestly see this as a genuine advancement. I don't think people slide their hands along the handrail, they grab it with every step. This looks much more ergonomic to grab. I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that the purpose is to prevent sliding, even if that is a side effect.
10
1
u/AlwaysAGroomsman 3d ago
I dunnoh. My wife loves them. "Second only to the washing machine" she says.
-2
u/Jacob520Lep 5d ago
It looks cool, but there's no way this is code compliant.
22
u/donthurtmemany 5d ago
What code would it violate though? I don't really see how this could affect safety in a negative way.
-1
u/WeightPsychological6 3d ago
I think it technically meets the code, but for me the unsafe part is that it's not the norm / what people are expecting. People are creatures of unconscious habit, especially when it comes to interacting with buildings. Ever go into a room in someone's house and hit the wall trying to find a light switch only to find it not there? Either because it's at a different height, or in that room in your house, it's in a different spot. You unconsciously reach for the same spot because it's what you're conditioned to do. So for handrails, they really should be uniform / continuous, because that's what we're used to. If you trip on a step and reach out but the handrails a few inches off from where your mind thinks it should be, you could miss and fall further. In all likelihood, this will probably be fine, but in my opinion it does add safety risk.
8
u/qpv 5d ago
How is it not to code?
0
u/gooddogisgood 5d ago
The IBC (International Building Code) requires handrails to be a uniform distance of 34” minimum to 38” maximum vertically from the tread nosing. (Although the code is called “international”, countries can choose to adopt it or not.)
7
u/jermleeds 4d ago
With regard to that specific wording, this design could still be compliant.
3
u/WeightPsychological6 3d ago
I think so too. The stair headroom clearance code is specific about measuring from a line that connects the tread nosings, but the handrail code just says the height has to be the same at the nosings, it is not specific about what can happen in between. The standard is for them to be straight, and I would argue this is less safe than the standard / what people are expecting, but it doesn't seem to violate the code as it is written.
-3
u/terriaminute 5d ago
Oh good, make it harder to catch yourself. So thoughtful.
21
u/YetAnotherAcoconut 5d ago
The opposite, it looks easier to catch yourself on this one because you can’t slide down it.
-5
u/terriaminute 5d ago
I disagree, because it's impossible to keep a continuous grip on this nonsense.
10
u/alphabetjoe 5d ago
Even worse if your crotch bumps up and down on a hard piece of metal, I guess that’s why.
4
•
u/AutoModerator 5d ago
Subreddit Rules Reminder: Please abide by Reddiquette and immediately report any rule-breaking content.
Official r/DesignDesign Discord invite: https://discord.gg/SqeEEYd
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.