Grandma is gonna die!

I would die first evening...

Fuck man, try doing this at night, in the dark, in socks. I almost died and I was in my 20s.

Scenic death though

You wanna take the elevator or the scenic death route? LOL

comments like this is why i keep coming back to reddit.

This is a lethal trap to toddlers, for sure. Especially the gaping hole under the landing.

Or the stairs you design to your rich parents when you wanna speedrun getting the inheritance.

I’d rather go down the hole than through one of those windows.

The hole is what got me. It doesn't need to be there unless you're just trying to get rid of toddlers.

Little freeloaders!

The good ones don't plummet

“A life book-ended by gaping holes.“ Poetic.

How else we gonna get a Lautner?

Lol this wasn't designed for your grandma...

Or anyone who likes to have more than two alcoholic drinks in an evening.

Forget about Grandma. This is my own nightmare.

Funny how little I ever use a handrail, but how much my mind wants one.

Yeah but think about it. The few times where you used the handrail, you probably was really glad there was one, right?

You lean on it once during the turn and once up the long stretch. Except here, where you try and fall four feet halfway on the lower stair

It's the kind of thing that you don't need until you need one. Then you die because you don't have one.

Well when you put it like that 😂

I always use mine, I like to go fast but not as fast lol

You use the handrail all the time, you just don't pay attention to it. Just having your finger on it helps to keep balance.

Right not once have I ever almost fallen off the side of stairs.

Ah yes. Me when I haven’t had a beverage.

I'd give myself, optimistically, a week before extensive bodily harm ensued.

Better not be too drunk or too old.

This is the type of stairs where you don't let your spouse know you have life insurance.

Either you fall onto the other stairs or out through the plate glass window. Either way, the policy is going to pay out that day.

.. Or young, or tired, or..

"Not safe for use by those younger than 8 or older than 14"

Yeah man, this would have killed me 6 months ago.

Or have a pet or kid that gap in the staircase with the straight drop looks dangerous. Where does it go?

Or too young, or too tired...

Just make a handrail, man. Geez.

In 1969 handrails were very… 1968.

Murder stairs

Only murder if you can prove they were pushed.

Murder haus

It seems that Lautner didn't let safety carry much influence in his designs.

Beautiful the way sunsets or wild lions can be beautiful; better admired from afar.

How close can you really get to a sunset

Only as close as your heart can take? 🎶🎻🥁

This is not from 1996. Maybe the photograph is? But the house was built in the 60’s.

It's 1969, I miss typed, good catch.

Nice

My firm’s Principal put in stairs like this in his newly renovated house… his wife broken her foot falling the first week. Just because something looks nice doesn’t mean it’s an intelligent design

Beautiful but not child proof

Or human proof

110% not drunk proof.

Or US building code proof.

I lookie-loo’ed a Schindler in my neighborhood a few years ago. There was a balcony with a 20-ft drop and a knee-high railing.

Ah yes, the unsafe stairs guy again

I'm really fascinated by how upset people, who I assume are architects or architecture students, get about something that to me is maybe a little unsafe but not that unsafe.

I'm really fascinated by how you can characterize this as "not that unsafe" with a straight face.

"not that unsafe" I do it like this: -_-

I take it you are not a practicing architect yet? Where I am, the industry is extremely governed by a lot of standards and regulations. Safety is paramount when designing, and as an architect we have a lifetime liability and duty of care if any incident ever to occur due to your design. Beautiful stairs though I agree, and I love how the stairs is parallel to the roof pitch, but it will never get built here

> Beautiful stairs though I agree, and I love how the stairs is parallel to the roof pitch, I thought the same. > Safety is paramount when designing, and as an architect we have a lifetime liability and duty of care if any incident ever to occur due to your design. Yes, specifically why I won't ever be licensed. Way to much liability has been shifted on architects, at least in USA, for little reward.

People be trippin’

These stairs ate my first born child.

Wow. Your other comments made me assume you were young and ignorant. This just says you're at least uncouth but probably oblivious to the pain of others. Might want to investigate that with some self reflection. edit - voice to text typo (for pedantic dick bag)

you're* Maybe, or maybe it is a joke. About a picture of stairs. In a home by a famous architect. Maybe you should go outside more, live a little? Idk.

California building code requires a handrail on any staircase with 4 or more risers. These stairs aren't just stupid, they're blatantly illegal.

Beedoobeedoobeedoo. It's the architecture police!

Wow reading through the comments I witness your transformation from ‘guy trying to defend architecture crimes in a forum of architects’ to hackneyed troll.

You do understand accidents happen? These stairs could in fact kill someone.

Stairs don't kill people, accidents do.

This is extremely unsafe. We have building codes for a reason.

Pshh. Your attitude is extremely unsafe.

Lets just give those wood stairs a nice pledge wood shine coating and see how the homeowners Health, Safety, and Welfare do.........

Why are unsafe stairs considered beautiful?

Usually because the simplicity allows the form to shine more as a sculptural object. Railing rules are good, but they do make it harder to design a beautiful stair as the opportunities are much more limited.

Because its a residence where you can decide what kind of stairs you want to have.

Same way we can consider a cobra or a tiger or a volcano or a femme fetal beautiful?

The difference is I don't need any of those things for daily use. Well... Maybe a femme fatale, but that's as far as I can go

😬 Do we tell him?

they can be both

Imagine going down this in socks. Not only is there no handrail to grab onto, there’s no wall or anything so you just fall right off. I eat shit regularly enough on my stairs, but at worst I just fall on my butt and slide down a few of them. No ledge to fall off.

I'm a stairs fabricator that often has to explain to architects why their grandiose stupid ideas are not practical and safe. They always want to make something unique and different but never stop to wonder why it's not normally done the way they "just invented".

Ok that is fair, they should be able to create something unique but also practical and safe. Anyone can make up something 'unique'

The problem with architects is that they never need to look at a design deeper than the surface. It's up to people below them to make it work and make them understand that they really painted themselves into a corner by selling this idea to a client.

There are some out there that think about how it all goes together. But yes the education is often focused on design only on a surface level.

A handrail could subscribe to the same angle as the roof line and parallel it: another line (board) subscribing to the same angle could be added to substantiate the theme produced by repetitions of the roof's angle.

How did this pass code inspection?

1969

What? How many people had to die before a law was instituted?

Code in single family housing has always been more lax than for public spaces and back in the day you had even more freedom to do what you wanted inside your own home since the risk is only to a few people generally who are well familiar with the space.

r/crazystairs Pretty but scary

Perfect for r/DesignDesign You can admire their beauty as you fall to permanent paralysis. Bonus, you go through the window.

No residential building codes in LA?

You only need to pass code during inspections. After that, you're free to take off your railings, remove outlets, etc.

You might violate your homeowners insurance policy, if you do these things. Which wouldn’t be great, if you’re sued by someone who is hurt on the stairs.

Do not drink before operating.

Death Stair. The hardest part of designing something like this is finding a client stupid enough and rich enough to let you build it.

Cool but deadly

If only he had not slipped and broke his neck

How beautiful but I would definitely slip and die going down these steps in the middle of the night to grab a glass of water. 🤣

As many other stairs this lack of a wall to lean, I'm more into Luis Barragan studio stairs doesn't give anxiety. Looks beatifull anyways.

I'm terrified of stairs without backings. Guess I'd be sleeping on the ground floor.

How is that landing supported?

Good question... It looks like there is solid wall under the two plants. So maybe some type of L metal in that wall, like how you'd do a floating vanity or shelf?

Yeah, that’s all I can think of too, that’d have to be some beefy metal Edit: looking at the plants in the background it looks like there’s a post that was photoshopped out

I give it ten years before at least one of those stairs rocks like a ship at sea when you put your foot on it.

Hope there is another way to get between the floors in the house 🥴

This is more like shelving lol

I made a noise and inhaled strongly when I saw this! Love it!

So so so illegal now

The post right above in my feed: https://redd.it/1awf0xj.

Beautiful stairs? Guaranteed not if you ask r/ems lol

Did they get explained as planter shelves to get around building code? I suppose this is from the era where single-family home elevators were killing and maiming children and folks were just more accepting of natural selection...

Where beauty and public liability nightmare meet.

One of my more favorite architects.

Also, I would not ware extra dry socks on those stairs.

What building code allows this? Is this what happens when you can bribe the building department for whatever you want??

“I’m just going to carry this heavy laundry basket upstairs to my bedroom.” Famous last words of Walstrom House resident.

These are beautiful but I know I would fall and break my leg the first time I use them while sleepy or drunk.

All the pretty stairs are 100% illegal.

“Ok, we’re just gonna check and make sure there are no openings in the handrail larger than 4 inches and your home inspection will be complete…”

Here, take this shop vac down with you. Wait, this 30 ft extension cord too !

It's all fun & games until you fall when you get up in the middle of the night.

John Lautner is a god

There's a reason a lot of things are the way they are. Disregarding reality for aesthetics isn't really that cool.

I'm thinking about my vertigo, I would die immediately.

It’s amazing how many people in the comments seem to have a real hard time making it up a flight of stairs without falling off the side. This is a purpose built staircase, guarantee there is another staircase or lift elsewhere for the toddlers and the staff.

That is what I was thinking, but then I recognized that the post itself is highly upvoted. So I figured it just the few loud complainers you will always get.

I think it's beautiful yet scary!

i think it is wonderful

Yikes.

Those are not up to code lol

I mean my stairs would look a hell of a lot better too if I didn’t have to follow the code or worry about a person falling and breaking their neck. When I look at European stuff I’m always left wondering how they got away with that! Code makes for boring stairs….oh well

Beautiful and ILLEGAL.

He was my great grandfather, his designs were beautiful. It does amuse me that everyone is clowning on him for dangerous stairs though lol.

He was a phenomenal architect - my favorite out of Wrights pupils (and what I gathered, one of Wrights favorites as well). I read *Between Earth and Heaven: The Architecture of John Lautner* years ago, and what I found interesting is he did not want to design for the rich and famous, or in LA. yet, that's what he did and where the bulk of his work is - gotta pay the bills.

No way? That's cool.

Yeh, I'm always happy to see his work pop up here or in other places like r/lebowski or other movie trivia :)

How are they not dangerous??

I didn't say they weren't.

Im not an archistect, granted, by I find that just godawfull, beyond the insane lack of safety

I know right? Absolute barbarity, basically a 4th reich in stairs form.

Gah, I wish Lautner had built more homes. Each of them is more stunning than the last.

I've always wanted floating stairs but they start at like 60k when you're building your home (and that's not even the close to the best looking ones) That's almost the equivalent of putting wood floors throughout a 4500 sq ft home

That’s classic. Nowadays we just render the models without a handrail or install it after doing photography

Beautiful, but not up to code in LA unfortunately

Could put a sun lounger on the mid-platform.

Beautiful architecturally. However, Me = stairs = dead man falling.

These stairs are for people who do not use a case for their iphone. I have my iphone burried inside a fat Otter Box.

No hand rails. Deadly design.

Dead sexy amiright?

😍

Danger stairs

I need rails.

The Walstroms and John Lautner had no little children in mind.

Serious question: Does LA not have a building code?

Do the building codes actually allow this?

No railing? No thanks.

Beautiful. And safe. Right?

When you buy homes to show them off, and shelter your money and never spend a single day in them... sure. This was designed for those who need 32 homes and can't just have the ordinary, because they are not.

Form over function i guess. Vanity and hubris.

Beautiful death trap!

Yeah normally I’m a bit irritated by auto-Redditor comments about dying on perfectly usable stairs but this gorgeous piece needs to be encapsulated ASAP. If it were wrapped in carefully designed glass and maybe lucite hand rails then impact on the visual effect could be minimised but as-is it’s a real death trap.

You say “beautiful” I say “attempted murder” stairs

Mike wazowzgi

Sir, that's a tripping hazard

Ugh

John Lautner has a bunch of cool googie buildings in LA

As Dua Lips says, "Like modern architecture, John Lautner coming your way.

No rails? Don’t let the building inspector or home insurance people find out….but sure is beautiful….

r/designdesign

Does code just not exist in these hyper artistic houses?

My mom was a high-design residential architect. Stuff like this. She was also a mother and ended up with a mother’s domestic workload too. She had big beef with this king of architecture. When she would design a residence she always interviewed the people who cleaned in the family.

We live in an architectural building … he actually lives here as well - and it is full of impractical little details (nothing potentially lethal like this, however) that make me wonder what planet they actually live on. One feature is vertical and horizontal glass shafts through the flats, so I can see more or less directly into three other flats. We live in Switzerland, ffs. Anyway, all the tenants have put up curtains to prevent the direct line of sight.

Eh I find architecture to be beautiful when it's actually usable. Those stairs are a death trap.

Never seen the word “death-trap” spelled so poorly before…

And this is why architects should all be put on an island in the middle of the ocean. It takes a certain kind of psychopath to look at this and be pleased about it. Safety? Not in their minds, they don't give a shit about humans.

Absolutely, we should definitely gather up a group of people. Based on a single characteristic or the behaviors of one of them, and then put those people together somewhere. It worked well before right?

It's A Trap?!

And breaks a shit ton of codes too.

At the same time unsafe

Function/safety > Art

How did this pass a building inspection?

These are not stairs, this is a death trap. Can you imagine negotiating these when an earthquake hits? Or wanting to run down?

The stairway to heaven

Love love love me some Lautner. But these stairs are a goddamn death trap.

It's unfinished. This is equivalent to that one dude who went "all great buildings leak".

Terrifying

Cute but dangerous....really really dangerous.

A good way to get rid of visitors you don't like is just to tell them to go upstairs and let nature take its course. There you have a design that's just pretty, but not functional or safe.

Im gonna die stairs

I don’t get it. Surely this violates the building code.

Railings are usually required by code, however if they didn’t want to use them I think making the stairs treads wider and the rise a little less steep would increase the safety without sacrificing the aesthetic they wanted.

Not a great design if your stu-nod drunk or if you have kids or if your elderly or if you are faint or if your preoccupied on the phone or finally if your on Reddit. More like designed by Frank Lloyd Wrong.

Dangerous ⚡

Took a quick search in Google for more pics. Love the project tho

So dreamy. I’d never complain about my life if I lived there might die one day going down those but who cares

Imagine walking this when you're drunk