Mass Construction Show The Case for Single Stair Buildings w/ Stephen Smith
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Aug 6, 2025 Stephen Smith, Executive Director at The Center for Building in North America, champions single stair buildings as an innovative solution for affordable housing. He discusses their potential to increase urban density while maintaining safety. The conversation delves into design implications, comparing them to traditional models, and examining building codes across different cities. Stephen emphasizes the need for strategic architectural choices that enhance living spaces through natural light and effective ventilation, as well as the importance of fire safety regulations in shaping future building designs.
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Stephen's Single Stair Home
- Stephen Smith lives in a New York City five-story single stair building built in 2015.
- This building typology, common in NYC, has an interior single stair without fire escapes.
Understanding Single Stair Buildings
- A single stair building is small, typically up to six stories, with one interior stairway and limited units per floor.
- Globally, these buildings are common and represent a distinct typology offering more light and ventilation than typical U.S. two-stair buildings.
Safety Measures for Single Stairs
- To mitigate single stair building risks, use stairway enclosures, stair pressurization, and construction type limits.
- Additional options include firefighter access, stair ventilation, and prohibiting electrical outlets in stairways.