Tate Modern Switch House / Herzog & de Meuron © Iwan Baan
Stairs aren’t only a means of vertical circulation. Through their might and scale, this building element can easily become the protagonist of a space. From afar one can observe the movement of people; from within the staircase the viewer is treated to new angles and perspectives of the building.
The prominence of staircases in the work of 2001 Pritzker Prize winners Herzog and de Meuron underscore the belief that risers and treads are never solely an element of circulation—they are generators of dynamism and rhythm that influence the essence of their projects.
These are some examples of HdM’s stairs that have been previously published on ArchDaily.
BBVA Headquarters / Herzog & de Meuron
© Rubén P. Bescós
56 Leonard Street / Herzog & de Meuron
© Hufton+Crow
Tate Modern Switch House / Herzog & de Meuron
© Iwan Baan
Musée Unterlinden Extension / Herzog & de Meuron
© Ruedi Walti
Elbphilharmonie Hamburg / Herzog & de Meuron
© Iwan Baan
Castagnola / Herzog & de Meuron
© Dani Hunziker
Messe Basel New Hall / Herzog & de Meuron
Courtesy of Messe Basel