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Multi-story decorative stairs code requirements

Y

YonLL

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Joined
Aug 7, 2025
Messages
3
Location
New York City
My understanding for stairs has been that whether it is used as one of the required means of egress or not, it needs to follow the safety requirements for riser/tread, railings etc. listed in Chapter 10.

See this project in new york city: https://www.selldorf.com/projects/david-zwirner-20th-street

This is an open stairs and not used for egress. Still, I don't see any handrails? Did I miss something?
1754578837570.png

Thank you,
 
YonLL said:
What I didn't understand and started second-guessing myself was that the stair was a featured design for the building, and also done by an esteemed architect...
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Speaking as an architect ... that's the problem.

Too many "esteemed" architects don't care about codes. They see themselves as "form givers," not as the master builders that Renaissance architects were. Codes are beneath them.

For example, Cesar Pelli is considered to be a world-class architect. At one time he was named Dean of the Yale School of Architecture, so he and his office moved to New Haven, Connecticut. While he was Dean, Pelli maintained his private design practice. All he designed was the exteriors of the buildings. His firm did NO construction documents -- he farmed that out to a couple or three local New haven firms, who prepared and signed and sealed the actual construction documents. But the projects all had Pelli's name on them when they were published.

I once raised a code issue with a principal of the firm I was then working for. His response? "I've never understood that section of the code, so I don't think it applies to me."

And that's the attitude of too many architects. As a code official, I routinely have architects bitch and moan when I reject their plans, even though my plan reviews cit the applicable sections of the code. I've had more than one tell me outright that I have "no right" to question their drawings, because they signed and sealed them.
 
YonLL said:
and not used for egress
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If the stairs are in the exit access they are used for egress.

I find it hard to believe that the architect, plans reviewer, contractor, and inspector missed handrails. A building owner would be exposing themselves to too much liability to not put in handrails, same with the architect. Honestly, the lighting looks a little odd, depth of field is also pretty deep, there’s a chance this is a well-crafted computer-generated rendering. Plus the exterior view of the building looks odd, no address number or Knox box - website gives acknowledgement to a photographer, however.
 
It's possible that they took this picture before final inspection, they may have had them on the plans and just wanted to get the pretty photo before they were installed.
 
walker.t said:
I find it hard to believe that the architect, plans reviewer, contractor, and inspector missed handrails.
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Me too, especially when it was presented as one of the "highlights" of the building. I can't help but think there was some form of agreement or exception granted by the city to allow this to happen....
Unfortunately, I can confirm those are not renderings or pre-CO photos. It looks like the gallery is closed now for some reason, but you can find photographs of these stairs by the visitors on tripadvisor.
 
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