Can fewer stairs improve housing?

Europe has sidewalk cafes, great public transit, and — according to some housing advocates — the correct number of staircases. Per Slate:

• In Europe and parts of Asia, apartments often have one staircase, and perhaps elevators for accessibility.
• Across North America, most multistory apartment buildings are required to have two — one at either end.

This is largely done for fire safety, yet data shows residential fire deaths are higher in the US than in countries where single-stair buildings are common.

Why do people hate on double stairs?

They result in “double-loaded corridor” buildings with units on opposite sides of a hallway.

They’re often aesthetically boring and big — if you’ve gotta build two staircases, you might as well get your money’s worth.

But advocates like architect Michael Eliason say that single-stair buildings:

• Use space more efficiently
• Provide units with more natural light and cross-ventilation, reducing energy costs
• Are cheaper to build, and make it cost-effective to develop smaller buildings with larger, family-sized units
• Have more interesting architecture

But would it be a game changer?

Architecture critic Kate Wagner has a more reserved take, doubting this single change would fix problems deeper than design.

Still, we may get a chance to see. Seattle already allows single staircases for buildings up to six floors, and a new California bill could open the door for buildings over three floors by 2026.

BTW: If you’re curious about what a single-stair design looks like, Eliason frequently posts them on Twitter.