This metal staircase stopped me in my tracks when I saw it. Designed by Francesco Librizzi Studio, it sits in House C, a 1900s house in Milan that still has many original details. The staircase takes up little space in the small room and leads to a loft-like sleeping area.
I love the black steel against the stark white walls. It adds a sculptural element to the room with its lines and geometry. What a way to think outside the box when it comes to ladders and staircases!
It kinds of reminds us of the Spaces, Etc. exhibition we just featured by Ron Gilad.
Design Architects: Francesco Librizzi Studio
Design Team: Francesco Librizzi with Matilde Cassani
Collaborator: Carolina Martinelli
Structural Engineering: Federico Santarosa
Steel Structure: Mario F23
Photos by Giovanna Silva via Domus.

8 Comments
JLS on 07.27.2012 at 14:12 PM
It looks cool, but impractical. I once had a staircase comprised of narrow metal bars like that. It’s VERY painful on your feet.
Rebecca on 07.29.2012 at 09:16 AM
Interesting. Though as someone with fibro I can’t imagine walking up and down that thing. Not to mention trying to get furniture up there or materials to put down a new floor.
TC on 07.29.2012 at 12:43 PM
An old gag:
A man walks into a bar.
The barman says “Why the long face?”
The man replies “I just walked into a bar because I appointed Francesco Librizzi Studio”
It’s difficult to know where to begin with a critique of this appalling piece of design. Happily the client will likely get so fed up within a year that they will rip it out before anyone has the opportunity to break their neck or perish in a fire.
If we ignore the staircase (as difficult as that is) the remainder of the space is reason enough to restrict these designers to future projects no more taxing than lavatory extensions until they are old enough to shave.
ericafpc (Erica Cottrill) on 07.30.2012 at 08:19 AM
I don’t know if I would want to walk up this staircase, but it is cool to look at! very sculptural,
April on 07.30.2012 at 16:24 PM
Just echoing what others are saying – looks neat, but not too practical. Ow, that would totally hurt your feet unless you had on really hard soled shoes. Looks like a leg breaker coming down, too.
Sara Green on 08.03.2012 at 19:10 PM
Looks like it’s a “Il faut souffrir pour être belle” problem…
Dorothy Coffie on 08.28.2013 at 08:37 AM
Does NOT look safe at all!
Eamo on 03.03.2014 at 08:55 AM
I wonder what Italian building regulations say about this?
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