The mechanics within the design allow any person to easily open or close the staircase from upstairs or downstairs. Inner pistons help slide the stairs back up swiftly to create a flush wall. The pistons also act as a gradient to lower each step individually after the stairs have been pulled out, creating a gradual, elegant wave-like pattern as the steps individually lock into place.

This project originated from a door project in which I was asked to define what a door was and could be. I defined a door as "an element of a wall that allowed passageway to another environment when opened and restricted passageway when closed."

wall stairs design process