IDIAMM

Show your industry ready by getting the basics right on stairs and ramps

1. Nosing on stairs (non residential) are supposed to have a colour change to visually be noticeable when using them. How you chose to do this is up to you and your design. It doesn’t have to be just a bright yellow nosing strip. I can be 3 inset 5mm strips set off 10mm apart s t into a timber nosing on a timber tread. Think outside the box but also think practically. A BOH metal staircase would justify a painted nosing…

2. Handrails are supposed to oversail the last tread by 300mm. Again think about the visual aspect of how this works. Think about how it is constructed as you want standard sizes and location of posts and infills i.e. glass inset side panels. Make sure your heights work as per building regs. Think about the colour visual aspect. White handrail on a white wall isn’t complaint (non residential).

3. Internal ramps should have a colour change to the ramp so approach and leaving is noticeable from the actual ramp.

4. External ramps should have a texture change to floor just before /after the ramp and often a colour strip too. This could be dimple effect, metal studs etc. lots of options pending the surface finish.

5. Space and turning circles are key. Make sure you have the right width

6. Location of doors. A door swing shouldn’t go over an incline of a ramp / top tread of a stair. You always need to consider the space before and after and door swings and DDA turning circles are often forgotten.

Simple basics like these should be standard in your design. In an interview you just subtly reference the design then move on, letting them know you are designing to industry standards…