The visually ascending nature of stairs often creates two initial reactions, amazement or hesitation. In a recent piece by the Washington Post writer Maura Judkis unpacks the "stairs to nowhere" design concept. Initially coined by architect Morris Lapidus after his signature staircase for the famed Miami Fontainebleau hotel, the design has transformed into an interior detail that's taken over offices, public areas, and universities. 

Judkis shares that this style of stairs have "become such Instagram magnets, though architects insist they're not designed with that in mind." Iconic stairs can be found all over the globe, representing structures of symbolism as well as functionality. However, the humble stair has also become a casual gathering hub for people to talk, work, and give presentations. 

Design Director for Parts and Labor, Danu Kennedy, shares with Judkis the benefits of this stair typology. "It encourages people to stay in their moment of thought as opposed to being like, 'We have a conference room scheduled for this time," he says.

However, the question at hand is this: do we still need stepped seating, and is this design trend found on campuses and trendy start-up headquarters providing an actually beneficial design solution? In terms of inclusive design practices, these seated stairs don't benefit individuals who use wheel-chairs or, for that matter, people who wear skirts. Yet, some may argue that the stairs may provide insight into how people like to gather in the 21st century.

Perkins Eastman co-CEO Nick Leahy shared with Judkis, "It's something to do with the way we like to congregate. We like to find vantage points to understand the space around us." 

Do you think these stairways-to-nowhere benefit design, or is this a fad ready to fade?