#staircase

External stairs & vent, National Theatre, London, 2025

A brutalist concrete staircase with three steep flights leads to upper levels, framed by thick railings. Metal barriers and a traffic cone block the lower entrance. The building’s geometric, angular lines dominate the symmetrical design.

Stairwell, National Theatre, London

A dimly lit concrete stairwell with dark carpeted steps leads upward and turns left; stainless steel railings line both sides. The walls are textured concrete, and a small sign reading “STAIRS” is visible above the landing.

Denys Wilkinson Building, Oxford, 2025

A modern concrete building with large windows sits next to an older brick building. A broad staircase with white railings leads up to the entrance. Several trees and a blue informational sign are visible, and the sky is partly cloudy.

A modern, multi-storey building with large glass windows and concrete walls stands beside a road. A street lamp is in front, green trees frame the right and top left, and a sign reads Banbury Road at the corner. The sky is overcast.

A large, modern building with angular, jutting concrete and glass structures. The lower level is textured concrete, while upper floors feature large dark glass windows. Two people walk on a pavement beside the building on a cloudy day.

Now offices, the tower used to house a vertical electrostatic accelerator – alas, my physics knowledge stops well short of knowing what one of those is. Designed by Philip Dowson of Arup.

Unnecessarily good looking staircase at Manchester Oxford Road railway station, 2025

A spiral metal staircase with blue railings is attached to a small, white building at a train station. People walk along the platform, with a white train on the left. Bright daylight casts shadows, and city buildings are visible in the background.

Glazed staircase in New Mills, 2020

I delved into my photo library looking for something else, but instead I found this glazed staircase at the Swizzels Matlow factory in New Mills in intra-lockdown 2020.

A narrow canal runs beside old brick and glass factory buildings under a partly cloudy sky. The water reflects the buildings and sky. A dirt path lines the canal, with greenery and a corrugated metal fence on the right side.

Glazed staircase in Altrincham, 2025

A tall, grey concrete hotel building with vertical windows and a blue Travelodge sign near the top, viewed from below against a clear sky. A spiral staircase is visible through the windows, and a metal railing is in the foreground.

Fire exit in a celestial shaft of light, Sale, 2025

A metal staircase leads to a door on the first floor of a red-brick building. Pipes and vents are attached to the wall. Below the stairs, metal sheets and debris are stacked. A blue sky with a contrail is visible above the building.

New Century House, Manchester, March 2020

Looking up at an octagonal stained glass skylight with a geometric, colorful pattern. The ceiling around it is white with visible peeling paint and some cracks, suggesting age and wear. The stained glass glows with natural light filtering through.

A dim, narrow hallway with dirty, peeling cream-colored walls leads to two doorways at the end. The left door is labeled with a restroom sign. The floor is bare and scuffed, and the atmosphere appears old and neglected.

A slightly open, old window with peeling paint reveals a stone balcony railing outside. Blue sky with scattered clouds is visible above the railing. Beige curtains hang to the right, and sunlight casts soft shadows inside.

A hallway with beige walls and missing ceiling panels leads to a set of double wooden doors opening into a large, empty industrial space with worn floors and visible ceiling beams. Exposed wires hang from the hallway ceiling. The scene appears abandoned.

An empty, spacious room under renovation with exposed ceiling grids, blue carpet, scattered debris, and white columns. Two people walk near the right side, and large windows along the walls let in natural light. The space appears to be in an office building.

View through a window showing nearby multi-story buildings with white brick facades and large windows. The sky is partly cloudy, and city streets are visible below. Some reflections and smudges appear on the glass.

A small, brown metal spiral staircase ends abruptly at a ceiling opening in a worn stairwell. The wall beside it has large patches of peeling paint. A person in a black hat stands in the foreground, partially visible.

A group of people in coats stand inside a large, mostly empty room with wood-paneled walls and a dramatic ceiling covered in rectangular acoustic panels. The floor appears unfinished, and some scattered furniture and a whiteboard are visible along the wall.

A sign on a beige wall reads New Century House, Floor LG. Below, it lists Staff Facilities: Staff Restaurant, Staff Shop, Strollers Deli Bar, and Sports + Social Club. The sign has black, blue, and gray sections.

If I posted this 2 days ago when I meant to, it would’ve been 5 years to the day, too!

A staircase on the UMIST campus, 2022

I had a thing for exposed staircases during the summer I moved out of Manchester. Still do.

A modern brick building features large geometric windows with purple panels, revealing an indoor staircase. There is a wooden door at ground level, a small window to the left, and a glass rooftop structure above, all under a clear blue sky.

Car parking stairwell, Anglia Square shopping centre, Norwich, 2024

A tall concrete and glass stairwell rises alongside a red and white striped multi-story parking garage under a clear blue sky. Below, a Savers store and other shops are visible under a beige overhang decorated with hanging lights.

We got so lucky with the light! The Savers looking positively resplendent.