#staircase — Page 3 of 4 — Modernist Delights

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.

Staff staircase at Manchester Piccadilly station, 2024

A modern building at dusk with large, lit stairwell windows. Several parked cars are in the wet parking lot reflecting the lights. Two people walk away from the camera towards the building, one holding a bag. The sky is dark and cloudy.

A spiral staircase obscured by a wall in the Docklands, London, 2024

A modern white building with tall cylindrical glass stairwells and a pointed antenna on top, seen behind a yellow brick wall on a cloudy day. Sparse bare branches are visible in the foreground, and the sky is overcast.

Staircase in Stourbridge, 2024

A concrete staircase with metal railings is attached to the side of a brick building. The staircase leads to the upper floor. A metal fence with pointed tops is in the foreground. The sky is clear and blue with a few clouds. Cars are parked to the left.

A tasty staircase beside the telephone exchange in Stourbridge, which we were cruelly stopped from enjoying fully by BT’s big sharp metal fence 😔

Caged staircase at the back of the Manchester Academy, 2024

A modern metal staircase with mesh panels forms an external fire escape attached to a brick and yellow building. The structure has three levels and is enclosed by a metal frame. A metal fence runs along the pavement in front. The sky is overcast.

Renold Building, Manchester, 2024

A modern, gray office building with many windows and an external glass stairwell stands under a cloudy sky. In the foreground, a leafless tree with a few yellow leaves is visible. Other buildings can be seen in the background.

My beloved 🥰

Spiral staircase at Sherborne Abbey, 2024

A wooden spiral staircase with ornate black metal railings stands against a stone wall. The stairs curve tightly upward, partially obscured by a wooden partition below. A blue and red dolly leans nearby, and a framed map hangs on the right wall.

Staircase, Newcastle, 2024

A modern glass elevator shaft stands between two office buildings—one with beige brick and green-tinted windows, the other with white and gray panels. The sky above is partly cloudy and blue. Black barriers surround the elevator’s base at ground level.

Great news everyone: STAIRCASE!

Newcastle Civic Centre & details, 2024

A person with a backpack stands on a brick plaza in front of a modern building with a cylindrical structure and a rectangular wing. A large wall sculpture of a figure is visible between the two sections under a cloudy sky.

A view looking down a concrete stairwell with angular turns and metal railings. The stairs are weathered, and shadows obscure the lower levels, giving a sense of depth and geometric patterns formed by the steps and rails.

A narrow passageway between two brick buildings features a tall, greenish, weathered copper panel above the entrance. The panel has a patterned, rectangular texture. Trees and a pathway are visible through the passage in the background.

A tall, modern building with a concrete tower featuring a green metal sculpture on top stands beside a glass office block. The sky is overcast. In the foreground, there is a geometric metal sculpture, and brick buildings are partially visible to the left.

A large window set in a gray stone building reflects trees and another building. Above the window are old, worn blinds. A white security camera is centered above the glass. In front, a metal railing runs along a brick walkway.

A grey, overcast day outside a modern building with vertical metal slats and large windows. Two white vans are parked in a lot with yellow lines. A person walks near an entrance, and a tall, windowed building stands on the left.

A concrete staircase with white railings leads to a closed entrance of a gray building. A sign at the top of the stairs reads: ATTENTION DOORS LOCKED THIS ENTRANCE IS NOW CLOSED. The sky is overcast and the area appears deserted.

A closed, dark wooden garage door with vertical slats is set into a grey stone wall. The door has a small overhang and a rectangular light fixture above. The surrounding ground is paved with concrete tiles, some areas mossy or weathered.

A passageway with marble steps and a green handrail leads to a modern metallic gate with vertical, irregularly spaced bars. Fluorescent lights are set in the ceiling above, and part of a person’s head is visible in the lower right corner.

My iPhone’s camera really can’t convey the heft of those double main doors at the end. It’s definitely a tactile experience, not a visual one.

I also suggested to my boyfriend that we get married here, on the strength of its’ modernist credentials, and he literally did not dignify that question with a response. 😒