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Tuesday, June 02, 2020

Retractable stairs for outside entrances of historic buildings to provide disabled access

Ramps are often hard to insert into the fronts of historic institutional buildings.  I came across a video of stairs that retract in favor of a lift.  I haven't seen this in operation ever, and I don't know if there are any equivalent installations in the US.

I do think that the Americans for Disabilities Act is more weighted towards providing access options that don't require assistance, which means ramps are the preferred option. (This webpage is focused on the home market, "Wheelchair Ramp or Platform Lift (VPL) – Which is Better?," 101 Mobility).

The UK firm Sesame Access:
designs, builds and installs disabled access wheelchair lifts perfect for listed and graded buildings. The combined blend of retracting steps and bespoke scissor systems allow the lifts to blend seamlessly into the surrounding environment, ensuring they remain invisible before and after use.
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1 comment:

  1. Mari9:55 PM

    Oh that's cute.
    Ramps are better. They don't require you to find a staff member with a key or they aren't out of service when the building operator is suffering from budget cuts. But then sometimes the ramp isn't perfect, especially if t leads to a separate door.... where you ten have to find a staff member with the key to open up.

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