Could housing be cheaper and better if we stop building so many staircases?

Post by petee » Sat, Dec 25, 2021, 2:13 AM UTC

jpollock wrote: post #53

petee wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that you can't track how many disasters were prevented by having two means of egress, so I cant imagine there are real statistics on that I hate the space argument because its a money argument, not a real quality of life issue - make the building 1 floor taller, or don't cram your residents just because you wanted to milk 4 apts instead of 3 on a floor.

We can compare fatality rates from fires between countries with dual exits and those without: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_building_or_structure_... We can also see if mass casualty fires in buildings stopped happening after the regulation change. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Theatre_fire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fi... https://www.nytimes.com/1860/02/03/archives/cal…

Post by voisin » Sat, Dec 25, 2021, 2:25 AM UTC

petee wrote: post #33

istinetz wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone in the comments is raising the (valid) fire safety argument; however, I'd like to point out that this is a non-obvious trade-off. How many house fires are there? How many of them are in tall buildings? How many of them would block just one stair, and not two? Yes, there is a probability that an extra stair will save your life; however, this is a very tiny probability, against a certainty of extra living spac…

The problem is that you can't track how many disasters were prevented by having two means of egress, so I cant imagine there are real statistics on that I hate the space argument because its a money argument, not a real quality of life issue - make the building 1 floor taller, or don't cram your residents just because you wanted to milk 4 apts instead of 3 on a floor.

Post by Gigablah » Sat, Dec 25, 2021, 2:35 AM UTC

voisin wrote: post #63

petee wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that you can't track how many disasters were prevented by having two means of egress, so I cant imagine there are real statistics on that I hate the space argument because its a money argument, not a real quality of life issue - make the building 1 floor taller, or don't cram your residents just because you wanted to milk 4 apts instead of 3 on a floor.

> just because you wanted to milk 4 apts instead of 3 on a floor. You realize that this would mean the three residents would have to pay more for their unit, right? It isn’t just developers “milking” condo buyers or tenants. It has to do with efficiency.

Post by xboxnolifes » Sat, Dec 25, 2021, 2:39 AM UTC

emodendroket wrote: post #44

stickfigure wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A security camera in the building showed that Tanimoto tossed a bag, probably containing petrol, at the emergency exit. Tape is also believed to have been used to impede the use of the door. It is believed this was done so that clinic occupants would have a hard time evacuating. Investigators also found evidence of additional traps in the building.[21][22] The suspect was found to possess a knife, and blocked a perso…

Sure, but you could say that about any fire where a bunch of people died. There are always "bigger problems" or else there wouldn't be a fire.

Post by 0xdeadb00f » Sat, Dec 25, 2021, 2:55 AM UTC

stickfigure wrote: post #21

rococode wrote: post #7

Here's something that happened one week ago, a perfect (and sad) example of what happens when you only have one set of stairs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Osaka_building_fire > The victims gasped for air and had difficulties escaping, as there was only one escape route, with the emergency stairs and elevators being located outside the clinic. > Experts were surprised by the fire's high death toll. The authorit…

A security camera in the building showed that Tanimoto tossed a bag, probably containing petrol, at the emergency exit. Tape is also believed to have been used to impede the use of the door. It is believed this was done so that clinic occupants would have a hard time evacuating. Investigators also found evidence of additional traps in the building.[21][22] The suspect was found to possess a knife, and blocked a perso…