ADA railings for a downtown Chicago apartment complex

Apartment buildings are an indispensible fixture of modern society. They are often the first home for people moving out of their parent’s house or when starting a new job in a new city. There are a lot of different aspects to focus on within the architecture, and these elements often aren’t clearly visible or obvious. Metalwork is often found on balconies, front walkway handrails, and other aspects around the grounds of the building. There is just as much importance in the backstairs of a building as the front, and this element shouldn’t be an afterthought, but a well considered part of the overall structure.

When a new apartment building is going up, there are a lot of different aspects that make it a liveable space. There are, or course, the form and function of the units themselves, the location in the city, and other nearby attractions and resources readily available to a location. There is a lot that goes into successful residential design and having areas of egress are important aspects of the building.

We developed these ADA wall mounted pipe handrails for a residential building in downtown Chicago, along with the metal stairs. The handrails were made from wrought iron steel with a satin gray painted finish. The stairs were made with diamond plate treads to make sure that people moving on the stairs would not slip and allows for easy maintenance. The finish is sturdy and will keep its look for years of normal use. The structure fits the space perfectly with the sturdy features of a no-nonsense stairwell.

Back stairwells are often used sparingly, generally for evacuations or occasional access. In the event of an evacuation it is important that the exit can be made quickly and safely. We designed these components with all of these aspects in mind. Moving through this space will minimize falls and help people get away safely. Even if the situation is less dire, such as simple travel up to an apartment if the elevator needs maintenance, these stairs will be a reliable and functional way to get a person to or from their units safely.

Function is at the heart of our business. We want our products to be both reliable, functional, and to perfectly fit the space they were designed for. This design incorporates the look of simplicity and no frills of an accessible stairwell and the installation will last for the life of the building and beyond.

If you are working on improving your home or building with the use of industrial materials or metalwork, contact us to discover what form and function we can create for you!