A maze of staircases leads absolutely nowhere within a series of new hotel rooms at ‘The Other Place’ in China, nodding to artist MC Escher’s famous lithograph print entitled ‘Relativity.’ Shenzhen-based architecture firm Studio10 renovated the existing rooms at ‘The Other Place’ guesthouse in Guilin, giving half the rooms a ‘maze’ theme with deep forest green walls and the other half a ‘dream’ theme in soft pink and white.

The surreal staircases stretch up the walls, taking advantage of the impressive ceiling height. Occasionally, there really is something at the end of them – a door, or a loft – though even the doors aren’t quite what they seem. Others just contribute to the graphic nature of the design, their undersides stepped as well to add to the optical illusions. The architects envision the design as a seamless transition from 2D to 3D.

“All components from the reality world such as lighting fixtures and electronic appliances have been concealed behind a series of black-painted doors, maintaining the pristine, chimerical nature of the space,” they say of the pink “dream” rooms.

“In the other forest-green-themed room, anti-gravitational stairs lead to golden doors, behind which there could be a trail leading to a secret forest – or some other unexpected findings that surprises you.”

While no physical space can quite capture the strange, vertigo-inducing spatial confusion of Escher’s drawing, ‘The Other Place’ definitely honors the original in a way that’s instantly recognizable (and also evocative of La Muralla Roja by Ricardo Bofill.)

Clever integration of storage, dangerous-looking alternating treads and unusual wall-mounted designs enable these 12 compact staircases to avoid the problem of wasted space. Whether leading up to lofts in tiny houses and micro apartments or simply taking a smarter approach in larger spaces, these space-saving stairs look cool in addition to taking advantage of every square inch.

Stairs Packed with Storage

Combining staircases with storage is nothing new in Japan, where carpenters have built drawers and cabinets into them for centuries. This project by architect Kotaro Anzai is a traditional ‘kaidan dans’ staircase cabinet made of linden plywood. Drawers open both out and to the side to make maximum use of the space.

Incredible Built-In Loft & Stairs from HBO’s ‘Girls’

Any architecture and design enthusiasts who watched HBO’s ‘Girls’ probably drooled over the clever built-ins in the fictional Bedford-Stuyvestant home of the character named Charlie. A lounge space is lofted over a semi-enclosed bed, and the stairs leading up to it also function as a closet and storage cabinet.

Built-in Bookcase Loft Stairs

A small apartment in Camden feels far more spacious after a renovation that added a central volume enclosing the bathroom and lots of storage, with a lofted bed on top. The most clever part is the wall of built-in shelves that double as a staircase to get to the top.

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Ultra Compact Stairs 12 Next Level Space Saving Designs

Cantilevered from the wall, made from heavy steel, concrete or glass, these stair treads seem unfettered by the laws of physics, hovering in the air. All manner of engineering tricks were used to make these 18 modern staircases into works of art that we just can’t stop staring at.

Hefty Concrete Hanging Stairs

(image via: contemporist)

How do you make concrete stairs look lighter than air? These stairs at the ‘Querosene House’ by architecture firm grupoSP seem to defy gravity, hovering with no visible support.

Cold-Rolled Steel in Manhattan by RAAD

(image via: stairporn)

Floating from one floor to another, these black cold-rolled steel stairs resemble one solid piece of metal, folded like an accordion. Designed by RAAD for a home in Manhattan, the stairs have several waterjet-cut steel stringers concealed within the thickness of the metal.

Floating Steel Tread Stairs, Seattle

(image via: contemporist)

Cantilevered out from the wall, these minimalist steel stairs are right at home in a thoroughly modern West Seattle residence full of steel beams and exposed concrete.

Folded Steel Origami Stairs, London

(image via: dezeen)

Folded like origami, this stainless steel staircase by architects Bell Phillips are a striking centerpiece for an all-white hallway in a London home. Six millimeters thick, the stairs look like they’re floating but are actually supported by a glass balustrade.

Suspended Stairs at the Godzilla House, South Korea

(image via: chaepereira.com)

South Korea’s ‘Godzilla House’ is quite an interesting piece of architecture as a whole, but the curved shape and chameleon-like metal facade are just the beginning. One particularly striking element included by Chae Pereira architects is a wooden staircase with white vertical supports that almost look like rope from a distance.

Ribbon Illusion Stairs by HSH Architects

(image via: illusion360)

If you have to stare at your staircase from the living room every day, why not make it a work of art? This beautiful ribbon staircase by HSH Architects puts ordinary stairs to shame, distributing weight down to the floor through hidden brackets mounted into the wall.

Bright and Modern in Italy

(images via: plastolux)

In the midst of an airy, mostly-white midcentury modern home is this seemingly floating staircase, supported on the external side by a sheet of red-tinted acrylic. The stairs are lit from beneath and the transparent wall reflects the room around it, giving the whole staircase a slightly psychedelic feel.

Semi-Circular Plastic Stairs for Kids

(image via: momoy)

This whole incredibly creative space is definitely worth a look – it’s fascinating, fun and futuristic – but for the purposes of this article, let’s talk about these awesome stairs. Each curving step descends from the wall on either side, forming a totally unexpected way to access a play area on the next floor.

Barely-There Stairs Above a Reflecting Pool

(image via: dezeen)

The way that these stairs play with light and reflection in the space around them is almost more important than the stairs themselves – design-wise, at least. Positioned above a reflecting pool, the cantilevered stairs provide a bit of shady respite on the way to a sunny terrace.

Incredible Bird’s Nest Suspended Staircase

(image via: archdaily)

These stairs definitely aren’t trying to hide – they’re the most interesting element in the room. Reminiscent of a bird cage, the chaotic criss-crossing metal bars are balanced by the serene white of the walls and cabinets.

Triangular Treads at the Shallard House in New Zealand

(image via: archdaily)

Triangular stair treads were a fitting choice for a very angular modern home in New Zealand, designed by architects Lat Forty Five. Each individual step is bolted onto the block wall to give the illusion of flotation.

Spiraling Stairs Supported by a White Wall

(image via: bookshelfporn)

The owners of this home took full advantage of the ultra-high ceiling in the space to create a little library, connecting the second floor to the first with a partially spiraling staircase that is supported by a wedge of a wall, providing a private nook for reading behind it.

Hanging Black-and-White at BUMPS, Beijing

(image via: plataformaarquitectura)

These highly unusual blocky black-and-white stairs are a visual echo of the BUMPS building’s exterior, which consists of black and white rectangles seemingly stacked Jenga-style. Each step is connected to the next leaving negative space as they descend, resulting in interesting optical effects when viewed from the lower floor.

Cantilevered Concrete by Eugeone Pons

(images via: plastolux)

Concrete once again seems to flout the laws of physics in this unnamed building, photographed by Eugeni Pons.

Modern Floating Stairs in Austria

(image via: architonic)

Two separate steps of ribbon stairs, hovering above the ground, form a breathtakingly artistic staircase at Büro.Loft in Austria.

Minimalist Black Stairs by Ecole

(image via: plastolux)

Like an Escher drawing sprung into three dimensions, this floating staircase by Ecole is made all the more dramatic with the use of bold black against a white wall.

Near-Invisible White Staircase in Tokyo

(image via: what we do is secret)

Achieving the opposite effect from the previous example, this staircase in Tokyo is as unobtrusive as possible, practically disappearing into the wall.

Curving Bamboo Staircase by Eedesign

(images via: eedesign)

Viewed straight-on or from the side, this staircase by Eedesign doesn’t look too unusual. But from certain angles, the novelty of the design becomes apparent. Beneath standard-shaped stair treads is a curving support system that resembles a spine, giving the staircase a highly sculptural quality.