I’m going to be honest.

I can’t read the building code.

And odds are, you can’t either.

But the building code controls what we can and can’t build.

So it’s worth our attention.

What’s in a stairwell?

Decades ago, the United States made it illegal to build multistory buildings with a single stairwell.

If you’ve been in a condo building in Hawaii, it probably looked like this, with two exit stairwells and a hallway between them:

This is a “double-loaded corridor.”

But most of the world builds single-stair buildings, like this:

These are “point access blocks.”

They cost less to build.

They fit on smaller parcels of land.

They allow a greater diversity of unit mixes (studios, 1-bedrooms, 2-bedrooms, 3-bedrooms).

And they’re just as safe as double-loaded corridors.

If you’ve been to Europe or Asia, you’ve seen point access blocks.

They’re the building blocks of modern cities.

Why don’t we have them in Hawaii?

Because decades ago, the United States made them illegal.

And until recently, everyone assumed that double-loaded corridors are the only way to build.

The Single Stair Evangelist

One architect, Michael Eliason, has called that assumption into question.

Eliason is the foremost advocate for single-stair construction.

His Twitter account @holz_bau is an incredible resource.

And his studio, Larch Lab, is leading the way toward single-stair bliss.

The Larch Lab policy brief on point access blocks is a short read defining point access blocks.

And Eliason explains the benefits of point access blocks in an excellent article for Architect’s Newspaper.

Single-stair construction:

• Allows for better ventilation, reducing cooling costs by up to 80 percent (!!!).
• Lets daylight shine on two or three sides of a building.
• Allows building on a smaller floor plate, making room for courtyards, trees, and amenities.
• Reduces materials used for construction.
• Breaks larger buildings down into smaller ones, allowing neighbors to get to know each other.
• Allows a variety of unit sizes and types, promoting economic and social diversity among residents.

Single-stair construction is an idea that makes sense, period.

So it’s no surprise that lawmakers are taking notice.

This year, Washington state passed Senate Bill 5491.

SB 5491 legalized single-stair construction up to six stories.

I pride myself on concision in writing, so let me put it simply:

The Hawaii Legislature should legalize single-story construction up to six stories.

Let’s do it next session.

Are you down?