Conrad Speckert
@conradspeckert.bsky.social
Building code, multiplexes, missing middle and mid-rise housing <www.singlestair.ca>
Updated to include changes in City of Vancouver, recent change from 16 to 20 storeys in Sweden, and permissions for existing buildings in Nova Scotia.
secondegress.ca/Jurisdictions
secondegress.ca/Jurisdictions
Jurisdictions — The Second Egress: Building a Code Change
Jurisdictions Cite this image: Speckert, C. (2022). Jurisdictions: Maximum Permitted Height for Single Stair Buildings [Infographic]. McGill...
secondegress.ca
December 28, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Updated to include changes in City of Vancouver, recent change from 16 to 20 storeys in Sweden, and permissions for existing buildings in Nova Scotia.
secondegress.ca/Jurisdictions
secondegress.ca/Jurisdictions
Fascinating 2008 paper on "Redefining fire safety in Swedish high-rise buildings" speaks to risk-informed design of single exit stair high-rise buildings in Sweden, featuring the Turning Torso (54 storeys, residential/offices) and the Kista Science Tower (31 storeys, offices)
wuz.se/wp-content/p...
wuz.se/wp-content/p...
wuz.se
December 28, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Fascinating 2008 paper on "Redefining fire safety in Swedish high-rise buildings" speaks to risk-informed design of single exit stair high-rise buildings in Sweden, featuring the Turning Torso (54 storeys, residential/offices) and the Kista Science Tower (31 storeys, offices)
wuz.se/wp-content/p...
wuz.se/wp-content/p...
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
A new bombshell modeling report by the State of Minnesota has found that small single-stair buildings with smoke-separated stairwells are likely to be SIGNIFICANTLY SAFER than typical double-loaded apartment buildings
December 18, 2025 at 12:30 AM
A new bombshell modeling report by the State of Minnesota has found that small single-stair buildings with smoke-separated stairwells are likely to be SIGNIFICANTLY SAFER than typical double-loaded apartment buildings
Today, the City of Vancouver approved the code change to the Vancouver Building By-Law (VBBL) to allow Single Exterior Exit Stair (SEES?!?) for up to 6 storeys in height, as well as accommodating scissor stair layouts for 6 storeys of limited area by reducing the minimum distance between exits.
New Vancouver building rules aim to improve safety and housing supply
Vancouver approves new space-saving stair designs and Abandoned and Vacated Buildings By-law.
vancouver.ca
December 11, 2025 at 3:42 AM
Today, the City of Vancouver approved the code change to the Vancouver Building By-Law (VBBL) to allow Single Exterior Exit Stair (SEES?!?) for up to 6 storeys in height, as well as accommodating scissor stair layouts for 6 storeys of limited area by reducing the minimum distance between exits.
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
Excited to share a new video I produced with Urbanarium on their Decoding Timber Towers competition, which challenged teams to design 8–20+ storey buildings out of wood!
Check it out here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ42...
Check it out here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ42...
Did these designs crack the code to wood towers?
YouTube video by About Here
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Excited to share a new video I produced with Urbanarium on their Decoding Timber Towers competition, which challenged teams to design 8–20+ storey buildings out of wood!
Check it out here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ42...
Check it out here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ42...
The Mid-rise Pattern Designs endorsed by the Government Architect of New South Wales (Australia) provides a catalogue of small lot and corner lot apartment building designs of 4 to 7 storeys in height. Take a look at the floor plans and renderings.
www.planning.nsw.gov.au/government-a...
www.planning.nsw.gov.au/government-a...
November 30, 2025 at 6:23 PM
The Mid-rise Pattern Designs endorsed by the Government Architect of New South Wales (Australia) provides a catalogue of small lot and corner lot apartment building designs of 4 to 7 storeys in height. Take a look at the floor plans and renderings.
www.planning.nsw.gov.au/government-a...
www.planning.nsw.gov.au/government-a...
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
Somebody in the audience pointed out something that I didn’t know, which is that Queensbridge Houses, the largest NYCHA project in the city (and thereby largest public housing complex in North America), is single-stair. platform-affordable-dwelling.bk.tudelft.nl/database/201...
November 20, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Somebody in the audience pointed out something that I didn’t know, which is that Queensbridge Houses, the largest NYCHA project in the city (and thereby largest public housing complex in North America), is single-stair. platform-affordable-dwelling.bk.tudelft.nl/database/201...
"Although corner stores may seem a trivial issue, allowing them near where people live can make a neighbourhood more pleasant and, well, convenient. But antiquated zoning laws make them illegal in most neighbourhoods of Canada..."
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/edit...
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/edit...
Globe editorial: Toronto shuts the door on the corner store
City council’s wrongheaded limits on convenience stores go against what makes cities great, not to mention the free market
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:16 PM
"Although corner stores may seem a trivial issue, allowing them near where people live can make a neighbourhood more pleasant and, well, convenient. But antiquated zoning laws make them illegal in most neighbourhoods of Canada..."
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/edit...
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/edit...
“The era of shoebox condos is over” in the Globe and Mail today - a feature on single stair: ”Yet with features such as sprinklers, smoke-sealed doors and more reliable fire alarm systems, mid-size apartment buildings can be just as safe...”
www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/pe...
www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/pe...
The era of the shoebox condo is over. Here’s how Canada can build livable apartments
Canada needs livable apartments to help fix the housing crisis. To do that, it must change the rulebook for both condos and rentals
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 1, 2025 at 2:52 PM
“The era of shoebox condos is over” in the Globe and Mail today - a feature on single stair: ”Yet with features such as sprinklers, smoke-sealed doors and more reliable fire alarm systems, mid-size apartment buildings can be just as safe...”
www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/pe...
www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/pe...
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
Fascinating article. This really stood out to me: smaller cars are more popular in Canada than in the U.S., but due to Transport Canada tying its safety standards to the U.S., Canada gets stuck with our huge cars instead of smaller European models. I wonder if the same is true of U.S. cities 🤔
October 23, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Fascinating article. This really stood out to me: smaller cars are more popular in Canada than in the U.S., but due to Transport Canada tying its safety standards to the U.S., Canada gets stuck with our huge cars instead of smaller European models. I wonder if the same is true of U.S. cities 🤔
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
I’m at the launch of Oregon’s design competition for sunlight suite buildings - neighborhood-scale mulifamily buildings designed around one central staircase.
“This is one of those innovations whose time has come,” says Gil Kelley of @1000oregon.bsky.social.
“This is one of those innovations whose time has come,” says Gil Kelley of @1000oregon.bsky.social.
October 21, 2025 at 1:09 AM
I’m at the launch of Oregon’s design competition for sunlight suite buildings - neighborhood-scale mulifamily buildings designed around one central staircase.
“This is one of those innovations whose time has come,” says Gil Kelley of @1000oregon.bsky.social.
“This is one of those innovations whose time has come,” says Gil Kelley of @1000oregon.bsky.social.
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
Single-stair buildings up to 6 stories are legal in Baltimore City! Headed to Mayor Scott's desk for signature.
October 20, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Single-stair buildings up to 6 stories are legal in Baltimore City! Headed to Mayor Scott's desk for signature.
This pilot project for SES building design is also featured here. Others of similar configuration have been accepted in Vancouver, Edmonton and Hamilton. singlestair.ca/Office-Ou
October 16, 2025 at 3:24 PM
This pilot project for SES building design is also featured here. Others of similar configuration have been accepted in Vancouver, Edmonton and Hamilton. singlestair.ca/Office-Ou
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
Winner of Billings Architectural Association's 2025 Single-Stair Housing Competition by Trae Schwenneker. The competition focused on urban infill in Downtown Billings, MT.
The winning project honors the historic brick architect of Montana Avenue w/ ground-floor retail & four upper levels of condos.
The winning project honors the historic brick architect of Montana Avenue w/ ground-floor retail & four upper levels of condos.
October 3, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Winner of Billings Architectural Association's 2025 Single-Stair Housing Competition by Trae Schwenneker. The competition focused on urban infill in Downtown Billings, MT.
The winning project honors the historic brick architect of Montana Avenue w/ ground-floor retail & four upper levels of condos.
The winning project honors the historic brick architect of Montana Avenue w/ ground-floor retail & four upper levels of condos.
Our team placed 2nd in the Urbanarium "Decoding Timber Towers" architectural ideas competition (1st place to @moriyamateshima.bsky.social) with our 20-storey mass timber tower featuring a compact elevator and exit stair core, exposed ceilings, prefab balconies and a balanced mix of 1 to 4 bed homes!
October 2, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Our team placed 2nd in the Urbanarium "Decoding Timber Towers" architectural ideas competition (1st place to @moriyamateshima.bsky.social) with our 20-storey mass timber tower featuring a compact elevator and exit stair core, exposed ceilings, prefab balconies and a balanced mix of 1 to 4 bed homes!
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
Pew finds something that everybody in codes and standards knows but few will say out loud: we apply far stricter fire safety standards to apartments than to houses. www.pew.org/en/research-...
October 1, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Pew finds something that everybody in codes and standards knows but few will say out loud: we apply far stricter fire safety standards to apartments than to houses. www.pew.org/en/research-...
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
“Modern apartments have a fire death rate … six times lower than older apartments… (or) single-family homes…”
Aka why new single stair flats would be among the safest buildings in your city.
www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-bu...
Aka why new single stair flats would be among the safest buildings in your city.
www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-bu...
Why Building Modern Apartments Can Solve the Housing Shortage and Improve Fire Safety
State and local policymakers across the country are exploring ways to expand housing options as communities face a persistent shortage that has driven costs to record highs. One way to close the gap i...
www.linkedin.com
September 30, 2025 at 8:35 PM
“Modern apartments have a fire death rate … six times lower than older apartments… (or) single-family homes…”
Aka why new single stair flats would be among the safest buildings in your city.
www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-bu...
Aka why new single stair flats would be among the safest buildings in your city.
www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-bu...
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
Modular, mass timber, and single-stair
This workforce housing project in Montana maxes out the current IBC code limitations on single housing with a 10,000 sf floor plate and 8-bed units that each feature shared living, kitchen, and laundry.
www.idcubedmodular.com/blank
This workforce housing project in Montana maxes out the current IBC code limitations on single housing with a 10,000 sf floor plate and 8-bed units that each feature shared living, kitchen, and laundry.
www.idcubedmodular.com/blank
September 23, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Modular, mass timber, and single-stair
This workforce housing project in Montana maxes out the current IBC code limitations on single housing with a 10,000 sf floor plate and 8-bed units that each feature shared living, kitchen, and laundry.
www.idcubedmodular.com/blank
This workforce housing project in Montana maxes out the current IBC code limitations on single housing with a 10,000 sf floor plate and 8-bed units that each feature shared living, kitchen, and laundry.
www.idcubedmodular.com/blank
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
This comparison shows the price of putting an internal garage on a rowhouse
Both of these rowhomes are ~16' wide
Left: 2BR+Den/3BA
Right: 4BR/3.5BA
So the cost is losing TWO bedroom.
Both of these rowhomes are ~16' wide
Left: 2BR+Den/3BA
Right: 4BR/3.5BA
So the cost is losing TWO bedroom.
September 21, 2025 at 9:03 PM
This comparison shows the price of putting an internal garage on a rowhouse
Both of these rowhomes are ~16' wide
Left: 2BR+Den/3BA
Right: 4BR/3.5BA
So the cost is losing TWO bedroom.
Both of these rowhomes are ~16' wide
Left: 2BR+Den/3BA
Right: 4BR/3.5BA
So the cost is losing TWO bedroom.
Visited two of my favourite Point Access Blocks (single stair apartment buildings) in Berlin… E3 on Esmarchstrasse in Prenzlauerberg (encapsulated mass timber, noncombustible exterior stair) and Walden 48 co-op housing project nearby in exposed mass timber and treated wood cladding.
September 20, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Visited two of my favourite Point Access Blocks (single stair apartment buildings) in Berlin… E3 on Esmarchstrasse in Prenzlauerberg (encapsulated mass timber, noncombustible exterior stair) and Walden 48 co-op housing project nearby in exposed mass timber and treated wood cladding.
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
Why are single-stair buildings actually SAFER than two stair buildings in some circumstances?
It seems counter intuitive… obviously, more redundancy is better, right?
It seems counter intuitive… obviously, more redundancy is better, right?
September 15, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Why are single-stair buildings actually SAFER than two stair buildings in some circumstances?
It seems counter intuitive… obviously, more redundancy is better, right?
It seems counter intuitive… obviously, more redundancy is better, right?
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
Important TOMORROW:
The LA City Council is going to vote on whether to legalize single stair buildings. Opponents have launched a disinformation campaign, and we need people to give public comment in support.
Will you be joining me tomorrow at 10am in City Hall?
The LA City Council is going to vote on whether to legalize single stair buildings. Opponents have launched a disinformation campaign, and we need people to give public comment in support.
Will you be joining me tomorrow at 10am in City Hall?
September 15, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Important TOMORROW:
The LA City Council is going to vote on whether to legalize single stair buildings. Opponents have launched a disinformation campaign, and we need people to give public comment in support.
Will you be joining me tomorrow at 10am in City Hall?
The LA City Council is going to vote on whether to legalize single stair buildings. Opponents have launched a disinformation campaign, and we need people to give public comment in support.
Will you be joining me tomorrow at 10am in City Hall?
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
Design study comparing single-stair vs multiple stair egress on a small 5,500 SF lot in Denver:
(L) double-loaded corridor
•71% efficiency
•(4) units
(R) single-stair
•87% efficiency
•(4) dual-aspect units
(L) double-loaded corridor
•71% efficiency
•(4) units
(R) single-stair
•87% efficiency
•(4) dual-aspect units
September 13, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Design study comparing single-stair vs multiple stair egress on a small 5,500 SF lot in Denver:
(L) double-loaded corridor
•71% efficiency
•(4) units
(R) single-stair
•87% efficiency
•(4) dual-aspect units
(L) double-loaded corridor
•71% efficiency
•(4) units
(R) single-stair
•87% efficiency
•(4) dual-aspect units
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
Week 2
On a tiny corner lot in Boston, Condor Street Housing shows how much a single stair can do. A small elevator makes every unit barrier-free, linked by a short corridor to meet code. Even on one of the tightest sites, the plan delivers safe and accessible homes.
On a tiny corner lot in Boston, Condor Street Housing shows how much a single stair can do. A small elevator makes every unit barrier-free, linked by a short corridor to meet code. Even on one of the tightest sites, the plan delivers safe and accessible homes.
September 1, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Week 2
On a tiny corner lot in Boston, Condor Street Housing shows how much a single stair can do. A small elevator makes every unit barrier-free, linked by a short corridor to meet code. Even on one of the tightest sites, the plan delivers safe and accessible homes.
On a tiny corner lot in Boston, Condor Street Housing shows how much a single stair can do. A small elevator makes every unit barrier-free, linked by a short corridor to meet code. Even on one of the tightest sites, the plan delivers safe and accessible homes.
Reposted by Conrad Speckert
Behold the power of single stair
August 30, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Behold the power of single stair