Photographed from intriguing angles that illustrate their utility and beauty, this book is a colourful tour that aims to show why staircases are the architect's ultimate challenge. Different chapters examine the different materials used - wood, stone, glass, metal - as well as the varying functions of staircases - spectacular entrances, escape routes, functional escalators. Photographs of each stage of construction contrast with the pictures of the finished piece - in homes, public buildings, offices, cultural spaces and the the outdoors. The book features the work of more than 40 designers, including Norman Foster, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, Claudio Nardi, Satoshi Okada and Le Corbusier.