RedKettle In the us modern code for modern height humans. Rise height is to be between 7" and 8". Of course if your inhabitants are significantly smaller or bigger than that would be adjusted accordingly. Historically people were shorter so door frames and stairs etc were made to fit the stature of the inhabitants.
Last edited by lostatsea; 05-01-2014 at 04:29 PM.
"Aye The skies be clear , the seas be calm and the winds be with us .....
ARGH!! but the damn compass be broken!! "
Capt. Noah Swalter Last voyage of the " Silver Crest"
Give an inch!...
My understanding is that the range for stairs is 4"-7" for US code, with exceptions for residential stair maximums to be a little taller. It was also my understanding that the maximums were typically avoided in outside stairs, especially in areas with climate extremes.Originally Posted by lostatsea
If you have information that counters this, I am certainly open to correction!
I guess I should add that these numbers are here to makes sure you are working within the right order of magnitude, I know it can be frustrating to simply -not know- even generally how big some of these things are. There are exceptions to all my numbers, the greeks/romans used many different (and sometimes much larger, like Alexandria) block sizes; modern block sizes are typically much larger than 100' square; vehicular lane widths are wider on US highways and probably smaller in Europe; you can always add skylights/atriums/clerestory windows to allows larger building footprints with natural light; stairs can get pretty steep (I am looking at you Mayan Temples!); and I have already mentioned that some masonry constructions (like Cathedrals) are taller than 215', not to mention monuments like the Pyramids (Giza is, I think, about twice as tall).
No set of numbers is absolutely correct, especially when working in a fantasy environment where our mundane concerns probably do not take precedent. These numbers can hopefully give a place to start from, and hopefully once the design develops far enough, a new set of numbers more appropriate to the situation can evolve.
Besides, who really wants to sit there counting inches in the middle of designing a convoluted metropolis?
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