Comments on: Dangerous by design: William Grey’s Anti-burglary staircase

By: Johan Strandell

Johan Strandell — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:32:39 +0000

No discussion of things like this would be complete with out a link to Dan Lockton's Design with intent. That said, it sounds like a very interesting book.

By: Harry Brignull

Harry Brignull — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:32:12 +0000

Thanks Scott. It’s interesting to consider that although designers today think of themselves as “clever” in the way they design things to influence behaviour, it’s something humans have always done. Your example reminds me of the way Maori huts were designed to have low doorways, to give attackers a disadvantage.

By: benry

benry — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:55:45 +0000

Petroski’s book is fantastic. The technique however was borrowed from earlier times.

The architects of castles did similar things to keep attackers at bay, including uneven stones and pathways. The spiral stairs in castle towers were designed to ascend clockwise, to make the attackers expose more of their body in order to use their swords in their right hands.