Q-Bert Stairs
Migrating Landmark
Appearing off the coast of Metropolitan cities, the Q-Bert Stairs
is a familiar but fleeting landmark around the world. Conceived
as a floating island of stairs, it offers temporary escape from
dense urban areas often defined by a culture of congestion.
It drifts from city to city, temporarily idling before moving on
to the next destination. A modulation of extruded concrete
squares informs the scheme and undulates to provide spaces
for gathering and the display of sculptures. As a shared
experience between cities and peoples around the planet, the
Stairs will eventually exhibit the weathering of a well-traveled
object and aims to offer a sense of connectedness across the
Earth.
When it’s time to travel to the next destination, the temporary pile anchors
are lifted from the seabed allowing the entire platform to
float effortlessly. The Q-Bert Stairs then takes advantage of the ocean
currents and drifts along coasts, even crossing oceans, until the next
destination is reached. Due to its unpredictable movements, the Stair’s presence is often unexpected and mysterious.