unique stairs ...vertical inspiration

I know this may seem like an odd sentiment for a component in a structure, but one of most exciting elements in a building are the stairs.  The dynamic of vertical movement and the elegance that can come from its form can be truly inspiring.  Stairs have long been one of the most creatively unique design elements in a building.  From Michelangelo's famous winding staircase in the Vatican Museum to Carlo Scarpa's Olivetti Showroom stair, architects and designers have been fascinated with moving people up and down in elegant forms for centuries.  In this vain I would like to pass along some potentially inspiring, if not as famous or elegant as Scarpa's and Michelangelo's, interpretations of the stair.

Pictures after the jump...