The Case for Investing in Elevator Aesthetics

An article in September’s issue of ELLE DECOR entitled “It’s Time To Bring Back the Chic Elevator” makes the case for vertical transportation as an important design element. The author laments that today’s elevators are primarily functional when they once served as an essential transitional space, smoothing the aesthetic shift between a building’s lobby and hallways. He cites the Art Deco doors of the Chrysler Building elevators and the woven metal mesh cabs in the Seagram Building as examples of lifts being treated as architectural marvels.

Quoted in the article is Jonathan Baron, a New York interior designer, who says that elevators are the most intimate experience one has in a building. Baron notes that the developers he works with are eager to talk about the design of the lobby and hallways, but the elevator is usually put off until the end of a project when its budget is depleted. The author notes that the decline of unique design choices can also be linked to the long life of elevators. Clients typically choose neutral elevators that won’t conflict with any interior design updates to the lobby and halls in years to come.

Public opinion is a factor, too. In the late 19th century, when elevators were first becoming commonplace in the U.S., elevators were designed to look like apartment living rooms to keep passengers calm and comfortable. As elevators became electric, resulting in less time spent in the cab, and people became more accustomed to the technology, the need for elaborate décor decreased.

That doesn’t mean that elevator aesthetics are a thing of the past. Custom cabs are still being designed and built today by developers who value their design impact. The W-Hotel chain has strategically chosen to install unexpected and visually stunning cabs to encourage their guests to take elevator selfies, resulting in free promotion. Perhaps, as the author suggests, the inspiration for an elevator design renaissance will need to come from the people who use them.