Outdoor stairs and cable car in Chur

Under the St. Luzi priest seminary, a linear structure made of corten steel weaves like a red snake among the vineyards on the western slopes, easing the connection between the different parts of the cantonal school in Chur. Historically, the positioning of buildings on a hill and the construction of high stone walls had strategic significance, which has diminished over time, and the new challenge is easier accessibility to these once impregnable places. Students must overcome the elevation difference between the lower meadow by the Plesur River and the upper cantonal school nestled on the slope with the Chur Cathedral several times a day. The new footpath is now more comfortable and safer. The pathway in the corten tube is wider, shorter, and at the same time safer, as it passes under the busy St. Luzistrasse road. Those who find the path too steep or the number of steps too great are aided in overcoming the twenty-five-meter elevation by an underground cable car, which also addresses accessibility issues. This element completed the process of merging the two local secondary schools. The staircase is divided into eleven segments across four arms. Hexagonal openings in the walls lighten the structure while allowing views from the corten tube. The interior spaces are painted glossy white, and the railing consists of wavy perforated steel, which is almost invisible from a distance and creates a delicate decoration up close. The stair arms and all underground areas are made of exposed concrete. The steel walls have a thickness of only 12 mm. The steel structure is reinforced externally with ribs. All joints are welded, minimizing the number of details, and the object can be perceived as a single entity.
The positioning and shape of the staircase were predetermined by the site, but for the external appearance, the architects drew inspiration from the upper arcades of pilgrimage churches in northern Italy.
Another advantage of the outdoor stairs is that students can breathe fresh air while moving between individual school buildings and come up with fresh ideas.