“Stairway to…?” explores stairs and ladders both as functional everyday objects and as multifaceted cultural symbols – with themes ranging from ascent and transformation to escape. Works of art, design objects and installations shed light on both metaphorical and architectural-historical perspectives on this distinctive architectural element.
The FMIS exhibits form part of an exhibition area that explores the architectural significance of staircases. For example, the model of the spire of St George’s Church in Denzlingen shows how architecture and symbolic sculpture were already combined in the 16th century: the church tower has an open, octagonal spire, within which a spiral staircase winds upwards between the eight ribs (see photo). The staircase tapers towards the top, its steps becoming increasingly narrow – it leads to no destination. This purely symbolic staircase can be interpreted as a ‘ladder to heaven’ and stands as an impressive architectural testament to the Counter-Reformation.
With this exhibition, the Institute continues its successful international presence. Through it, OTH Regensburg contributes to the academic and design-oriented exploration of staircases. In this way, the field of scalalogy is made accessible to a broad, international audience.
Further staircase models from the estate of Friedrich Mielke and new models constructed by students of the Faculty of Architecture can be viewed at the FMIS: Room L 109, opening hours for the 2026 summer semester: Mondays and Thursdays 13:00–17:00, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 09:00–17:00.
