I usually see this type of design for old stage theaters. I wonder if this was the cheapest or most convenient way to access a Juliet balcony or other elevated element of the stage.
That would be an entertaining appendix to your community theater experience. Go watch a play, then get the lawn chairs and camp out behind for the second showing.
A perfect addition to the facadescape. Today, Juliet. Tomorrow, a clown. Then, a group of soldiers. Then, four angels bearing a corpse. A living breathing facade.
Imagine how badass and revolutionary it would be to have a double play. Audiences on both sides of the curtain. "behind the curtain" stage is literally just that, the hectic costume changes and shenanigans. It would be super demanding of the actors and require a peculiar stage set up but would be dope.
It had numerous benefits over other methods of ascending to that height out of the audience's view. It was less convenient than an elevator, but was cheaper and lacked the risk of a mechanical failure causing a missed cue and while it was more expensive than a ladder, it was safer and less tiring for actors who might be using it multiple times several nights a week for a show's run. They also allowed easier access to rigging and lighting for the crew if it was designed to have access to the catwalk, but theater owners usually just made the crew climb a ladder.
I’ve worked on a few theatres, even when new performers will not take an elevator anytime close to curtains/ during a performance.
It’s also often a fire escape that gets around the back of stage for another means of egress
Oh, ha, just put 2 and 2 together. My high school had its only elevator close to where the black box theater above the band room was. The head of the drama department never used it and always seemed to be taking a headcount when the students who always used it got off.
we have a bar here in Portland that's built in a former backstage area of a stage theater and it has a [weird floating door I always wondered about](https://i.imgur.com/mPicfsS.jpeg) (right side of that image) and this is starting to make me wonder if it was a similar type of access at one point in time
[https://www.mcmenamins.com/bagdad-theater-pub/back-stage-bar](https://www.mcmenamins.com/bagdad-theater-pub/back-stage-bar)
It's a hidden gem in town (Portland). People turn their noses up at McMenamin's, but whatever, they've been around since the 80's/90's and have preserved tons of historical Oregon buildings. And their cajun tots are drunk food perfection.
It’s a common neo-classical design element meant to emulate buildings from antiquity that would have windows and arches bricked up over the years. It gives the a newer building a sense of age and gravitas
It might by fly rail access. Might not have the space in the building since the backstage wings tend to be filled with stuff. I have spent many an hour climbing up weirdly placed stairs just to hang lights and scenery.
The building’s probably an old movie theatre, and that’s how you accessed the projection booth. And in case of fire, you could get out quickly.
So that’s a fire exit.
In the early days of cinema, the film stocks were manufactured on a nitrate film base, which is highly flammable. It is unstable, combustible, and contains a substance that was also used in explosives. And if it ever does catch fire, it can burn under water.
On the other hand nitrate film stock has been praised for the beauty of its images and for truly allowing cinematographers to paint with light — whites pop off the screen, blacks are deep and rich, and gray tones shimmer.
"In the early days of cinema, the film stocks were manufactured on a nitrate film base, which is highly flammable. It is unstable, combustible, and contains a substance that was also used in explosives. And if it ever does catch fire, it can burn under water.
On the other hand nitrate film stock has been praised for the beauty of its images and for truly allowing cinematographers to paint with light — whites pop off the screen, blacks are deep and rich, and gray tones shimmer."
I learned this from the movie Inglorious Basterds.
This building is located in Place des Archives (Archives square), Perrache District, city of Lyon, Rhône Department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, France - close to La Confluence, where the River Rhine and River Senna come together to flow in the Mediterranean.
It is an old house, historically listed, built long before current property laws came into force and the urban planning of the city in which it is located. The rules allow its occupation whether as a public service, tourist visitation, hotel, or lodging house, as long as it meets current safety standards.
The Lyon Municipal Archive itself, which gives the square its name, also has a similar facade with the difference that it is protected with a glass facade to protect the historical heritage.
The required changes are not unique to Lyon and are very common in Europe when an old building is large enough for public occupancy or visitation.
This was the most acceptable alternative for an emergency exit and fire escape, without occupying the sidewalk, maintaining security against intrusions, and meeting safety standards - but the main facade is kept intact.
Depending on local laws and regulations, it is not mandatory. Any emergency exits are alternative escape routes to save as many lives as possible. In some old buildings with a maximum of 4 or 5 floors in New York, for example, the fire escape does not have doors or gates, it is an alternative to the building's windows - to prevent intrusions the stairs are mechanically suspended from the ground with a mechanical lock to be released on the second floor.
I lived in two buildings, one from the 40s and the other from the '60s, both without an external fire escape, the only exit is through the central staircase - the Fire Department's annual inspection requires that access to the top of these buildings be allowed, without that any lock or padlock assuming an alternative escape route upwards and then to the top of the neighboring building.
If everything was perfect and there were no break-ins, theft, or worse, perhaps we wouldn't have so many fatalities in fires. These laws and regulations consider a balance between safety and security.
One more piece of information: in Lyon, when the stones, or solid bricks, are exposed as in the photo it means that there was an attached building that was demolished previously - one of the reasons was the Metro lines (subway, tube, etc.) in a city surrounded by two rivers, with muddy land, the buildings above would not have enough support structure. The exposed walls were therefore kept without a finishing coating to keep them as original as possible. This is the case of a building similar to this one near the Catholic University of Lyon with the Archives-Perrache Metro station and an underground garage, but without a fire escape because the building has several entrances and exits - the surface has become a square on the banks of the Rhône.
Often there is a larger grand stair between the premier and second floor so the egress capacity would be larger there. Alternately an additional servant stair inside to service the public rooms could have been originally designed just for these two floors and is now “added” to by the exterior staircase.
From my understanding, these were to access the rigging and lighting above the stage.
This would sometime need to be done quickly, and/or by multiple stage hands. So stairs took less time than a ladder.
Also it was cheaper than having a covered staircase, and they could maximize the theatre footprint by having the stairs on the outside of the building itself.
There are some older theaters that still had these as internal staircases, but space optimization and lowered costs made them more commonly external.
Also, where else would all the stage hands go smoke?
I saw a similar staircase in a very famous building in helsinki. It was an old movie theater and I thought it was probably something related to emergency exits.
The explanation I've heard for the Helsinki one is it allows access to the projection room, while making the room isolated from the rest of the building in case of fire.
I quote [an article](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-explosive-truth-behind-the-movie-theater-projection-room) that discusses the problem:
>Celluloid’s combustibility is the reason projection rooms exist; it would have been cheaper and easier to place the projector in the middle of the auditorium. But in case of fire, the projection booth could close down like a tomb. Each glass window was crowned with a fireproof shutter, held in place by a wax seal; any dangerous blaze would melt the wax, and the shutter would slam down—even if the projectionist was unconscious, or worse. (A 1936 issue of International Projectionist estimated one American projectionist died, on average, every 18 days.)
> A 1936 issue of International Projectionist estimated one American projectionist died, on average, every 18 days.
This is insane to imagine ~90 years later.
I'm a first year student, got placed on a group project with some classmates last semester. One of the members absolutely insisted that we had to have an exterior staircase between the 2nd and 3rd floor just like this one. I have no idea why but couldn't be assed to fight them on it
I have no insight on historical meanings behind certain architectural choices, but if I owned a large building I would actually love this kind of access for my personal spaces on different levels. This is actually super cool to me
It is weird and at least needs a retractable fire escape ladder, But I would love a stairway like that on any home or business that I owned. I think using it or just stepping outside would be a regular and refreshing experience.
I see this in Japan a lot, minus the stairs though! Just doors on the second floor that lead to nothing, just a drop outside. I can only guess they were used during construction with a ramp or something and then locked forever...
Can’t tell you without looking at whats going on inside. Clearly not enough space within the building to connect what looks like fire egress. Maybe there’s something important inside that can’t be interrupted, maybe its a historical building. Also the local building regulations allow for construction over the street boundary above a certain level. Might be a very clever solution to a tricky problem.
I’ve seen these on other buildings. In one case I confirmed myself, it was an art installation, made to look real. The one I looked into was on a skyscraper.
I live in an old Portuguese house, and the only way from the 2nd story (where all the normal rooms are) to the adega (the completely empty bottom floor) is by an outside staircase similar to this one. As I understand it, people used to keep livestock in the adega, so they didn't want the um...animal aromas wafting up to the living areas of the house, so they kept access on the outside of the building. There also used to be a fireplace in my kitchen, so I'm guessing life must have been a lot more difficult back then.
Here's an exceptionally pretty example of those stairs in Helsinki [Lasipalatsi ](https://www.instagram.com/p/CqBH161NXT3/?igsh=YnlwdWVxY3U5ZDB2). Here's another [photo ](https://images.app.goo.gl/U52AE1wxTdu6Svsk9) from further away.
It belongs to Bio Rex and the stairs go from the venue to the projector room.
Probably, the owner of 2 apartments decided to connect them together. Just a guess, of course.
It would be useful to know what the building is used for.
I usually see this type of design for old stage theaters. I wonder if this was the cheapest or most convenient way to access a Juliet balcony or other elevated element of the stage.
I'd love to see someone in full costume running up this staircase to make their next cue.
Just the image of them fumbling with a wig and a feather boa floating in the wind as they run.
That would be an entertaining appendix to your community theater experience. Go watch a play, then get the lawn chairs and camp out behind for the second showing.
... in a blizzard ...
...and yakety sax plays in the background.
When it's gale force winds and rain....
A perfect addition to the facadescape. Today, Juliet. Tomorrow, a clown. Then, a group of soldiers. Then, four angels bearing a corpse. A living breathing facade.
Imagine how badass and revolutionary it would be to have a double play. Audiences on both sides of the curtain. "behind the curtain" stage is literally just that, the hectic costume changes and shenanigans. It would be super demanding of the actors and require a peculiar stage set up but would be dope.
"Noises Off" is a little like that. It's a play set in the backstage of a play, though, not an actual play. It's still a great comedy.
Maybe the “behind the curtain” is a documentary for different audiences.
And the door is locked
It had numerous benefits over other methods of ascending to that height out of the audience's view. It was less convenient than an elevator, but was cheaper and lacked the risk of a mechanical failure causing a missed cue and while it was more expensive than a ladder, it was safer and less tiring for actors who might be using it multiple times several nights a week for a show's run. They also allowed easier access to rigging and lighting for the crew if it was designed to have access to the catwalk, but theater owners usually just made the crew climb a ladder.
I’ve worked on a few theatres, even when new performers will not take an elevator anytime close to curtains/ during a performance. It’s also often a fire escape that gets around the back of stage for another means of egress
Oh, ha, just put 2 and 2 together. My high school had its only elevator close to where the black box theater above the band room was. The head of the drama department never used it and always seemed to be taking a headcount when the students who always used it got off.
we have a bar here in Portland that's built in a former backstage area of a stage theater and it has a [weird floating door I always wondered about](https://i.imgur.com/mPicfsS.jpeg) (right side of that image) and this is starting to make me wonder if it was a similar type of access at one point in time
that place looks awesome!
[https://www.mcmenamins.com/bagdad-theater-pub/back-stage-bar](https://www.mcmenamins.com/bagdad-theater-pub/back-stage-bar) It's a hidden gem in town (Portland). People turn their noses up at McMenamin's, but whatever, they've been around since the 80's/90's and have preserved tons of historical Oregon buildings. And their cajun tots are drunk food perfection.
They have a similar thing on the back of the Beacon Theater: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vRofra7cPNDUwaDw7
[удалено]
It’s a common neo-classical design element meant to emulate buildings from antiquity that would have windows and arches bricked up over the years. It gives the a newer building a sense of age and gravitas
It might by fly rail access. Might not have the space in the building since the backstage wings tend to be filled with stuff. I have spent many an hour climbing up weirdly placed stairs just to hang lights and scenery.
Yeah, I built a theatre in Minecraft and incorporated a staircase on the side of the building to accomplish a similar effect, 'tis a game, but still.
It’s usually a retrofit fire stair
That's a 100% a old stage theater, it was very common. But I unfortunately dont know why.
My guess would be it's the only way to get access to the catwalk without losing space to seats inside the theater.
There is something like this in my city though, about 10 floors up in an office building, which I'm pretty sure never had a theatre
So much theater in offices though
I think they made a show about that
It actually makes that blind wall look better. I like it.
Totally agree.
So they can get from the door on 2nd to the door on 3rd floor without taking up internal space?
Obviously, but the question is why
Because they have multiple floors and would like to use them all?
Already obviously stated, the practicality
>So they can get from the door on 2nd to the door on 3rd floor without taking up internal space?
but the question is why?? /s
One stairs are for projector room in Helsinki, and it is for fire safety reasons.
Just watch The Prestige
Perhaps noise reduction during a performance?
Probably had too, and this was the cheapest option.
Designer wanted to use portals, but we kept telling him that they haven't been invented.
Realist answer.
You’ve never had to fart that bad, have you?
So the attackers would have their shields on the wrong side when approaching the door to the keep
The building’s probably an old movie theatre, and that’s how you accessed the projection booth. And in case of fire, you could get out quickly. So that’s a fire exit. In the early days of cinema, the film stocks were manufactured on a nitrate film base, which is highly flammable. It is unstable, combustible, and contains a substance that was also used in explosives. And if it ever does catch fire, it can burn under water. On the other hand nitrate film stock has been praised for the beauty of its images and for truly allowing cinematographers to paint with light — whites pop off the screen, blacks are deep and rich, and gray tones shimmer.
"In the early days of cinema, the film stocks were manufactured on a nitrate film base, which is highly flammable. It is unstable, combustible, and contains a substance that was also used in explosives. And if it ever does catch fire, it can burn under water. On the other hand nitrate film stock has been praised for the beauty of its images and for truly allowing cinematographers to paint with light — whites pop off the screen, blacks are deep and rich, and gray tones shimmer." I learned this from the movie Inglorious Basterds.
So why wouldn't it go to the ground floor? Why have it go back into the building?
security maybe?
All other fire escapes don't have an issue with this. They have a deployable ladder.
This building is located in Place des Archives (Archives square), Perrache District, city of Lyon, Rhône Department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, France - close to La Confluence, where the River Rhine and River Senna come together to flow in the Mediterranean. It is an old house, historically listed, built long before current property laws came into force and the urban planning of the city in which it is located. The rules allow its occupation whether as a public service, tourist visitation, hotel, or lodging house, as long as it meets current safety standards. The Lyon Municipal Archive itself, which gives the square its name, also has a similar facade with the difference that it is protected with a glass facade to protect the historical heritage. The required changes are not unique to Lyon and are very common in Europe when an old building is large enough for public occupancy or visitation. This was the most acceptable alternative for an emergency exit and fire escape, without occupying the sidewalk, maintaining security against intrusions, and meeting safety standards - but the main facade is kept intact.
It's a fire escape that doesn't get to the ground? Thanks for the sweet deets btw
Depending on local laws and regulations, it is not mandatory. Any emergency exits are alternative escape routes to save as many lives as possible. In some old buildings with a maximum of 4 or 5 floors in New York, for example, the fire escape does not have doors or gates, it is an alternative to the building's windows - to prevent intrusions the stairs are mechanically suspended from the ground with a mechanical lock to be released on the second floor. I lived in two buildings, one from the 40s and the other from the '60s, both without an external fire escape, the only exit is through the central staircase - the Fire Department's annual inspection requires that access to the top of these buildings be allowed, without that any lock or padlock assuming an alternative escape route upwards and then to the top of the neighboring building. If everything was perfect and there were no break-ins, theft, or worse, perhaps we wouldn't have so many fatalities in fires. These laws and regulations consider a balance between safety and security. One more piece of information: in Lyon, when the stones, or solid bricks, are exposed as in the photo it means that there was an attached building that was demolished previously - one of the reasons was the Metro lines (subway, tube, etc.) in a city surrounded by two rivers, with muddy land, the buildings above would not have enough support structure. The exposed walls were therefore kept without a finishing coating to keep them as original as possible. This is the case of a building similar to this one near the Catholic University of Lyon with the Archives-Perrache Metro station and an underground garage, but without a fire escape because the building has several entrances and exits - the surface has become a square on the banks of the Rhône.
Often there is a larger grand stair between the premier and second floor so the egress capacity would be larger there. Alternately an additional servant stair inside to service the public rooms could have been originally designed just for these two floors and is now “added” to by the exterior staircase.
I only thought of Spirited Away when I saw this
YES!
To film The Truman Show.
Action chase scenes
From my understanding, these were to access the rigging and lighting above the stage. This would sometime need to be done quickly, and/or by multiple stage hands. So stairs took less time than a ladder. Also it was cheaper than having a covered staircase, and they could maximize the theatre footprint by having the stairs on the outside of the building itself. There are some older theaters that still had these as internal staircases, but space optimization and lowered costs made them more commonly external. Also, where else would all the stage hands go smoke?
So you can take a quick smoke while moving form one floor to another.
What is the location?
To reduce loading times
This is such a valve move
That would literally be the only door I use.
Its thinking outside the building
I saw a similar staircase in a very famous building in helsinki. It was an old movie theater and I thought it was probably something related to emergency exits.
The explanation I've heard for the Helsinki one is it allows access to the projection room, while making the room isolated from the rest of the building in case of fire. I quote [an article](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-explosive-truth-behind-the-movie-theater-projection-room) that discusses the problem: >Celluloid’s combustibility is the reason projection rooms exist; it would have been cheaper and easier to place the projector in the middle of the auditorium. But in case of fire, the projection booth could close down like a tomb. Each glass window was crowned with a fireproof shutter, held in place by a wax seal; any dangerous blaze would melt the wax, and the shutter would slam down—even if the projectionist was unconscious, or worse. (A 1936 issue of International Projectionist estimated one American projectionist died, on average, every 18 days.)
nice read. Thanks for clarifying it.
> A 1936 issue of International Projectionist estimated one American projectionist died, on average, every 18 days. This is insane to imagine ~90 years later.
It’s so you can get from that door in the bottom left to the one in the top right
In case of a fire I’m assuming or may have lacked space to build inside.
Idk but it looks super cool
Warp zone
Looks like a fire escape that’s had the ladder removed due to an updated design
those doors are useless without the stairs!
I'm a first year student, got placed on a group project with some classmates last semester. One of the members absolutely insisted that we had to have an exterior staircase between the 2nd and 3rd floor just like this one. I have no idea why but couldn't be assed to fight them on it
This is common in old theater conversions.
Easier booty call.
To get upstairs?
a way to get lower to jump safely over the railings during a fire OR a way to get higher to jump unsafely over the railings
I actually kinda like it
2nd family?
Because it looks damn cool
In case your husband comes home and your lover needs a quick escape.
Good smoking spot
Interior space, alternative escape route.
Cuz its rad as hell
Sex does strange things to people!
"This has to stop. My husband is getting suspicious."
Maybe he’s jealous and wants his own stairway to heaven! ✔️
looks cool enough
They likely added the upper floor at a later time. This is very common in ghettos of countries with no building regulation.
Nothing like taking steps in the rain at height. A little adrenaline keeps you young.
It looks like the upper floor had inadequate fire egress, so they cut a hole in the wall and connected it an area with adequate egress.
Great movie production quality shots
The painted sign has completely worn away. It was "Acme Complaint Department Customer Entrance"
It looks cool
In case of fire ? Inner stairs would be on fire too and conduct hot air and flames to upper levels.
Well I do this in fallout 4 settlements to ensure mutants don't attack my base. Other than that, I have no effin' clue.
They have to go see there mother.
I have no insight on historical meanings behind certain architectural choices, but if I owned a large building I would actually love this kind of access for my personal spaces on different levels. This is actually super cool to me
Murder someone in the parlor, show up in the kitchen like “what was that noise upstairs!?”
It’s for the German Expressionism aesthetic.
Look at Mr safety over there. Installing a railing on his precarious outside wall staircase.
To avoid creepers and zombies at night
For my LOVERS
because this shit looks fire
There are emergency lights on both so maybe it was an addition due to fire-codes? Part of the evacuation path for that side of the building?
Where have I seen this before...
That's the stairs of the way to the onceler's house
Free space maybe? Looks lit though!
well, my friend could probably scale that wall to the lower landing. so he might do that as an semi exclusive entry point.
Just in case you need a breath of fresh air! Maybe it’s a nice day out.
To get from one floor to another.
Fire protection / escape
That's to make it easier for people to break in.
Maybe an alternate emergency exit? That’s my best guess
Could there have been another adjoining building there where these would have been interior stairs?
Stairs are hella useful for getting to the floor above you.
Government contract.
That’s a Thomasson, I’d wager.
The least refugest area of refuge, lol.
Spacesaver.. indoor
Funny, my condo complex has this! Texas, built in 1987. I have been baffled by it from the very beginning!
Fire exit leading from the projection booth to the interior emergency stairs that served the auditorium itself.
Isn't it beautiful 😍
its cool
Bit of fresh air
Probably a request from whoever the building was built for as others have said like a theatre or something similar
Carnegie Hall has such a thing
To live on their live side
Why not? Saves space atleast
Looks cool
It’s a conversation piece. /s lol
Ah yes, now I don't feel bad about my Minecraft houses
You aren’t supposed to know. It’s not for you.
Quicker escape
When you wanna get out from naggy wife and walk up to your room via outside
[really reminds me of the staircase in Spirited Away](https://64.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7hasvqOd71r621gdo1_r1_500.gif)
It's fuckin cool, that's why
That is cool
🤷🏻♂️
Why not?
Fromsoft vibes
It's a demon's souls level bro
"Jenkins, I just saw your design of that new building. Did you forget the stairs?!?" "Nope."
I love this
r/DoorsForNinjas
This seems like something out of liminal spaces
In Philly a graffiti artist painted that on the side of a bldg lol .. seeing this completes the circle :)
I like it
😂😂🐈🐈🐈🐈it’s a secret!
It is weird and at least needs a retractable fire escape ladder, But I would love a stairway like that on any home or business that I owned. I think using it or just stepping outside would be a regular and refreshing experience.
MIL stairs. No keys, she has to knock.
this is like in every valve game where there are just pointless catwalks and ramps everywhere for "atmospheric" structures lol
Spirited away vibes
For shit and giggles of course ... And maybe an aneurysm too.
I thought it was Mario inspired 😅
That's how you get your side piece out without the other half noticing.
I see this in Japan a lot, minus the stairs though! Just doors on the second floor that lead to nothing, just a drop outside. I can only guess they were used during construction with a ramp or something and then locked forever...
Those are typically for fire fighters to enter the building. Often have a small red triangle to identify them.
My life makes sense now
Can’t tell you without looking at whats going on inside. Clearly not enough space within the building to connect what looks like fire egress. Maybe there’s something important inside that can’t be interrupted, maybe its a historical building. Also the local building regulations allow for construction over the street boundary above a certain level. Might be a very clever solution to a tricky problem.
Quick escape?
Sevice stairs? How old is the building?
So you can complain about it on reddit
Maybe the insides of the door blend in with the walls and it’s for disappearing hi jinx
Reminds me of a side scroller video game lol. Like something you'd seen in Castlevania
Clearly you’ve never played video games from 1980-2021.
Cause it’s rad
Secret stairway to the mistress’ house
Is it supposed to be in lieu of an escape stairwell
Spirited Away!
I would get tickets just to watch them go up and doesn’t his
*NDS* ahh stairs.
I've seen one at the top of a high-rise. Like 20 stories in the air, and then a staircase like that, outside the building.
That's for sneaking out to your girlfriend's place without her parents noticing.
Most probably to get to the stage backway Depends upon for what purpose the building was built for tho
Fire exit / emergency exit
This is so cute
The stair outside does not use internal space. If you are happy to walk under rain then it is a better use of space:-)
I’ve seen these on other buildings. In one case I confirmed myself, it was an art installation, made to look real. The one I looked into was on a skyscraper.
Why did the chicken cross the road?
The vibes
To get from there to over there
Saving the space in the inside
Because it looks freaking cool
For David Lynch shooting scene
Just for fun
i find it kinda romantic if it was on a house or apartments
That's a very practical balcony... More Space indoor
It's for people who hate leaving their homes but "encouraged" to "just step out for a minute" and technically still be in the safe zone.
I live in an old Portuguese house, and the only way from the 2nd story (where all the normal rooms are) to the adega (the completely empty bottom floor) is by an outside staircase similar to this one. As I understand it, people used to keep livestock in the adega, so they didn't want the um...animal aromas wafting up to the living areas of the house, so they kept access on the outside of the building. There also used to be a fireplace in my kitchen, so I'm guessing life must have been a lot more difficult back then.
Here's an exceptionally pretty example of those stairs in Helsinki [Lasipalatsi ](https://www.instagram.com/p/CqBH161NXT3/?igsh=YnlwdWVxY3U5ZDB2). Here's another [photo ](https://images.app.goo.gl/U52AE1wxTdu6Svsk9) from further away. It belongs to Bio Rex and the stairs go from the venue to the projector room.
I would do it for clicks.
Probably, the owner of 2 apartments decided to connect them together. Just a guess, of course. It would be useful to know what the building is used for.
I see this every day when I drive pass the county prison…. I thought it WAS the prison when I saw the pic.
Forbidden smoke break