How do you decorate a fire escape? While we never really gave much thought to sprucing up our exterior ladder system, this shock of color and texture has a huge appeal to us---we love the unexpected addition to an often mundane feature...
Inspiration: Tuft Vs. Turf
Brian Jobe, a sculptor that is primarily inspired by systems found in nature (think fractals), has created this installation of zip ties on a fire escape balcony, titled Tuft Vs. Turf. Arranged with precise uniformity, the addition of bright yellow zip ties gives the railing a shocking color treatment coupled with a seemingly furry texture.
While this is categorically an art installation, we are not closed off of the idea of applying a similar treatment to different areas of our home! This idea breeds many others in our minds...
Comments (13)
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Fire escapes are not balconies. Most cities have ordinances against decorating them, or even using them for any purpose other than escaping a fire.
If you decorate it or put a grill out there, you will probably be asked to remove it by the fire department eventually, and possibly fined by the city.
Of course, you might get away with it for years too, and most people do. But you should find out what the penalty is before you do it.
view snv's profile
..."this is categorically an art installation"
view Design Me's profile
since the zip tie installation isn't impeding the escape route at all, i don't see how something like this would be a problem. i think it's great and probably makes a few passers by smile or at least double take-love it!
view mariah's profile
I wouldn't want to draw attention to my fire escape...Call me paranoid
view boxerchick's profile
Ever seen what liquefied plastic does to the skin?
http://www.kubatana.net/html/archive/hr/080422viol4.jpg
from:
http://www.kubatana.net/html/archive/hr/080422viol.asp?sector=ELEC
I personally have a very small scar from stupidity over 40 years ago. Nothing funny, decorative, or amusing about it.
view #9's profile
Weirdly unnecessary...
view JeffC's profile
#9, why the heck would you post those links? This is a design site, not necessarily a forum for random politics. Besides, the zip ties installation had nothing to do with liquifying plastic.
view peahen's profile
It will if they ever catch fire.
view sunspot42's profile
I love it - it's bold, lightweight, textural, weatherproof, not damaging to the building and not impeding the function of the fire escape.
view Blandwagon's profile
There is a reason most people in urban areas have not decorated their "dreary" fire escapes: it's illegal.
Often fireman will be entering an apartment via ladder that is cranked UP to a fire escape from the exterior. I'm sure they will appreciate burning melting plastic dripping on their faces as they try to save your life. (Nor will your neighbors as they are trying to escape.)
Decorating fire escape = Bad idea
view razzo's profile
Have to agree. Whatever aesthetic value the decoration may have 99.9 percent of the time is far outweighed by the potential for making a bad situation far, far worse in the event of a fire.
As snv stated, a fireplace is not a balcony.
view mirandabee's profile
FYI, this art installation was not a permanent visual on the balcony of the gallery. It had a limited 'visual run' and has since been cut off. Why not enjoy the joy of the moment and not look for the worst-case-fire-scenario. Did anyone complain about the drapped art installation that flowed through Central Park a couple of years ago? Enjoy the art!
view artmom's profile
drapped?
view mirandabee's profile