I have a strange job description, the most strange part of it is that it's non-existent. I simply baby-sit the project from beginning to end. I'm the one-man-band architect. The jack of all trades but the master of.....oops, let's put that aside for the moment.
Anyway, now I'm at a stage in one of the projects (or the poor project is at one stage with me), that I need to procure ELEVATORS. Yes, you heard that right. See, any elevator has finished walls; most of time ornate with combination of mirrors, wooden arabesque, or hairline stainless steel patterns. Or the elevator could simply be a panoramic one where you'd have to think of a transparent material that could bend nicely (glass usually gets wavy when it's bent). And don't forget the flooring, the indicator panels and the call buttons please, they're part of the overall color-scheme/finishes of the building. So you see, there's lots of architecture in an elevator.
But compared with the other things that come together to make an elevator (shit, that sounded like one of the stuck-up presenters of Business Breakfast), architecture is a very small part. There are many many features and options available that you could almost get lost. Fuzzy Logic, triple-action algorithm, destination-controlled elevators....etc.... You can always resort to the main stream, safe and least problematic features, but where's the fun in that? if everyone doing a task X ended up doing it exactly like the guy who'd last done it, task X would never move forward.
ehmm.. so yours truly is trying to do things a little more creatively; so I'm going to ask you, dear readers, to tell me about your own experiences with elevators; the pleasant ones and the bad ones. And give me suggestions: do you, for instance, propose an internal glass partition within every elevator to segregate men from women? or are you a proponent of defining elevators, like tellers' counters at Carrefuer, on the basis of sex, age, weight... and probably smell?
Can't wait to hear from you...
______________________
P.S. the project I'm working at is a 4-stars Shari'a-complied hotel.
25 comments:
What I know is that all elevators here in Japan "talk". They tell you where they're going, what floor it is, the door is closing, please be careful. Etc.
Our new elevator at the uni even has an LCD that displays the date and some basic weather info.
And oh yeah, they all have cameras :)
Well Yazan, you're in Japan. The bastion of modern elevators' industry. The voice sounds like a practical idea. Especially in a vast crowded elevator where a short guy is shoved to the back and can't see the digital position indicator!
I've seen some lifts here with LCDs in them, but instead of weather reports they show commercials. Dubai FTW!
i HATE elevators. with a vengence. im claustrophobic. but i still have to use them, because more often than not, i dont have a choice. when i do, i take the stairs. which are equally claustrophobic, but less so.
the elevators at madinat jumeirah are nice, they have mirrors covered in wood, are well lit - albiet a bit small...
i loath the elevators at dubai mall, they are too small and too few and too slow. i hate the elevators in burjuman (the old one) - they look like cages.
i like the ones at emirates towers, unless you dont like heights - the ones at the fairmont are nice too. again, glass facades... size wise, the ones at burj al arab are decent... but kinda gaudy.
hope that helps :D
Thanks Hemlock :)
I’m aware of some of those elevators you’ve mentioned. Well, for some reasons, my memory doesn’t register elevators well. Don’t know why. But I do remember the ones at Madinat with the PA system and the nice Arabesque. I’m a proponent of using the stairs, claustrophobic or otherwise. I live 6 levels above the basement where I park my car, and , believe or not, I get excited every time the twin lifts get sick (and they do that frequently). I charge up the stairs like the iron man. Two-three steps at a time. by the time I reach three quarters of the way I’m panting like crazy. I’m almost sick and praying for the lifts to get well soon.
Excuse me ... but what the hell is a "Shari'a-complied hotel"??? I never knew Shari'a covered the hospitality industry, but since they do I want to know the rules.
Talking elevators are too annoying Yazan, at least the English ones which had a contest for most annoying voice, which they then recorded in a loop: "doors opening" ... "doors closing" ... and other riveting information of the type.
Apart from mirrors (assuming they are shari'a compliant), I think we need elevators which don't give you a static shock every time you touch a button. It happens more than you know.
Rime, a Shari'a-complied hotel is basically a 'dry' hotel. No alcohol served. And no 'lewd' activities allowed.
Some families feel more comfortable staying in such hotels.
I don't know how I feel about it. But if people need such services, then there must be providers.
Excellent point about static shocks, I will certainly see to that!
I believe one of the key things in an elevator is how ventilated it is. I have gone through one too many wonderfully ornate elevators that suffocated me to death. A whirring fan in the middle isn't good enough, how about 4 small ones, on the corners?
You can incorporate some "green" element in the elevator - probably have side with a glass panel with plastic vegetation or water with one some artificial fish. If the hotel is particularly tall, you can have a wall instead displaying an image the front page of a newspaper. That way the hotel can have some elevator sponsorship loool.
The talking elevator in festival city freaks me out, mostly because of the robotic tone.
The floor button layout is important too! As well as the shapes. Instead of round or square try a different look.
BTW it would be nice if the talking robot in the elevator says nice things, like, you look handsome today, enjoy your stay, please come again (if going to the G floor), etc.
Thanks DJ, I didn't even think about the alcohol. As for lewd behavior, I don't know how they can define or enforce it, as couples must generally show they're married in all, or most, Arab countries.
You're right about answering the market need though - in fact there are still loads of money to be made in the industry (which remains to be names appropriately).
KJ's point on ventilation: YES!
Hi KJ,
Ventilation is imperative, isn't it? I don't know about a fan at each corner, I'll have to look into that. Most of lifts I've been in were well vent'ed. But then I haven't been to too many towers. I think with your stint at the Shaza tower you've got much more experience on me. :) I thought of a fish tank, but then the water might start sloshing around and some crazy greenpeace nuttjobs might even accuse us of fish abuse. But I'm seriously considering some green elements to humanize the confined space a little. Lifts have this creepy, industrial reputation to them. Let's see if that could be changed a little. ....
That is, of course, if the client doesn't stonewall at the end.
Rime,
Actually, I don't think couples are required to show marriage certificates in most of Dubai hotels. I'm not sure though, haven't tried it myself. lol
As far as I know, it goes for Arab couples at hotels in Arab countries. At least it used to a few years ago, I should have been more precise.
Try it and let us know. :)
There's nothing worse than pushing the wrong floor button and then having to stop on that floor.
Some elevators have buttons that you can push twice to cancel the floor like the ones in Dubai Marina 1.
That elevator array that they had in there was one of the best that I've ever seen - whoever programmed those ones got it right.
There were 4 elevators in our tower (Al Mesk) and when they were not in use, they were programmed to each stop on a different level of the building, so that someone called one, the closest elevator to that floor would respond.
We never had to wait long for one to arrive.
And no muzak or TVs - that's just silly!
Oh - and on each floor outside the elevators, have some indicators which show what floor each elevator is on, so that people waiting can tell which elevator should arrive first.
Will you be required to put in a ladies' only elevator into the hotel, DJ?
Rime, I'll do that :)
I think an elevator should be the place to encourage lewd behavior since proper behavior is required outside.
Mirrors on the ceiling and the floor.Aphrodisiac sprays. Suggestive music. Voice instructions with a Mamhoun voice... stuff like that.
You want people to get into the elevator and not wanting to get out to the boring fuckedup world outside.
Jazza,
in your description you forgot the ceilings...
and since it's Sharia compliant hotel I suggest you make it a real good teetotalling Muslim lift, with black burqa cloth on the walls, and of course, no glass floors!
NZM,
I think (without referring back to my notes!), that this option is called ‘retractable floor call’ or something like that. It’s listed in the various offers as ‘optional’. This is probably why not all elevators have it.
Usually a bank (or a group) of elevators will work together. They have a mutual understanding about the division of labor between them. Like a football team. They call that an ‘algorithm’ based on ‘fuzzy logic’. And the more number of elevators you have in a single group the more complicated the algorithm is. I tried to understand it, but it’s really tough. It’s like trying to solve a 3 third-power equations with 3 variables. And this is why they call it ‘fuzzy logic’. One of the variables in this case being time. And this is more applicable in office towers where, for example, at around 8 AM the lifts will make the ground floor its default stop. And so on.
As for the women only elevator; I really hope not. But I’m making an assumption here that only conservative Muslim women may not feel very comfortable in a close quarters with strangers. But the sentiment may be general and shared across the board….
Abu Fares,
If I could choose to have only one super power, I’d like to be able to read minds. Imagine if I could tell if some of my regular female travel companions in a lift had the same naughty thoughts as mine?
Lewd activities would be forthcoming.
Nick,
I also think that lifts shouldn’t vibrate too much. Might put some women at an awkward position.
DJ =P it's not just about conservative women. im hardly conservative, but there are times when i find elevator occupants to be total creeps, and stop to take the next one instead. =P
just means i have self preservation instincts and dont like to be mind-stripped. =P
at the same time, a women's only lift would be such a waste of some great opportunities.
just make sure leon is not allowed on your lifts.
You know, hemlock's point is true, there are times I just don't want to get into an elevator with some of the men seen hovering around it, especially when it's a long ride, especially when you're alone. Especially in our region where some men think ignoring them or scowling is actually an encouragement and an indication of how hot they are! If I'm not in a hurry, and in no mood to put the guy in his place, I simply wait for another one.
Of course, Abufares totally misses the Sharia point and has been watching too many movies. :)
The point about floors: in Cairo, in the huge City Stars mall in Heliopolis, you choose your floor outside the elevator, there are no buttons inside. I first found it annoying and many people (myself included) at first just walked in and searched in vain for the buttons. After a few times, you get the hang of it and realize it actually is not a bad idea.
DJ, I'm beginning to like your job, I never thought I'd be so interested in a discussion about elevators.
Hemlock,
Just a quick recap on your point about claustrophobia: rest assured that most elevators are much much more safe than most people think. There’s absolutely nothing to worry about.
Opportunity? Hmmm, I don’t know. So when do you guys make up your mind if your fellow passenger is a creep or an opportunity? Before pushing the call button? After getting in? or after you see his nicely formed back-side in the mirror? :) as you could tell, I’m dying to know.
I think the women-only lift is a good idea, but the client (the guy who’s much more religious than I am) thinks it’s ‘too much’, and not ‘Dubai-like’!
Spot on Rime!
That system at the Heliopolis Mall is called 'destination-control system'. Developed by one of the leading elevator manufacturers in the world. It seems, as they claim, it makes lifts in busy office towers 30% more efficient. But then there's a factor of disruption as one person might call a destination for more than himself and get the elevator's computer thinking that there is a crowd at the said floor, so the elevator would avoid it until it has a space for two (or three, or whatever that cheating person had called for).
You could read more about it here. (got to warn you though, it's boring!)
I think a monitoring camera should be enough to deter the creeps from advancing their cause, but then, I think, it should be announce very clearly that the lift is monitored by a camera, lest unsuspecting females (and hell, even males) do crazy things while they're alone in there!
wow. i missed all the comments on this post!
personally i like the destination preset elevators.. good for a low rise building of say upto 6 floors.
you select the floor you want to go to from the start (outside the lift) and you just walk into the lift it tells you. then the lift takes you to where you wanna go.
we used to have it in arup hq in london.
the good thing is that it's smarter and more efficient that letting humans decide where to go. and also it stops the fecking muppets who press the up AND down buttons when they wanna go in just one direction. thus wasting time and power.
lol someone mentioned putting plants to make it "green".. if by green they mean sustainable then plants are pretty useless!!! lol
to make it sustainable then make it use less power, make it recyclable, easily servicable, no toxic materials, etc..
as for farts.. btw, that's my biggest phobia at work. i use the stairs all the time coz the last few times i used the lift, they were being farted in, and boy it takes AGES to clear. also body odor.. yukkkkkk
Hala Bu Jassem, always good to have you here whether late or not :)
I hate these douches too, I mean, it's counterproductive for them as well, push the damn button for the direction you're going to!
Re: farts, it goes both ways. It's literally a pleasure riding my buildings' elevator in the morning, because even I didn't bump into the hotel staffers who live here while in their way to work, at least I'd smell their perfumes!
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