In the world of access, there are a few common things we are all aware of. We know that all new buildings need to comply with the National Construction Code (NCC) and the Australian Standards (AS 1428.1, 2009), which require a continuous accessible path of travel to be provided to and within a building. As the NCC and AS outline, this can be achieved by providing a level, step-free threshold transition (the preferred method), a compliant walkway, step ramp or 1 in 14 ramped accessway, or by using a low-rise platform lift to provide access into the building.
But what do we do when we are presented with a different type of entry point challenge? What solution can we apply to an existing building that, due to building constraints, does not allow for a ramp or platform lift to be provided at the principal pedestrian entry point of the building? Or when we encounter a building that is heritage registered?
Presenting the Sesame lift!
The Sesame lift provides wheelchair access for buildings where it is difficult to install a traditional platform lift or ramp. Designed to blend into a building's architecture, the Sesame lift is invisible and features a superimposed staircase. When access is required, the user pushes a button, allowing the steps to retract back into the staircase, revealing a vertical platform lift to facilitate compliant access.
Invented in the United Kingdom, the first Sesame lift was installed in 1997 at Merchant Taylors Hall in London and is still operational today. To date, the Sesame lift has been installed globally in over 200 buildings that boast significant heritage value, such as Westminster and Oxford Universities in the UK, Sotheby’s Auction House in France, the Seattle Space Needle, and our iconic Sydney Opera House, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sesame lift user Nadia Clarke shows how the system works at the Sydney Opera House.
It is possible to install the Sesame lift at the principal entry point of heritage-listed buildings that only allow stair access. Sesame Access System, the company behind the lift system, currently has three lift types that may be installed for listed buildings depending on the building constraints, including:
- Short rise retracting stair lift
- Horizontal retracting stair lift rise greater than 1000 millimetres
- Vertically retracting wheelchair lift
Each Sesame lift is specially fitted to ensure it blends seamlessly into the required space and complements each building's architectural facade elements. Care is taken to ensure the existing stairs transition into the new stair lift, maintaining the look and feel of each building down to the last detail. Whether the Sesame lift needs to fit a straight stair or curved stair flight, the engineering and design are versatile enough to suit any building, facade or entrance.
For designers and builders looking for solutions to tricky heritage-listed building challenges, the Sesame lift could be the solution you are looking for to ensure that compliant, equitable access is provided to and within an existing heritage building. Talk to us to learn more about innovative accessibility solutions and how they can be applied to your next project.