Piano Stairs

How can we promote more people to be healthy and opt for the stairs, as opposed to less active modes like the escalator? To tackle such problems, Wolkswagen started an initiative called “The Fun Theory” in 2009, focused on nudging people’s behaviors for the better by making the activity irresistibly fun.

One of their projects, the Piano Stairs, is aimed at the question posed above. A team installed the piano stairs overnight in the Odenplan subway in Stockholm, Sweden using sensors and sound actuators. Not only is the stairwell visually appealing, but it also functions like an oversized piano! Each level of stairs corresponds to a note on the piano and it plays as someone steps on a key. In fact, “through the interactive steps the staircase successfully persuaded and motivated 66% more people to use the stairs instead of the escalator throughout the day.”

I think it’s fascinating that making such a small change in the interaction can influence some people to triumph over their laziness and tendency for convenience. It would be interesting to see other installations using this approach to promote a healthier lifestyle, and observe whether these changes can have longterm, lasting effects in the users.

To see the Piano Stairs in action, click here.