I love the aesthetic of elevator controls
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14 comments
Jul 05, 2009
David McClain said...
I wonder why they didn't just put the braille on the button? Seems odd to make someone read the floor number on an arbitrary label rather than the button.
Jul 05, 2009
albertycheng said...
Why repeat the numbers?
Jul 05, 2009
dustin curtis said...
Yeah, it seems very odd that they repeat the numbers. My assumption is that the elevator designers did not anticipate the actual buttons being numbered, so they built them into the frame. When the parts were ordered, someone ordered off-the-shelf numbered buttons.
Jul 05, 2009
Sachin Agarwal said...
I really loved one set of elevator buttons (can't remember where!) that let you deselect a floor by pressing the same button a second time.
Jul 06, 2009
Boris said...
It'd be pretty funny if someone switched a few of the buttons. =P
Jul 06, 2009
agnt_neo said...
@Sachin Agarwal - All elevators ive ridden have controls that lets you deselect a floor by pressing it twice :)
Jul 06, 2009
John Dunham said...
The non-button numbers look to be raised, so i think they repeat the numbers for that small group that can't see _or_ read braille. As for braille on the buttons, what percent of elevator users are blind? Small, right? Moving the braille to the buttons would mean 99+% of users would have to touch braille rather than smooth buttons, creating a both a cleaning and wear-out issue, BICBW :-).
Jul 07, 2009
Fontanel_Thomas said...
Love the twitter comment option!
Jul 07, 2009
sito_ said...
I always stare at them to see if the numbers match.
Jul 08, 2009
Felix Desroches said...
I would guess that the arrangement has something to do with if/when the lights go out..easier to see.
Jul 14, 2009
Odd Rune said...
@David McClain: My theory on the braille is that you'd want to have it on metal instead of plastic (the buttons), since the plastic is a lot softer and will get worn down fast.
Jul 14, 2009
Odd Rune said...
@David McClain: My theory on the braille is that you'd want to have it on metal instead of plastic (the buttons), since the plastic is a lot softer and will get worn down fast.
Jul 15, 2009
jrome said...
My father worked his whole life in the elevator industry, so I've spent most of my life looking at elevator keypads and doors, and floors... Good observation - UI in elevators can never be too complicated or panic ensues once the doors slide shut. Dover Elevators have the nicest buttons.
Jul 16, 2009
ys2n said...
The braille and the white number are one piece, probably made generically to fit various models of elevator control panel. This elevator happened to already have numbered plastic buttons. The design of the plates was probably a compromise favoring generic utility over design in context (Or someone ordered the wrong plates).As point of comparison, look at the login buttons on this blog's comments to login via posterous or twitter. The text in the buttons repeat the "login" text, because they need to cover the wide variety of contexts where they will be put on a page. A similar compromise is going on.
