Rethinking the building code to allow single-stairwell buildings brought more small-lot, mid-rise apartments to the city—and sparked a wider reform movement.

Tom McGee began climbing stairs for exercise 20 years ago as part of an effort to stay off cigarettes. It hasn't always been easy: His climbs in hotel ...

Home improvement expert April Wilkerson masters complex geometry by demonstrating a manageable way to construct a set of elegant curved steps.