Cover To design enthusiasts, curved escalators can be an exciting sight. Here’s where you can find them. (Photo: Make Archictects / Instagram)
To design enthusiasts, curved escalators can be an exciting sight. Here’s where you can find them. (Photo: Make Archictects / Instagram)
1 / 1
Few curved escalators exist globally—visit these locations to see them in the wild
Curved escalators are both an engineering feat and an architectural spectacle, snaking their way through malls, hotels and landmarks with a theatrical sweep rarely seen in public infrastructure. First developed in the 1980s, curved escalators are so complex to build that they remain exceedingly rare, with only a few scattered globally. For the design-loving traveller or the engineering enthusiast, seeking out these elusive moving staircases is a journey in itself. Here’s where you’ll actually find them.
Read more: The future of architecture: 5 sustainable buildings changing the skyline
Why are curved escalators so rare?
Curved escalators are exceptionally rare due to their complex engineering and manufacturing demands. Unlike regular escalators, they require intricate mechanisms to synchronise step movement on curved paths, involving specialised chains, rails and handrails crafted with extreme precision. The engineering challenges—such as differing step speeds and exact handrail curvature—make design, production, installation and maintenance costly and complicated. Regulatory hurdles add to the difficulty, limiting curved escalators mostly to prestigious venues willing to invest in their unique spatial and aesthetic appeal.
1. New World Daimaru, Shanghai
Above Curved escalators at New World Daimaru, Shanghai
The Daimaru department store in Shanghai claims the world’s largest collection of curved escalators, with 12 units forming an architectural centrepiece. These winding escalators span seven stories, offering a panoramic ride impossible with straight equivalents. They’re both a practical solution to space and a bold visual statement.
2. Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
Above These spiral escalators match the pomp-and-flair energy of Las Vegas.
Nothing says Vegas excess like the Forum Shops’s spiral escalators at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. One of just three in the United States, these curved escalators elevate shopping to spectacle, providing a twist—literally—on the usual retail experience.
3. The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, Macau
Above The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, Macau (Photo: Mitsubishi Electric)
The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, Macau (Photo: Mitsubishi Electric)
1 / 1
The Venetian Macao, famed for extravagance and interesting design choices, makes use of curved escalators to transport guests between its lavish gaming and shopping floors. With energy and foot traffic to match, the curved escalators add both form and function.
4. Landmark Plaza, Yokohama
In Japan, where ingenuity often meets public infrastructure, Landmark Plaza’s curved escalators connect shoppers with Yokohama’s Landmark Tower. The ride is fluid, quiet and curiously hypnotic—a classic Japanese solution to both aesthetic and spatial challenges.
5. Westfield San Francisco Centre, San Francisco
Above Curved escalators at Westfield Centre
San Francisco’s Westfield Centre houses a rare example outside Asia, where the curved escalator complements the mall’s sweeping architecture and lets visitors glide stylishly between floors.
6. Coming Soon at Harrods, London
Curved escalators are about to make their grand entrance in the United Kingdom. Harrods, London’s retail temple, is set to become the first in Britain and Europe to install them as part of a multimillion-pound renovation, so mark your calendars for a step into the future.
Curved escalators remain the crown jewel of moving staircases, adding a touch of spectacle across the world’s shopping and entertainment centres. With their seamless blend of form and function, they transform the everyday act of transit into a moment of architectural theatre—proof that even the most utilitarian elements of a building can inspire awe.
Topics
Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
