About This Resource
The Penrose stairs (or Penrose steps) is an impossible object created by geneticist Lionel Penrose and his son mathematician Roger Penrose in 1959. The two-dimensional drawing depicts a staircase that forms a continuous loop, appearing to ascend or descend forever without gaining or losing elevation. The concept famously influenced M.C. Escher's lithograph 'Ascending and Descending' (1960). The impossible staircase has appeared in films, architecture theory, and discussions of perception and reality. While impossible to construct in three dimensions, the concept influences architectural design and represents the cultural fascination with staircases beyond their functional purpose.
