Splitting the Difference

One of the most fascinating things about living in a different culture is observing a brand new solution to a problem you never even thought there was a different solution to. This is an elevator panel in the Groothandelsgebouw, the office building where I work in Rotterdam.  

Ignore for the moment the -1 and the 0 ... that isn't the point of this particular post. In the Netherlands the ground floor is usually labeled B, BV, or 0 which is short for benedenverdieping. The first floor is the floor above the ground floor. The -1 is the basement.  
OK now STOP thinking about 0 and -1 and focus your attention upon the 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8 ... this is where it gets interesting.
This is a 9 floor building with a basement. In North America that would mean an elevator with 10 distinct stopping points. B, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

As with most buildings this building has an open and functional stairwell. As with most buildings to go from one floor to the next is two flights. You go up, round the corner and then go up again.

In this building they've offset this by adding one additional flight at the beginning. Confused yet?

You get off the elevator BETWEEN floors. For example you exit the elevator on the landing between floors 1 and 2 and then walk up or down one short flight of stairs to get to your floor.

So what's the point? By making this change instead of requiring an elevator with 10 distinct stops you have an elevator with only 6 distinct stops.

I can't say this for certain because I am not an elevator engineer ... but I can imagine that the overall cost savings in a building this like is HUGE. Less hardware, less doors, less maintenance; and this is one of perhaps 8 elevators like it in this large office building.

I never would have thought of this solution, but I imagine it saved a bundle of money during construction and in ongoing maintenance.