Types, Design and Planning
1. Introduction
Lifts, also known as elevators, are an essential part of vertical transportation in many residential, commercial, institutional, healthcare and high-rise buildings. They allow occupants, visitors, staff, patients and goods to move between floors safely and efficiently.
From an architectural perspective, a lift is more than a mechanical installation. It affects the building’s core layout, circulation patterns, usable floor area, structural design, accessibility, fire strategy, energy consumption and long-term maintenance.
Selecting an appropriate lift system therefore requires coordination between the architect, structural engineer, electrical and mechanical consultants, lift manufacturer, client and relevant approving authorities.
A residential apartment building may need a compact passenger lift, while a hospital may require bed and service lifts. A high-rise office building may need several lift groups, destination-control technology or separate service zones.
This guide explains the major lift systems used in buildings, their working principles, architectural applications, planning considerations and coordination requirements.
2. What is a lift system?
A lift system is a powered vertical transportation installation that moves people or goods between designated levels within a building. It consists of the lift car, hoisting or driving equipment, guide rails, doors, controls, safety devices, electrical systems and the associated shaft or hoistway.
The complete system also includes the spaces and interfaces needed for installation and operation, such as the pit, overhead clearance, machine space where required, landing lobbies and maintenance access.
The term lift system describes the combined equipment and its building interfaces, rather than just the lift car.
Why are lifts important in buildings?
- Vertical circulation: Connects multiple floors without requiring occupants to use stairs for every journey.
- Accessibility: Supports movement for wheelchair users, older people and others who cannot comfortably use stairs, subject to appropriate design.
- Operational efficiency: Helps move employees, visitors, deliveries, equipment and supplies.
- Space planning: Influences the arrangement of the core, corridors, lobbies and adjoining rooms.
- Building functionality: Supports the operation of hospitals, hotels, offices, shopping centres and other buildings with different movement requirements.
A lift does not replace the need for appropriately designed stairs or the required means of escape.
3. Main types of lift systems in buildings
Lift systems can be classified according to their driving mechanism, intended use, location and control arrangement. These classifications overlap: for example, a passenger lift may use a machine-room-less traction system.
3.1 Classification by driving mechanism
| Lift system | Working principle | Typical applications | Main consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traction lift | A motor-driven sheave moves suspension ropes or belts connected to the car and counterweight | Residential, commercial and high-rise buildings | Requires coordinated shaft, overhead and equipment arrangements |
| Hydraulic lift | A hydraulic system raises the car using a piston or cylinder arrangement | Selected low-rise buildings and specialist applications | Requires space for hydraulic equipment and careful evaluation of energy and travel requirements |
| Machine-room-less (MRL) lift | Usually a traction system with drive equipment located within the hoistway or another designated integrated space | Residential and commercial buildings | Saves a separate machine room but still requires compliant equipment and maintenance access |
| Drum or winding-drum lift | A motor-driven drum winds or unwinds suspension ropes | Limited or specialist applications | Suitability depends on the equipment, travel, load and applicable standards |
Important distinction: MRL describes the equipment arrangement, not a separate lifting principle. Most MRL products use traction technology. Likewise, traction and hydraulic systems should not be assumed to have universal height limits; selection depends on the specific product, rated load, travel and operating requirements.
3.2 Traction lifts
Traction lifts operate through friction between a powered sheave and the suspension ropes or belts. In a common arrangement, the lift car and counterweight move in opposite directions.
The counterweight helps balance the system, reducing the drive effort required compared with lifting the car and its load without balancing.
Traction lifts may be geared or gearless. Gearless machines are commonly used in modern high-performance systems, including many high-rise applications.
Architectural advantages
- Suitable for a broad range of building heights and uses.
- Can provide efficient operation when properly selected and controlled.
- Available in machine-room and machine-room-less configurations.
Planning considerations
- Coordinate the hoistway dimensions and overhead clearance with the selected equipment.
- Check the pit depth and any structural requirements for machine support and reactions.
- Reserve access for installation, inspection and maintenance.
- Evaluate passenger traffic rather than selecting equipment solely by rated speed.
3.3 Hydraulic lifts
Hydraulic lifts use a pump, hydraulic fluid and a cylinder arrangement to raise the lift car. The exact configuration depends on the equipment design.
They may be suitable for selected low-rise buildings, particularly where their operational characteristics and equipment layout fit the project.
Advantages
- Can suit certain low-rise and specialist installations.
- May offer useful flexibility in equipment arrangement.
- Can be considered where a traction installation is not the preferred solution.
Limitations
- Hydraulic equipment requires dedicated space and maintenance.
- Energy use, heat rejection, fluid management and environmental risks require evaluation.
- The operating characteristics and feasible travel must be checked against the manufacturer’s design.
Hydraulic lifts are not automatically the cheapest or most energy-efficient option. The full installation and operating costs should be compared for the particular building.
3.4 Machine-room-less lifts
An MRL lift eliminates a separate conventional machine room by integrating the driving equipment into the lift installation.
This can benefit buildings where roof space or dedicated equipment rooms are constrained. However, it does not eliminate the need for maintenance clearances, safe access, structural supports, ventilation or other equipment-specific provisions.
Before adopting an MRL system, the architect should confirm the manufacturer’s required shaft dimensions, pit, overhead clearance, access strategy and maintenance arrangements.
4. Types of lifts according to their function
| Lift type | Primary purpose | Typical buildings | Key planning requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger lift | Everyday movement of occupants and visitors | Apartments, offices, hotels | Passenger capacity, waiting time and accessibility |
| Goods or freight lift | Transporting materials and heavy goods | Warehouses, factories, commercial buildings | Rated load, loading dimensions and handling routes |
| Hospital bed lift | Moving patients on beds or stretchers | Hospitals and healthcare facilities | Bed and attendant clearance, smooth operation and emergency requirements |
| Service lift | Moving staff, supplies, housekeeping equipment or other operational loads | Hotels, offices, hospitals | Separation of public and service circulation where appropriate |
| Fire-service lift | Providing protected access for firefighters where required | Buildings subject to applicable fire requirements | Dedicated fire-safety provisions, controls, power and protected access |
| Evacuation lift | Supporting planned evacuation under an appropriate, specifically designed strategy | Selected buildings where required or designed | Fire protection, power resilience, controls and an approved evacuation strategy |
| Dumbwaiter | Moving small goods without transporting passengers | Restaurants, hotels, libraries and service areas | Suitable loading openings and separation from occupied circulation |
A lift’s name alone does not establish compliance. Fire-service and evacuation functions require purpose-designed equipment and an appropriate building fire strategy. Ordinary passenger lifts should not automatically be treated as evacuation lifts.
4.1 Passenger lifts
Passenger lifts are designed for transporting people between floors. Their selection depends on expected occupancy, number of floors served, peak demand, accessibility, available space and the required level of service.
In apartment buildings, the design must consider daily residential movement, visitor traffic and the consequences of one lift being out of service.
In office buildings, concentrated morning arrivals, lunch periods and evening departures can create short periods of high demand. These patterns should inform lift traffic analysis.
4.2 Goods and freight lifts
Goods lifts transport materials, equipment, stock and other loads. Their design depends on the maximum load and the physical size of the items being transported.
A warehouse lift may need to accommodate pallets and handling equipment, whereas a retail service lift may primarily carry stock trolleys.
The architect should coordinate loading access, door clearances, floor levels, turning space, delivery routes and the structural loads specified by the lift supplier.
4.3 Hospital bed lifts
Hospital lifts require careful coordination with the hospital’s functional planning.
Designers should consider:
- Bed and stretcher dimensions.
- Attendant and medical-equipment space.
- Door width and clear opening.
- The movement of patients from wards to diagnostic, treatment and emergency areas.
- Cleaning, infection-control procedures and the separation of clean and soiled flows where required.
- Emergency power and lift availability in accordance with the hospital’s operational and safety requirements.
The lift’s rated load alone does not determine whether it is appropriate for hospital use. Its usable internal dimensions and the full patient-transfer route are equally important.
5. Lift components and their architectural significance
Your existing article, About the Lift and Their Components, already addresses the principal components. The following summary focuses on why they matter during architectural planning. See the existing lift-components guide.
| Component | Function | Architectural coordination |
|---|---|---|
| Lift car | Carries passengers or goods | Internal dimensions, finish, capacity and accessibility |
| Hoistway or shaft | Encloses and guides lift movement | Clear internal dimensions, structural walls and fire protection |
| Landing doors | Provide controlled access at each served floor | Door opening, lobby layout and circulation clearance |
| Guide rails | Guide the car and, where applicable, the counterweight | Fixings, supporting structure and alignment |
| Suspension system | Supports and moves the car in applicable lift designs | Equipment arrangement and supplier-defined loads |
| Drive machine | Provides the force for movement | Equipment location, support, access and noise control |
| Counterweight | Balances the car in conventional traction systems | Required shaft arrangement and clearances |
| Lift pit | Accommodates equipment and clearances below the lowest landing | Foundation coordination, waterproofing and access |
| Overhead space | Provides required clearance above the highest landing | Roof and headroom coordination |
| Controls and safety equipment | Manage movement, door operation and protective functions | Electrical coordination, access and compliance |
The architect should use approved, project-specific manufacturer drawings rather than generic diagrams to finalise dimensions, openings and structural interfaces.
6. Lift planning and design considerations
Lift planning should begin during concept design, not after the floor plans and structural grid have been frozen.
6.1 Building type and occupancy
Different buildings have different movement patterns.
| Building type | Main design concern |
|---|---|
| Residential apartment building | Daily resident movement, accessibility and lift availability |
| Office building | Morning arrival and evening departure peaks |
| Shopping centre | Visitor movement, goods deliveries and connections between retail levels |
| Hotel | Guest circulation, housekeeping, luggage and service movement |
| Hospital | Bed transfers, patient priorities, emergency operations and service separation |
| Industrial building | Goods dimensions, rated load and operational logistics |
| High-rise building | Lift zoning, waiting time, travel time and the relationship between core and usable floor area |
The number of lifts cannot be established reliably from floor count alone. It should be assessed against occupancy, floor use, service levels, traffic patterns and the performance of the proposed lift group.
6.2 Lift capacity and speed
Rated capacity is the maximum load specified for the lift. It should not be confused with the number of people the system can move over an hour.
Rated speed is the nominal travel speed of the lift. Actual journey time also depends on acceleration, deceleration, door operation, stops, passenger boarding and control logic.
A faster lift is not necessarily a better solution for every building. A well-planned group of appropriately sized lifts may provide a better service than a single high-speed lift.
For offices, hotels and other buildings with concentrated peak demand, request a lift traffic analysis from the specialist supplier. Such an analysis can help assess the number, size and speed of lifts required.
Schindler Group
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6.3 Lift core location and circulation
The lift core should provide convenient access without creating unnecessary travel distances or obstructing major circulation routes.
Consider the following:
- Locate lifts in a position that serves the principal circulation system efficiently.
- Avoid creating congestion at lift doors, especially where corridors, stairs and waiting areas converge.
- Consider the relationship between lifts and protected stairways.
- Provide appropriate lobby space for people waiting, turning and moving mobility devices.
- Assess how service lifts connect with loading, storage, housekeeping and back-of-house areas.
- Coordinate lift access with security zoning where different occupants require different levels of access.
The best core arrangement depends on the building’s use and form. A central core may be effective for a compact office floor, whereas a large hospital or mixed-use development may need multiple lift groups serving distinct operational zones.
6.4 Lift shaft dimensions, pit and overhead
Lift shaft dimensions are equipment-specific. They depend on the selected car, rated load, door configuration, counterweight arrangement, speed and other technical requirements.
The architectural drawings should show the required clear shaft dimensions, structural openings, pit depth, overhead clearance and machine-space requirements as confirmed by the supplier.
Avoid treating a generic shaft dimension as a universal design rule.
The pit must be coordinated with foundations, waterproofing and access. The overhead must be checked against roof beams, slabs, plant rooms and parapets. These interfaces should be resolved before structural drawings are issued for construction.
6.5 Structural coordination
The structural engineer must receive the lift manufacturer’s relevant loading and interface information.
Coordination should cover:
- Equipment reactions and support requirements.
- Shaft wall and guide-rail fixing details.
- Pit slab and foundation interfaces.
- Openings and embedded items.
- Lift door openings and adjoining beams or columns.
- Structural deflection and tolerances.
- Installation and maintenance access.
The structural system must be designed and checked by the responsible engineer. Generic assumptions about loads, wall thicknesses or fixing locations should not be used as substitutes for supplier data.
6.6 Accessibility and inclusive design
Accessible lift design should allow people with different mobility, sensory and communication needs to use the building with dignity.
Depending on applicable requirements, considerations may include:
- Suitable car dimensions and clear door openings.
- Accessible approach routes and manoeuvring space.
- Reachable controls, tactile identification and appropriate visual and audible signals.
- Handrails and suitable control-panel positioning.
- Levelling accuracy and safe entry or exit.
- Emergency communication that is usable by people with different needs.
India’s National Building Code includes provisions addressing accessibility in the built environment, and BIS maintains standards relevant to lifts for persons with disabilities. Project teams should verify the currently applicable requirements and local approval conditions.
Bureau of Indian Standards
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6.7 Fire and life safety
A lift shaft connects different storeys and can create a route for smoke and fire to spread if the installation and surrounding construction are not appropriately designed.
Lift planning must therefore coordinate with the building’s fire strategy, including the required shaft enclosure, protected lobbies, fire-service access and emergency controls.
Important distinctions:
- A normal passenger lift is not automatically a fire-service lift.
- A fire-service lift must meet the applicable provisions for its intended purpose.
- An evacuation lift requires a suitable design and evacuation strategy.
- Lift operation during a fire depends on the system’s design, the emergency arrangements and applicable regulations.
In India, the project team should consult the applicable provisions of NBC Part 4 (Fire and Life Safety), NBC Part 8, Section 5, and relevant state or local lift legislation. The UK fire guidance cited here is useful for explaining general principles but is not a substitute for Indian requirements.
Bureau of Indian Standards
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6.8 Electrical supply, controls and emergency operation
Lift systems need coordinated electrical supplies, control equipment and the required emergency arrangements.
The design team should confirm:
- Electrical loads and dedicated supplies.
- Emergency power requirements, where applicable.
- Backup or rescue operation provisions for the selected system.
- Communication equipment.
- Earthing and electrical protection.
- Interface with building management, access control and fire alarm systems where specified.
Emergency power does not mean that every lift can operate normally during a power failure. The actual operating mode and available functions must be defined for the selected equipment and building strategy.
6.9 Energy efficiency and sustainability
Lift energy consumption depends on the equipment, traffic, building use, control system, standby settings and frequency of operation.
Potential strategies include:
- Selecting appropriately sized equipment.
- Using efficient drive technology.
- Applying suitable group-control and destination-control systems where justified.
- Reducing unnecessary standby energy consumption.
- Considering regenerative drives where suitable for the installation.
- Monitoring energy use and maintaining equipment correctly.
These strategies should be evaluated over the expected service life. A system with a higher initial cost may be worthwhile where its operating performance and maintenance requirements suit the building.
7. Lift planning in high-rise buildings
High-rise buildings require a more detailed assessment because travel distances, passenger demand and core space become increasingly important.
7.1 Lift zoning
Lift zoning divides the building into groups of floors served by different lifts.
For example, a tall office tower may use low-zone lifts for lower office floors and high-zone lifts for upper floors. This can reduce unnecessary intermediate stops and help manage traffic.
The precise arrangement depends on the building height, occupancy, traffic model, floor plate and operational strategy.
7.2 Express lifts and sky lobbies
An express lift may serve a limited number of stops, such as the entrance level and a transfer floor. From the transfer floor, another lift group serves the upper floors.
Sky lobbies can improve the organisation of vertical transportation in suitable tall buildings, but they introduce additional circulation, transfer time, security and space-planning considerations.
7.3 Destination-control systems
Destination-control systems allow passengers to register their destination before boarding. The control system can then group passengers travelling to similar floors.
This can improve the organisation of passenger movement in some building types, but its effectiveness depends on user behaviour, traffic patterns, lift-group configuration and the quality of the control strategy.
7.4 Core efficiency
In a high-rise building, lift shafts occupy valuable floor area on every floor they pass through.
The design should balance:
- Required passenger handling capacity.
- Acceptable waiting and journey times.
- Core size and rentable or usable floor area.
- Service and emergency requirements.
- Maintenance access and long-term operational resilience.
Reducing shaft area without testing the traffic performance may compromise the building’s functionality.
8. Advantages and limitations of lift systems
| Advantages | Limitations and challenges |
|---|---|
| Improve access between multiple floors | Require dedicated shaft and equipment space |
| Support inclusive building use | Need regular inspection and maintenance |
| Improve movement of people and goods | Add capital and operating costs |
| Support efficient operation of large buildings | Depend on power and properly functioning equipment |
| Can improve vertical circulation when appropriately designed | Can create congestion if traffic demand is underestimated |
| Can integrate with access-control and building-management systems | Require careful coordination with structure, fire safety and services |
The appropriate solution depends on the project rather than on a single universally superior lift type.
9. Common mistakes in lift planning
Architects and project teams should avoid these frequent errors:
- Selecting a lift too late: This can require costly changes to the shaft, core and structural drawings.
- Using generic dimensions: Manufacturer requirements differ; generic values can create coordination problems.
- Ignoring traffic demand: The number of lifts should not be based on floor count alone.
- Underestimating lobby space: Door openings can conflict with circulation routes and accessible manoeuvring areas.
- Overlooking structural interfaces: Pit slabs, beams, supports and openings must be coordinated.
- Confusing lift types: An MRL arrangement is not the same classification as a passenger or goods lift.
- Treating a normal lift as an emergency evacuation solution: Fire-service and evacuation functions need specific design and approval.
- Ignoring maintenance access: Equipment must remain accessible for inspection and servicing.
- Finalising roof and foundation designs too early: Overhead and pit requirements can affect both.
- Considering only initial cost: Energy, maintenance, reliability and replacement requirements also affect lifecycle value.
10. Practical lift-coordination checklist for architects
Use this checklist during design development and consultant coordination.
[ ] Confirm building occupancy, use and expected peak traffic.
[ ] Obtain a preliminary lift traffic analysis and system recommendation.
[ ] Confirm the lift type, rated load, speed and number of stops.
[ ] Coordinate shaft dimensions, pit depth and overhead clearance with the supplier.
[ ] Verify structural reactions, supports, openings and embedded items.
[ ] Coordinate lift lobbies, door openings and accessible circulation.
[ ] Review fire-service and evacuation requirements with the fire consultant.
[ ] Confirm electrical supplies, emergency operation and communications.
[ ] Coordinate lift access with security, service routes and building management.
[ ] Obtain approved lift drawings before issuing coordinated construction drawings.
[ ] Confirm inspection, maintenance and handover requirements.
This checklist is a coordination aid, not a replacement for the applicable codes, approved drawings, supplier documentation or professional sign-off.
11. Indian standards and regulatory considerations
For projects in India, the design team should review the current applicable editions, amendments, local regulations and approval requirements.
Key references include:
- National Building Code of India 2016: Part 8, Section 5 covers lifts, escalators and moving walks; Part 4 covers fire and life safety.
- IS 17900 series: Includes safety rules and design requirements for lifts for the transport of persons and goods.
- Applicable state lift legislation and rules: Licensing, inspection and operating requirements can vary by jurisdiction.
- Accessibility requirements: Review applicable provisions for accessible routes and lifts, including relevant Indian standards.
- Manufacturer documentation: Use the selected supplier’s approved drawings, installation requirements and technical data for the project.
BIS identifies IS 17900 (Part 1):2022 as covering safety rules for lifts for the transport of persons and goods. The series also includes standards for particular applications, such as dumbwaiters.
BIS
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Do not assume that a standard’s publication automatically establishes its legal applicability to every project. Confirm the applicable edition, amendments, local adoption and authority requirements.
12. Future trends in lift systems
Lift technology continues to develop through changes in drive systems, controls, monitoring and building integration.
Areas of interest include:
- Connected monitoring: Systems can support fault reporting and maintenance planning.
- Destination control: Passenger destinations can inform lift-group allocation.
- Energy management: Efficient drives, standby controls and suitable regenerative systems can reduce energy use.
- Predictive maintenance: Operational data may help identify developing faults, depending on the monitoring system and maintenance arrangements.
- Inclusive user interfaces: Better visual, audible and tactile information can improve usability.
- Integrated building management: Lift status and selected controls may interface with building-management and security systems.
These technologies should be evaluated against measurable project needs, interoperability, cybersecurity, maintainability and lifecycle costs rather than adopted simply because they are new.
13. Conclusion
Lift systems are a fundamental part of the planning and operation of many modern buildings. Their selection affects circulation, usable floor area, accessibility, structural coordination, fire safety, energy use and user experience.
Architects should begin lift planning early, establish the building’s movement requirements, obtain specialist traffic analysis where needed, and coordinate the shaft, pit, overhead, lobby, structure and building services with the selected manufacturer.
The best lift system is the one that meets the building’s operational needs and applicable requirements while providing safe, accessible, efficient and maintainable vertical transportation throughout its service life.