It is said that the world's first elevator was created in the early 3rd century BC. Over time, elevators have evolved from their primitive beginnings to become increasingly smart, efficient, and safe.
Modern elevator control panels feature symbols for quick door opening and closing, emergency alarms, and floor numbers. Additionally, some buttons bear letter symbols like B, R, and G to indicate specific floors. So, what do the M, B, G, and R floors in elevators stand for, and what do these letters signify?
The letter B on the elevator control panel stands for the English word 'Basement.' It is often used for parking motorcycles and cars in apartments and commercial areas.
G stands for the English word 'Ground,' referring to the land or ground level. Here, the G floor is the bottommost level.
In many European countries, when referencing the ground floor, it implies the floor above the ground. Therefore, people do not assign it a numerical designation but rather label it as the G floor. The floors above the ground are numbered as 1, 2, 3..., and the floors below ground are considered basements, typically marked as B (with multiple basements numbered as B1, B2, B3...).
In a four- or five-star hotel, the R can represent the restaurant's logo, short for 'Restaurant.'
In shopping malls, supermarkets, and office buildings, the symbol R (or RT) stands for 'Rooftop,' indicating the top floor.
Some other floor symbols:In addition to the common floors such as B, G, and R, you may have encountered other symbols. Here are some commonly used elevator symbols:
1–n: Call floor number buttonG-ground: Ground floor symbolR——Restaurant: Restaurant logoL – Lounge or Lobby: Lobby symbolUL - Upper Lobby: Upper Lobby symbolLL——Lower Hall: Lower Hall symbolUG - Upper floor: Mezzanine symbolB——Basement: Basement symbolGarage: Parking floor indicator
Elevator symbols for supermarkets, apartments, and office buildings:
1–n: Corresponding floor numberB——Basement: Basement symbolR (or RT) - Roof: Roof symbolMB - Motorcycle: Symbol for motorcycle parking floorsP-parking: Parking floor symbolG-ground: Ground floor symbol
Furthermore, in Western culture, the number 13 is considered unlucky. Therefore, many high-rise buildings avoid having a 13th floor. The 12th floor is followed by the 14th floor.
Often, to avoid associating with the unlucky number, and because the floor number does not change, the 13th floor is replaced with the 12B floor (below which is the 12A or 12th floor). People on the 12B floor may feel safer. However, since it is essentially still the 13th floor, apartments on this level may be sold at a lower price, making it a worthwhile option for those who choose it.
