I just came across Sexist by Design? while looking for a different article to illustrate a point of discussion. Alas, comments are closed. Here's mine anyway.
I see examples of this kind of thing all the time, and I think that this one had nothing to do with gender narcissism. My first thought when I saw the picture was that this was designed by an artist, not an architect. I feel certain that someone who creates a staircase with glass treads cannot be thinking of it as a staircase at all, but rather as a canvas for his free-flying imagination.
Now, artistry is indeed what separates the great from the good, in architecture as in any other discipline. But to me, the essence of architecture is part engineering and part psychology. It's the science and technology of making space useful and usable. An artist does not think of his work as being *used*; but the products of architecture are tools for living, not something to gaze at. Engineering is beautiful because it does what you want done, neatly and efficiently.
In short, I think this is a case of never thinking about people walking on one's creation. But that is what staircases are for.
