stem level
A level in the stem of a tower or a building, with no greater extent than a stairway landing or the equivalent.
A stem level is a level in a narrow or structurally confined part of a building, where there is no significant floor space for human habitation, traffic, or occupancy. It must always occur below at least one counted floor level (therefore it cannot be the top floor level). It normally pertains to towers or to buildings with extremely narrow podiums, and is usually delineated by equivalent markers of floor heights such as stairway landings.
The narrow space has no significant area for regular occupancy or circulation. A stair landing or equivalent height marker can identify the level within the stem.
At least one counted floor must lie above it. The uppermost level cannot be classified as a stem level, even if it is similarly narrow.