United States
What is a hallway in a home? It's the pathway to a home's various rooms. In this way, a hoistway is a lot like a hallway: it’s the path an elevator takes to reach its destination floors.
The hoistway of an elevator — also commonly referred to as the shaft, shaftway or hatchway — is the space in which the elevator travels. It runs vertically and houses equipment like the rail guides, the cab and the counterweight depending on the type of elevator: hydraulic or traction. The walls are typically fire resistant, and this space extends all the way from the top of the building to the pit floor. The hoistway must be made with local building codes in mind as they vary by area.
