A love letter to staircases

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Steps usually take you up or down, but when you are lucky – they make you gasp, stare and swoon. Those who follow this blog, know of my eternal love story with staircases. Since I haven’t touched upon this in some time, today let’s take a ‘flight’ of fancy with some breathtaking staircases.

Helical staircase in stone | RAL Architects | Web Yates Engineers | The Stonemasonry Company | PC. Agnese Sanvito | Retrieved from Archdaily

Web Yates engineers accomplished this majestic stone helical staircase for RAL Architects. Every step of this 2 storey residential staircase is an individual block of stone which seem to be rising on its own. Achieving this design was a complicated endevour as a modern helical stair was created using stone. Thus, every stone step had to be carefully modelled on Rhino and Grasshopper to analyze every dimension and curve. The staircase is reinforced with post-tensioned cables running through its center. The weightlessness in the rise is further emphasized by ‘chipping’ off the edges, making it appear more curvy and graceful. The result – an award winning, spectacular staircase!

Sculptural staircase | Storage Associati | Retrieved from Fubiz
Sculptural staircase | Storage Associati | Retrieved from Fubiz

This staircase by Storage Associati is an example of how a simple element can be transformed into an art piece. A flight of steps in a modern residence is covered by metallic bars all around. These bars, some rising from the floor or others hung from the ceiling at different heights create a unique illusion and give the staircase a sculptural appeal. Moreover, it imparts a dynamic quality to the whole space which comes alive at different times of the day with different light and shadow patterns.

Armani Fifth Avenue | Massimiliano & Doriana Fuksas | Retrieved from Archdaily

The ultra modern Armani store in New York is envisioned as a singular homogenous space connected by a staircase. The stair is the focal point of the design which opens up to different levels seamlessly. The display is centered around this staircase much like a infinite loop feature also visible from the exterior. The form is an abstract loop which cannot be confined to any specific geometric shape. The bends and curves of this modern flight make it truly remarkable!

Loft in Milan | Tommaso Fantoni | PC. Matteo Piazza | Retrieved from Wallpaper.com

An old garage and storage space was redesigned as a modern apartment for a sailing champion. The staircase is a stunning feature of this house which boasts of cylindrical concrete walls, round sliding door and oak lined treads reminding one of a ship’s propeller. The slender treads and a a spiral design sit perfectly in the tight space.

Staircases are a transitional space, a journey from one level to another. A show stopper stairs enriches the overall space in 3D which becomes a true asset to any design. It provides a dynamism to the design. Be it traditional staircases or modern fluidic designs – there are so many variations to chose from. Moreover, they are so much fun to experiment with. Hope this article brings you some inspiration and clarity before you sit down to sketch a stair!

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