The feature stair at 757 Third Avenue transformed this 65-unit Class A office building by unfolding from the main lobby to connect with the new tenant amenity offerings on the lower level, including lounge, pantry, wellness club, and event and conference spaces envisioned by Fogarty Finger Architecture.
The initial design concept was presented as an all-glass stair with metal treads; however, the cost for this assembly exceeded the client’s budget, so it was re-envisioned with a spiraling solid steel enclosure and wood treads which simplified the assembly to reduce cost. This redesign initiated a great partnership with Custom Metal Fabrication (CMF), the fabricator, and created an opportunity to introduce warm materials that better negotiated the transition from the lobby above to the intimate amenity space below.
The design-assist relationship with CMF produced a highly efficient stair design of exceptionally high quality, which maintained the original design intention while meeting the budget. The new stair design was innovative and elegant: two unfolding steel stringers acted as structure, hugging the treads in a tight curvature which allowed for no intermediate supports between the two floors. Brace + post framing spanning from level to level was concealed by the painted steel stringers, and both handrail and guardrail were integrated into the steel stringer support design. American oak treads and custom lighting completed the detailing. All of the curved metal pieces were bent at CMF’s facility and sized to fit through the lobby’s front swing doors where they were lowered through a reinforced circular floor opening and welded in place.
Ultimately, this grand and elegant staircase achieved a design sophistication beyond expectation through intricate detailing and collaboration. The honest “unwrapping” of its form expresses the structural clarity of the simple modern aesthetic, while the careful material selection bridges the transition from public main entry to private and secluded amenity.
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