Our client wanted this space to have a big sculpture, situated in front of a double-height window, the three-sided design features open treads to allow light to permeate the structure and fill the apartment.
Treads of engineered walnut that form the bottom portion of the staircase swoop up as continuous elements to also create the steps at the top, the first three treads sit independently from each other and the rest of the structure, standing like a set of benches with curved corners that are each taller and narrower than the one before.
Step number four touches the ground on one side, then runs horizontally before bending up and extending the height of the void to form the final step in the set before the upstairs landing, as the staircase rises, the steps gradually get narrower and the connecting sections become less steep, treads that run between two small landings beside the window are sandwiched by a pair of sloping wooden pieces.
The wood is formed around a metal structure that is anchored to the walls that enclose the staircase on both sides, vertical steel cables that help support the upper portion of the structure also form a balustrade.
A number of drawings and models were used to develop and refine the custom design, which was built by a local craftsman.
The stairs can be viewed from most of the downstairs rooms, so other materials in the apartment, including Arabescato marble flooring and wooden panelling, were chosen to complement and contrast with the walnut wood.