Feature Stair in House on an Isthmus

On this feature stair situated in a residence-cum-art gallery, the team of architects, engineers, fabricators, and contractors worked hand in hand with one another from design through installation to achieve a level of execution that would not be possible without an excellent working relationship.

The architect, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, came to TriPyramid with a rough outline for the stair along with a handful of reference images. We then worked together to hide all of the necessary hardware within the thickness of the treads and supporting steel. After going through this extensive design and engineering effort, the stair more closely reflected the vision of the architect and owner than the initial drawings.

Each painted carbon steel tread was bolted together in the field and only connects to base structure at the floor and the upper landing. In between those two points, the treads hang from the landing above using a stainless steel rod system. Those rods double as railing infill, creating a uniform field across the gallery. Jewelry-like stainless steel hardware attaches the rod system to the tread and landing steel, allowing for tensioning and adjustment within the thickness of the steel.