A circular staircase is a wonderful structure for a designer. The staircase in question is small in scale, created for a domestic interior. The clients requested an airy and elegant spiral to start in the corner of a ground floor room. It was to be a decorative but non-intrusive structure, the mechanics of which were calculated by an architect and structural engineer working for I.S.M., who were responsible for the installation. In the studio, a small-scale model was made, with a series of cut steel side panels and sand blasted steps. The inclusion of small glass lenses in the lace-like metal panels livened the curves and linked with the glass of the steps.

The starting point of the design for the staircase was a circle divided into equal segments, each section with a different linear pattern. The patterned circle was cut and laid out like a spiral. Each segment was a numbered step. The design on each step was used as the inspiration for the side panel that would enclose it, so each glass stair was paired with a metal panel. A deep, sand blast design on thick glass doubles as anti-slip device and ornamentation.

The drawing of the original divided circle is reproduced as the design for a circular light fitting, now suspended above the staircase, and so comes ‘full circle’ to complete the concept.

CIRCULAR STAIRCASE
WHITE GLASS, OPTICAL GLASS, MILD STEEL AND WHITE STOVE ENAMEL
1999
PRIVATE CLIENT, UK
3.7 X 1.2 M (DIAMETER)
PHOTOGRAPHS: GEORGE GAMMER (MODEL), PAUL HIGHNAM (INSTALLATION)

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