Cantilever Staircase - Eco House, Horsham

Nick and his fiancée Charlotte, commissioned local architects Re-Format for the contemporary design of their new Eco-House, for their young family to enjoy their natural surroundings, whilst caring for the environment.

The vision for the build of this stunning 350sq m. design was to break down the component parts into a collective of volumes and create views through the entire house and its site, set in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

DESIGN

Zakuna designed a bespoke and unique staircase to seamlessly integrate into the design of this modern Eco house. From initial discussions and site survey, the concept of the bespoke staircase was created from two stair designs, to be in keeping with the architect’s approach and the low impact intervention and perception of openness within its woodland landscape.

The staircase is a stunning focal feature from all angles and from both floors. Whilst adhering to the client and architect’s vision, the staircase not only complements the design and sharp lines, it has become a proud centrepiece within the home.

Compared to a typical Cantilever staircase, this central spine has been ingeniously engineered to not only structurally support the treads independently, but to become a feature in its own right, with the stair treads wrapping around the central wall. The wall is the centre piece of the staircase and in turn, the staircase is the centre piece of the house.

From the ground floor, the Cantilever staircase gives the impression of a simplistic floating staircase. Our unique adaptation to a typical cantilever stair is that the supporting structure is a central dividing steel wall clad and covered in Concrete resin.  

The staircase has no visible fixing element showing. This ‘floating’ appearance creates a stunning effect which is aesthetically pleasing and enhances the natural flow of light with dramatic shadows. The staircase is complemented with frameless glass balustrades, fixed to the side of each tread. Glass fixings are concealed with matching Oak covers to give the appearance that the glass cuts through each tread.

Hardwood treads are 100mm thickness, made of Oak, chosen for its natural aesthetics and hardwearing properties, with an applied 20% lacquered finish. 40mm x 40mm square Oak handrails with stainless steel fixings are fitted to both sides of the diving wall with concealed LED lighting, inset into routered grooves to the underside of the handrails.

The half landing creates an illusion of being suspended in mid air, the glass balustrade is fixed to the adjoining return wall, to allow unobstructed views outside and to keep the sharp lines of the interior design.

From the 180 degree turn, the Oak treads are fixed to both sides of the stairwell, with matching Oak facia boards to the upper floor. For a clean look, frameless glass balustrades are fitted into a U channel, surround the galleried landing. All glass balustrades consist of 17.5mm laminated and toughened glass with radius corners and polished edges.

FSC approved, our woods are sourced from responsible, well-managed forests.

The top of the central spine/dividing wall is designed with an indoor plant feature to the top. The abundance of green foliage to the stairwell enhances the area and gives an overall harmonious and natural feel to the landing, whilst improving air quality.

INSTALLATION

Engineered and manufactured with precision, the staircase was transported to site and installed on two site visits. Once the steel structure was installed, a secondary construction layer of block and Micro Cement was applied to conceal the fixings and strings. The treads, balustrade and handrails were fitted during a second installation.

OTHER PRODUCTS SUPPLIED & INSTALLED

In addition to the staircase, glass railings and decking to the balconies and roof terrace were also supplied, giving a clear view over the living roof gardens. The benefits of the Sedum roof gardens include reduced environmental impact, protection from additional solar gain during the summer and an additional layer of insulation during the winter.

SHORTLISTED FOR BEST JOINERY PRODUCT

After a rigorous first stage of judging, the expert panel of BUILD IT MAGAZINE put this Cantilever Staircase through to the final stage of their judging. We were delighted to have been shortlisted for Best Joinery Product in the Build It Awards for 2022.

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