Cantilevered Stairs: Running on Air

In my final ideabook I looked at stairs created from thin plates of metal which seemed ribbonlike in their continuity from step to step. One impression you get from that combination of material and form is they appear to float. This next look at stairs considers steps that float more literally; cantilevering from one side, each measure is independent, the antithesis of the ribbonlike steel staircase.

What follows are predominantly wood stairs, anchored along a solid wall and projecting into space. The different effects are certainly dramatic, aided no doubt by the detailing of the guardrails and the treatment of the adjacent wall, in addition to the articulation of these steps themselves.

Amitzi Architects

This first example features a wood stair that is well integrated into a porous wall composed of horizontal members together with spacers and gaps between. It’s easy to imagine the steps slotted between the horizontals continuing through the other side of the wall. Another view …

Amitzi Architects

… accentuates how the wood steps cantilever from the wall, particularly since the snowy guardrail is independent of these steps. While the steps look like solid wood, most likely the are partially hollow, to get a (steel) Structure within that retains the steps horizontal as they are used as time passes. This technique applies to just about all of the wood steps presented here, many of which are large enough to conceal the inner structure doing most of the job.

Webber + Studio, Architects

Here the wood steps are created from the exact same wood as the adjacent wall, projecting from it with no obvious connection. It is safe to say the supporting construction is hidden within the steps and behind the wall. Many regional codes would demand a rail on the right but somehow this stair exists without one.

These wood steps are more slender than the prior example, but a close look at their underside shows steel plates in a T-section which are attached into the concrete wall. But from above the effect is the same as other stairs here, in which the steps appear to float independently in midair.

John Maniscalco Architecture

Here the link to the wall is more overt, as the stringer that holds the steps is exposed, albeit painted white to match the wall. Another look shows…

John Maniscalco Architecture

. . .how the glass wall, a few inches past the steps, essentially acts as a guardrail. Just a slim handrail is subsequently needed on the other side.

Elite Metalcraft Co. Ltd

This example melds my previous ideabook on steel stairs with this one-on-one steps. A wood stair cantilevered from one wall is built in wood, making it ribbonlike, yet weatherproof. The glass guardrail strengthens the floating impact of the stair.

Feldman Architecture, Inc..

Not all cantilevered staircase need to be really striking, projecting the full width from a wall. This example features steps extending beyond a wall beneath the stair. The choice to do so might be related to the demanding, stacked-stone wall or the need for usable space beneath the stair. After that, a straight-on look…

Feldman Architecture, Inc..

. . .shows the cantilever is all about one-fifth of the stair’s width. The way the wood risers are intended to coincide with the treads is well done. I would love to find that the risers be the drawers to take advantage of the space beneath.

Aidlin Darling Design, LLP

Another example of a partial cantilever echoes the prior example, but the risers match the walls, not the steps. The thick wood of the treads strengthens the way that they float, with no need for extra structure.

Eisner Design LLC

However, what about other substances? The stair’s treads are made from translucent glass set into stainless steel framing. A T-section attached to brackets on the brick wall provides the support for the stair.

Eisner Design LLC

A similar stair elsewhere in the exact same project as the previous example shows the simplicity of the T-shaped tread. In cases like this the structure continues into the wall. A look from below…

Eisner Design LLC

. . .gives an notion of how these steps allow sunlight to filter down the different degrees, an important consideration in urban living. If these steps were wood the sunlight could be severely diminished.

Steel plates, such as the ones in my previous ideabook, can also be configured for cantilevers. Here the bend takes place across the wall, making treads with no risers. This is a really simple and elegant that just requires a bit of steel to the underside for strengthening.

GLS Architecture/Landscape Architecture

This last example is included to illustrate that cantilevered stairs can also be used in outdoor applications. These concrete steps project from a cast-in-place concrete wall, and they float above a wood deck. This structure is hidden in darkness, as most likely intended, but the effect is sublime.

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Artful Stairs — Continuity in Steel
Level Changes Define Interior design
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