How They Pulled It Off: A Massive, Coiled Staircase in a 12,000-Square-Foot Home in England
A sculptural concrete and European oak staircase in a house in rural Oxfordshire adds drama and ties into a cinematic valley landscape.
A sculptural concrete and European oak staircase in a house in rural Oxfordshire adds drama and ties into a cinematic valley landscape.
Welcome to How They Pulled It Off, where we take a close look at one particularly challenging aspect of a home design and get the nitty-gritty details about how it became a reality.
When architect Grant Straghan of Dedraft designed a five-bedroom house in rural Oxfordshire, England, for a family of five looking to escape city life after living abroad, he knew the 12,000-square-foot home needed a serious anchor—something that would ground the massive volume and connect to its epic landscape of rolling hills under wide-open sky.
A monumental staircase crafted from microcement and European oak winds from the basement to the third level of a 12,000-square-foot house in rural Oxfordshire, England.
Photo by Felix Speller
The design for the house—three splayed wings that radiate from a large entrance atrium—was so mammoth, Straghan felt it needed a strong sculptural feature to measure up to not only its size, but the vastness of the undulating terrain that surrounds it. "A stunning vista across Cherwell Valley is visible upon entering through the front door," explains the architect, who worked with interior designer Katie Grove on the project. Straghan’s solution? A sinuous, sunlit staircase that resembles a giant art installation and unifies the separate wings.
The staircase was prefabricated offsite and craned into place.
Photo by Felix Speller
European oak treads contrast with a microcement railing, lending subtlety and texture.
Photo by Felix Speller
See the full story on Dwell.com: How They Pulled It Off: A Massive, Coiled Staircase in a 12,000-Square-Foot Home in England
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