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metal railings following the diagonal of the stair—pulls
from mid-20th-century Modernism. In a subtle diversion
from the mid-century standard, however, the architects
included a steel cover plate at the exposed ends of treads
where there are guardrail posts. On the wall side of the
stair, the treads are held back from the wall by black steel
angles, providing structural stability and a bit of aesthetic
interest visible mostly when one actually uses the stairs.
The thickness of the treads also deals with the safety
code restrictions on open risers (less than four inches
remains open).
The marvel of this stair is the combination of historic
materiality and modern form, a sort of mash-up creating
something new and beautiful in its own right. The jurors
noted that the stair “almost seems obvious in its simplicity
and elegance,” but that they couldn’t recall seeing a stair
quite like it previously.
Unrelated to the stairway, this competition entry was
noted for having one of the most dramatic “before” shots:
Staircase and kitchen a photo of a house engulfed in flames. The owners, having
in the T/PorTwo Residence. determined that razing the pre-existing house and building
Photo © Wiebenson & Dorman Architects PC/JT Roy new was the only viable option, donated it to the
Sperryville Volunteer Fire Department. It was burned to
same sources—the thick wood treads recall the wood
the ground, eliminating landfill waste while providing
studs of older buildings (larger and more roughly hewn
live training for the firemen and unique entertainment
than modern dimensional lumber such as the 2x4), while
for the owners, friends, and neighbors. It seems that, if
the black steel structure and connectors speak directly to
architects love stairs, everyone loves a good fire—at least
the work of rural blacksmiths.
one that’s controlled and for a good cause!
In contrast, the basic configuration of the stair—
single stringer with treads cantilevered to either side, with