I'm going to attempt to post an image of a small model. At one stage of the game I got enthusiastic about expanded mesh. tube under the middle needs to do some serious structural work. Howard - Canberra

Fuck that is gorgeous...is it really all wood?

That seems very slippery...

Nam, I believe some of stair is clear carbon fiber.

It reminds me of a spinal column. Reclined ;o]

And how far do those cable intermediates span?  Amazing.

(And I don't hate that sculpture on the table, while we're at it.)

what material are the stairs?

Whitewashed quartersawn white oak. They look lighter here than in person, partly due to the huge windows directly behind the camera. The wall is black walnut with seven coats of hand-rubbed boiled linseed oil, with custom splines made of Richlite so there are no visible fasteners at all.

Gorgeous! I thought they might be polished travertine.

Thanks! I coordinated things but did not come up with the concept. I can see thinking they're travertine. It's too bad the photo is washed out. I could post more pics but don't want to take over the thread. We used gray travertine for the floor and walls of the principle bathroom. This is actually a walkout basement with dark gray porcelain tile on the floor, though it looks light gray.

Do post pics, please.

Aps, you can see more photos of the project here, including a close-up of the stairs: http://www.finelinesmaine.com/gallery/item/broad-cove-contemporary. That's the design/build firm where I was design manager. This project started as a typical 1960s ranch house (maybe a bit more than typical--it was featured in Better Homes and Gardens at one point) with the classic Andersen picture windows and boring details.

All lovely stuff! I like how they are all typically American style houses...no fake Mexican haciendas or Austrian-style Alpine houses - even though there is nothing wrong with them as long as they are in their native environment. Good work.

Thank you. I only designed a few of the projects shown and one could argue that the Greek Revival designs my employer was obsessed with are copies of copies of copies, but at least it's a common historical style around here. With the ranch-style house we were going for a midcentury modern feel but updated. So also fake, but at least the materials were mostly natural. Is anything truly unique?

Is the gap at the left wall open to below or is there a bottom to the reveal?

Lewerentz is great. I find it frustrating because he's responsible for so many details that just aren't allowed or possible in my projects but all of my PICs keep demanding them.

Like many things... this looks dangerous...but fun.

Is that cork on the wall?

Cork is a lovely wall material. Also floor material. FLW used it at the fallingwater bathrooms.

very convenient if you want to pin posters everywhere.

I'd be worried about cork on a bathroom floor absorbing the, uh, falling water.

Would you believe me if I told you that cork is naturally mold and mildew resistant, doesn't support growth of other biological agents, and doesn't absorb the, uh, falling water?

Great news!

are... are you offering a demonstration EA? Because if you are, I might pass and take your word instead.

Your loss NS. Who doesn't want to demonstrate this in a FLW designed bathroom?

Nam, what a rich project that Art Barn, love it: https://www.archdaily.com/960146/art-barn-thomas-randall-page , not just the cork but everything

I actually have cork flooring in my apartment, everywhere except the bathroom. The cork was glued to the concrete floor already when we moved in and just decided to paint it white instead.

Just realized that should have read "mesh".

My pleasure, glad someone is digging it!

You're totally raising the level of discourse around here to a new level.

That's a lovely turn and shade of blue!

That is super cool. I love watching my steel fabricator roll railings through his forming tool, turning straight pipe into curves. What's up with the transition to straight railing, though?!

Cool concept. Have you used alternating tread stairs? One of my builders uses them for temporary stairs. I'm coordinated but find them tricky to use.

Looks like typical site-built scaffolding to me. Probably not used much in urban areas but still seen regularly out here in the sticks. The wall iis more interesting than the stairs, to me.

Meh. Merican.

I don't know too many people with a physical disability where a handrail on the stairs makes everything OK. In these types of situations stairs in general are not a good idea.

Well, no handrail on the stairs makes everything not OK. I am temporarily disabled right now and am using one handrail on the side of the stairs I installed when we moved in years ago, when nwe did not need it, as well as the one on the other side of the stairs that was already there. The stairs are about five feet in length.

Sounds like you shouldn't be using stairs. My doctor and PT friends say that if you can't use stairs without relying on the handrail(s) then you shouldn't be using them. That can't always happen like in your situation Volunteer. It's a good baseline though.

Your doctor is an idiot

Not my doctor. A doctor friend who is a disability specialist. Also a physical therapist that only works with physically disabled people. I'm going to believe her over you. Please keep in mind that a lot of people have to use the stairs even when they shouldn't. That's different and not ideal.

Strange choice of grab rail though.

Why because the wood vs metal contrast? Or just the specific finish, sizing of this wood version? I'm imagining there could be a more industrial scaled/finish version, less handrail more raw timber or even Shou sugi ban, that would "match" better?

They spent a LOT of money on all that metal, and kind of cheaped out on the wood rail. Even if it wasn't actually cheap, it looks like contractor-grade stuff. Too bad.

I don't hate the wood so much as I hate the connecting element to the wood and plate steel. That, is regrettable.