Cornerhouse

Multi-storey open-tread helical staircase in oak and steel. A modern masterpiece.

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[01]

Project Overview

Multi-storey helical oak staircase

A helical staircase is one of the most ambitious things we build, and this multi-storey open-tread spiral at Humfrey Lane is one we're particularly proud of. Running through the full height of a beautifully restored period home, the staircase features solid oak floating treads cantilevered from a curved steel spine, paired with a continuous hand-bent oak handrail and slender black steel balusters. The open-well design creates a breathtaking view from top to bottom, and the contrast between the warm oak, matte black metalwork, and the original exposed stone wall gives the whole space a character that's impossible to manufacture.

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This is what happens when structural engineering and fine craftsmanship work in complete harmony — a staircase that doesn't just connect floors, it becomes the heart of the home.

STRINGS

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NEWEL POST

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BALUSTRADE

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HANDRAIL

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FEATURE

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Running a helical staircase through the full height of a period home without losing its soul

When a staircase needs to span multiple storeys in a listed or period property, the structural demands are significant. Steel is essential, but it can't be allowed to dominate. The clients at Humfrey Lane wanted a showpiece helical staircase that felt warm, natural, and entirely in keeping with the exposed stone walls and oak joinery of their home.

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The goal was to engineer a multi-storey open-tread spiral with a continuous curved handrail and floating oak treads, with all the structural work hidden inside a curved steel spine that disappears into the background. Every tread had to appear to float, every baluster had to align perfectly across the full height of the helix, and the handrail had to flow in one unbroken curve from ground floor to top. Precision at every level, quite literally.

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The Challenge

Precision-engineered steel stringers to the rescue

To achieve the helical form across multiple storeys, we fabricated a continuous curved steel stringer that follows the full sweep of the staircase from bottom to top. This carries all the structural load while remaining largely out of sight, powder-coated matte black so it recedes against the balustrade rather than competing with the oak.

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Solid oak treads sit cleanly on the stringer with no visible fixings, creating the floating appearance the clients were after. The continuous hand-bent oak handrail flows in a single unbroken curve the full height of the stairwell, and the slender black steel balusters maintain consistent spacing and angle across every floor. Viewed from above, the open oval well reveals the full geometry of the helix, and the craftsmanship holds up at every level.

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The Solution