The “Miles” Staircase
This staircase is part of the iconic Somerset House, London which is an iconic building made in the Neoclassical style. Previously it was used as a residence for royal consorts, but now it is an experimental workspace, hosting art shows, events, concerts, co-working spaces, artist studios and much more. It’s central stairwell as pictured below was functional, but as the frequency of the building’s use increased, there arose a need for a stair that embodied the new spirit of Somerset House.
The new staircase was built Eva Jiricna Architects, who chose to reimagine it’s neoclassical ornamentation in a modern way, using modern materials—a worthy ode to the new spirit of the House. It comprises of three major elements: The stair tread (and landings) , the central well (newel) and the balustrade. Using these simple elements, the designer has expressed them in a uniquely modern way. Each of these elements has been used to express a unique part of the poetry of the staircase.
The Tread: A simple, sinuous form, resembling a bird taking flight; it touches the central newel ever so gently, brushing past it in a delicate yet purposeful way.
The Balustrade: When a bird touches the surface of water for a moment, it leaves a small ripple; the balustrade so gently follows the stair as it goes, silently performing the function of protecting the user, not like a rod, but a cradle. The design is so thoughtful (mentioned in the next section) and simple, thanks to the engineering, they were able to create this artful piece.
The Newel: The most striking part of the stair, the intricate jali, if we can call it so, is made up of 550 individual rods, joined together using triangulation. Like the tendrils of a young sapling It is the main structural part of the stair, providing transparency, privacy, support and most importantly, beauty. It is the keystone of the design, without which the entire thing would fall apart.
Structure as Ornament
The neoclassical style was characterized by its intricacy and ornament; something that the designer has captured in a subtle way, by exposing the structural parts of the stair in a poetic way. This complicates the job of the designer, since the level of tectonic poetry expressed here was possible only because “The project team designed and modeled the project digitally and resolved issues during mockups and testing”, as they mentioned in an interview with Architect Magazine in 2015. The curved glass balustrade is also more than just an ornamental piece; it gives the transparency to the stair, preserving views of the decorative mouldings present in the Somerset house’s interiors and surroundings.
The Magic of Making
The concrete used in the treads is made from ‘Ductal Concrete’ a quite experimental material, which allows it to be cast in fluidic shapes while still retaining its strength. Each tread is linked to the previous one using only two high strength bolts, an impressive feat possible only through their innovative design and use of material.
Impact and Legacy
The materials and processes used in this stair are quite advanced, reminiscent of the early neoclassical architecture, which chose to push the limits of building of the time. To us it seems boring and ancient now, but it was quite revolutionary at the time it was made. Even so, the Miles stair is absolutely stunning to us now, and it has certainly played a part in pushing the engineering and design of today. It may seem old and boring to the generation of tomorrow, but I write this in the hope that one will remember and record that in the 21st century, designers like Eva used elements as simple as a stair to changed the way we look at space, and quite possibly changed lives.