Limestone, Oak + Interior Details // Building a modern floating stair

[Construction Progress Update: From the Site in Huntington Beach]

design rendering / view from new entry

At our ongoing modernist project in SeaCliff, one of the defining interior architectural elements is a floating staircase that runs alongside a dramatic two-story stone wall leading into the home from the exterior courtyard.

Seen here during framing, the stair structure is independent of the wall receiving stone cladding, allowing for unique architectural adjacencies created by the void between the two elements.

The open tread design brings natural light from the entry, as well as presents a surprising architectural perspective at the passageway behind.

under construction / huntington beach new modern

A continuous solid wood railing rises from a basalt plinth at the ground plane and passes behind the wall, creating a layered effect that highlights the juxtaposition of finishes.

tread structure detail

stone installation at soffit

The raked limestone is illuminated by expansive new glazing and a large skylight at the open loft above, highlighting the warmth of the combination of wood and natural stone.

oak + limestone / stair detail

In addition to providing continuity from exterior to interior, the feature wall also serves as a visual frame for the stair, providing textural balance and scale at the new light-filled entry and interior living space.

The careful application of materials celebrates structure, light, and contrast and establishes an architectural language that extends throughout the reimagined home.

We look forward to sharing photos of the completed design soon- in the meanwhile, revisit previous project posts here at MYD blog, or stop by our construction gallery for more progress images from the site, as well as the project design page for drawings and renderings.