This weekend, I started to think about the detailing on my stairs. Feeling completely uninspired, I decided to head into the city and find some stairs to look at and sketch.I visited the Learning Commons first and found a good place to perch and do some sketching. As well as looking at the staircase itself, I also looked closely at the details on the banisters and how the handrail attached to the glass. I also had a go at drawing how I thought it would look in section.
Using glass for the interior staircase would work well as it would reflect the window on the other side of the stairs. It would also allow those outside the building to see into the main club space and vice versa, therefore allowing continuation between inside and outside.
I also went up to the Deansgate John Ryland's Library. The new-ish extension is full of clean lines and also has a glass banister on the staircase. I really liked the way the main staircase was clean cut without the fuss of finishings between the stairs/flooring and the banister. The floor finish also gave me some ideas for the floor finish in my own building; I wanted something that would be suitable for both inside and outside, so that it could continue from the main club space out into the landscape.
