Bisca Celebrates Over 900 Bespoke Staircase Designs
Fusing Innovation with Artisan to Create True Design Excellence
Thirty years, 900 bespoke staircase designs and an unrelenting pursuit of perfection – Bisca’s workshop has become a place where traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology come together to create sculptural staircases. These functional yet undeniably beautiful staircases redefine the art of movement.
Merging Forge and Future
What began in a modest Glasgow shipyard has today evolved into a 16,000 sq ft hub of innovation and artistry, where blacksmithing heritage meets digital design precision.
Every staircase commissioned to Bisca’s team, begins its life in Bisca’s purpose-built design studio and workshop; home to a multi-disciplinary team of designers, engineers and master craftsmen. It’s one of the few places in the world where hand-forged artistry coexists with 3D CAD modelling, 5-axis CNC machining and 3D printing simultaneously.
Therefore the result is a seamless marriage of imagination and engineering – staircases are conceived as sculptural statements which are as technically flawless, as they are unquestionably beautiful.
Shaping Innovation through Heritage
At the heart of Bisca’s staircase manufacturing process stands a 120-year-old power hammer – a piece of Britain’s industrial history, originally used in a railway forge, now lovingly restored and enjoyed by our team.
“This is more than a tool; it symbolises Bisca’s ethos,” explains Richard McLane, founder and design director at Bisca. “Blending time-honoured craftsmanship with modern form, our highly skilled team forge, weld, carve and polish, shaping materials that few others would attempt to combine.”
From liquid metal finishes and curved glass, to hand-stitched leather, bronze, and stainless steel, Bisca’s team continues to redefine what is possible in staircase design. Each bespoke staircase design demands new levels of precision, experimentation and creativity, resulting in work that is recognisably Bisca; refined, sculptural and enduring.
Design Without Boundaries
For architects and interior designers, the appeal of Bisca lies in its end-to-end, fully bespoke approach. Every project begins long before a single material is shaped. Bisca’s team of Design Engineers carry out on site surveys, studying the potential flow of movement and light; the building’s structural implications; and the character of the space. The aim is always the same – to create a truly unique staircase that belongs to the building both functionally and emotionally.
Thus by controlling the entire process, from initial concept and 3D design, to manufacture, finishing and on-site installation – Bisca eliminates any disconnect between design intent and execution. Therefore the result is a staircase that performs structurally, complements its environment and appeals to the eye from every angle.
Sustainability in Motion
Innovation at Bisca extends beyond design. Emphatically driven by founder Richard McLane’s passion for sustainability, the company has invested heavily in green energy and environmental responsibility.
From heating its workshop with wood-pellet biomass systems, to generating power through 171 kWp of solar panels across its roofs – Bisca has cut its carbon footprint dramatically while creating a cleaner, more efficient working environment.
“I wanted to create a work environment which reflects a long-term commitment to craftsmanship, while respecting both materials and the planet.” Richard adds.
A Living Legacy in Staircase Manufacture
Behind every Bisca staircase lies a story of collaboration between client, designer and maker. Over three decades, that story has produced more than 13,000 metres of staircase balustrades and 20,000 individual treads, each one handcrafted to last for generations.
The design studio and workshop may benefit from the latest digital tools and equipment; yet the spirit that drives them remains unmistakably human. The steady rhythm of hammer on steel; the careful turn of timber grain; and the shared pride of a team that never stops innovating.
As Bisca marks its 30th anniversary, their HQ premises in Helmsley stand not only as a place of making, but as a living testament to how art, engineering, heritage and technology can coexist beautifully.
Read here, Part 1 of Bisca’s 30 Year story: From Forge to Fame – The Birth of a Specialist Staircase Visionary
