Sculptural Glass Staircase with Curved Treads, Cumbria

A distinguished recommendation inspired our client's brief centred not on dimensions, but on sensations - where Bisca's design team was given free reign to create a sculptural staircase - comprising free floating Corian treads and curved glass perfectly framed by a triple-height feature window.

Project ID: 9601

A Sculptural Glass Staircase, Thirty Years in the Making

Set within nine acres of Lake District landscape, this curved glass staircase rises through our clients’ newly built home, conceived as a modern sanctuary behind its traditional stone exterior. The triple-height window, visible from the road – promises something remarkable within.

The commission carried a particular resonance for Bisca. The homeowner is the daughter of John Sweeney, the university tutor under whom our founder, Richard McLane, earned his first-class degree some thirty years earlier. When she began to search for a staircase worthy of her new home, her father’s recommendation was immediate.

“Your work is outstanding Richard, I am super-impressed with each assignment you undertake and execute so exquisitely…”

Feelings First…

Few projects arrive with such a personal weight of expectation; one that Bisca willingly embraced…

From the outset, our client described not a specification but a sensation. She wanted to ‘feel glamorous’ every time she came downstairs; for visitors to pause as they entered her home. Crisp, fresh, bright and ultra-modern within – the staircase design was to be defined by curves and fluidity, with a glass balustrade left free of a handrail so that nothing interrupted its flow.

The constraints were considerable. The build was too far advanced for walls or floors to move and the door to our client’s jewellery workshop dictated precisely where the first tread could fall.

Glass was chosen for its delicacy. It brings an openness to the hallway, allowing the staircase to be read as a sculpture against the white of the interior. To soften a design of such precision, the top and underside edges of the glass were drawn as flowing curves rather than following the pitch of the stair. This profile is echoed by the handrail recessed into the wall, a purposeful detail used to reclaim space and enhance movement.

Where Precision Becomes Poetry

Crafted in Bisca’s workshops and inspired by a previous staircase we created in upstate New York, this sculptural glass staircase brings together a sense of luxury including satin-polished stainless steel; white Corian; and structural glass.

Connected only at its head and foot, each curved tread floats clear of the wall, creating a shadow gap which carries warmed lighting to reveal their individual beauty. The laminated glass balustrade performs as a heightened string; the Corian treads passing effortlessly through the glass, without visible fixings.

At landing level, Bisca designed a solid plaster parapet, framing the staircase like a gallery piece: white upon white, with nothing to compete. At the foot, the treads fan outwards into a solid bullnosed plinth which sweeps around the turn, offering a stage upon which to descend – or a place to simply sit and enjoy.

A Home Transformed by a Single Gesture

Our client is a jeweller by profession – accustomed to reading tolerances the way others read a page – this staircase was made to reward exactly that closeness of inspection. From structural survey and concept development to manufacture and installation, she was left at liberty to enjoy the experience. For anyone planning a new build or architectural transformation and who would like the staircase to be as bespoke as their home, we invite you to begin the conversation with our specialist team…

What Our Client Had to Say…

Wow! What a stunning staircase. The attention to detail makes this very special. Thank you, Richard and all the Bisca team.

Partners for this Project

Building Contractors – Walker Bros Building Contractors

Project ID: 9601