flexiblefullpage -
Currently Reading

Design Details: Float On

Advertisement
billboard -
Architecture

Design Details: Float On

Hidden tension rods float this terrazzo staircase


By By Nigel F. Maynard, Editor-in-Chief April 1, 2019
Floating_Terrazzo_stairs
This article first appeared in the CB Spring 2019 issue of Custom Builder.

The staircase in this Venice Beach, Calif., custom home may seem simple and straightforward, but in reality it’s a feat of engineering that involved structural ingenuity to execute, says architect Dan Brunn, AIA.

Commissioned by a couple who wanted a home with clean lines, minimal maintenance, and durable materials to suit the home’s oceanfront location, the house is an exercise in strategic subtraction to create a dwelling that offers light, privacy, and space. “We started with a box and cut away space to create volumes,” the architect says.

Terrazzo_Stairs_

Brunn’s most dramatic design move is the large, central staircase that allows light to filter down into the house. The architect wanted the staircase to feel as if it’s floating, so his structural engineer devised a hidden tension rod, which removes visible stringers and other structural components. Brunn chose terrazzo treads and risers that flow from the floor material used throughout the home’s second level.

“The terrazzo treatment is a modern take on the traditional [rug] runner on a wood staircase,” Brunn explains. “We poured the terrazzo in place and ground the surface to expose the aggregate of white marble and clear glass.”

Terrazzo_stairs

Accurate Manufactured Products Group fabricated the architectural stand-offs in powder-coated white paint to help them visually disappear, and Tamlyn trim creates a nice reveal where the terrazzo meets the drywall. A ½-inch-thick low-iron glass railing and a stainless steel handrail complete the installation. 

Project: Zig Zag house, Los Angeles 
Architect: Dan Brunn Architecture, Los Angeles
Photos: Brandon Shigeta

Related Stories

Custom Builder

Telling a Story That Preserves the Past

Custom builder and historic restoration and preservation expert Brent Hull walks us through the careful details of his Pennsylvania Farmhouse project

Custom Builder

2023: A Year of Case Studies

A look back at the custom homes and craftsman details we spotlighted last year

Business

Choosing Humanism, History, and Beauty Over Modernism

Celebrated architect Laurence Booth, whose career spans half a century, shares insights on modernism's flaws, the characteristics of beauty, his design process, and more

New Home

Hosting Multiple Generations for Generations to Come

Despite juggling numerous program and site considerations, architect Joel Wenzel designed a long-lasting, multi-generational retreat that nestles seamlessly into its bucolic surroundings

Business

Finding the Intersection of Architecture, Design, and Film

In celebration of the 15th annual Architecture & Design Film Festival, we recently sat down with its director, Kyle Bergman, to learn a little bit more about how and where architecture, design, and film come together

Architecture

Space-Saving Helix Stairs for an East Village Apartment

These custom winding stairs in architect James Wagman’s “Heavy Metal” project actually aren’t made from metal at all…

Custom Builder

Merging Ancient Construction With Modern Living

This vacation home pushes the boundaries of traditional log construction techniques and incorporates elegant details elevating this typically rustic building method

Custom Builder

Making a Custom Home Among the Redwoods

Designing a not-cramped-feeling, three-bedroom home on a tight lot surrounded by protected redwoods was no easy task. But through high ceilings, abundant glazing, and thoughtful spatial detailing, architect Heidi Richardson achieved the improbable. 

Custom Builder

Building 'Living Architecture'

Master builder Jeff DuBro's novel approach to design and architecture embraces not only how clients intend to live in the home, but also how they intend to live in the surrounding community

Custom Builder

A Historical Fix on a Modern Foursquare

The Foursquare is an American architectural staple, but modern building has removed some of its historic details. Restoration expert Brent Hull uses a hypothetical redesign to illustrate the point 

Advertisement
boombox1 -
Advertisement
boombox2 -
Advertisement
boombox3 -
Advertisement
native1 -

More in Category

Custom Builder

Telling a Story That Preserves the Past

Custom builder and historic restoration and preservation expert Brent Hull walks us through the careful details of his Pennsylvania Farmhouse project

Custom Builder

2023: A Year of Case Studies

A look back at the custom homes and craftsman details we spotlighted last year

boombox4 -
Business

Choosing Humanism, History, and Beauty Over Modernism

Celebrated architect Laurence Booth, whose career spans half a century, shares insights on modernism's flaws, the characteristics of beauty, his design process, and more

New Home

Hosting Multiple Generations for Generations to Come

Despite juggling numerous program and site considerations, architect Joel Wenzel designed a long-lasting, multi-generational retreat that nestles seamlessly into its bucolic surroundings

boombox4 -
Advertisement
native2 -
Advertisement
halfpage1 -