Spacelab has won the Architect of the Year Award for the conversion of the Art Deco-style Greater London House in Camden, which reminds us of the challenge we faced in 2008 when we were commissioned to create a feature staircase for a client in the same building. Greater London House is an iconic Art Deco building, one of the many hidden gems of London, so when transforming and reviving its interior, Diapo had to ensure that the stairs we produced would be a subtle account of the era. Our approach was to embrace Art Deco as a style of drawing that relies on bold designs, clear lines, patterns and geometric shapes. The stairs, while contemporary in style, integrated a distinctive Art Deco pattern. The design evolved from a triangle, a shape reminiscent of the Art Deco period while the manufacturing involved 3-dimensional metal sheets forming folded geometric patterns to create the stringer and 3D treads. Congratulations to Spacelab for taking on the challenge of Greater London House with such great execution.  With a blend of creativity and embracing the style of the era, you may always find a perfect balance between the old and the new and how well they can complement each other.

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The main feature of the stairs is a monolithic stepped soffit, which gives the stairs a unique beautifully sculptured feel.

To tackle the complexity of the transition detail of the steeped ply soffit at the winders, a sweeping interlocking solution coupled with clever engineering has allowed a CNC  process to drives the overall design and construction of stairs, this process has formed an essential part of the geometry and finish product.

And it gets more exciting The stairs is completed with a continuous blackened patinated steel balustrade to contrast the wood soffit and emphasis on its sculptural impact

Follow the link to view more images in our Portofolio.

The staircase by virtue of its nature and form is a ‘lightweight’ structure and has been designed to be structurally sound but light in perception.
One of the challenges was to develop a hanging light structure while maintaining its entire structural integrity.

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Diapo Is excited to announce the commission of a two storey helical staircase for the Club house of the brand new golf development G.West in Gleneagles, Scotland.

At Diapo work is already underway on creating a feature staircase for the new clubhouse every bit as prestigious and elegant as the Colin Campbell Inspired exterior.

Follow the link for our newsfeed which contains more updates and pictures as the project progresses.

for more information on gwest resort

The Design team was set the challenge of producing a set of scissor cantilevered stairs that had to be self supported, with emphasis focused on intricate detailing, luxurious and exquisite finishes.

The final design was this visually stunning set of stairs, comprising of a freestanding cranked steel stinger, hard wood treads, complimented with an internal glass balustrade.

The absence of any side fixings gave the impression that the staircase was floating within its environment.

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The brief was to create a sculptural monolithic look with an emphasis on unconventional forms and configuration.

Emphasis is mainly on creating a continuous and homogenous flow throughout the intricate details of the whole entity.

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With sweeping balconies around the upper levels, the building offers 360˚ views of Gleneagles’ Queen’s Course and the countryside beyond.
The epitome of cutting edge, contemporary design set in rural tranquillity.

Please click on the link below to view further images.

http://diapo.co.uk/portfolio/glass-stairs-aquarium-gleneagles.html

Working with our open minded client our design team considered the space carefully, deciding to reverse the direction of the stair. The team then worked to combine the aesthetic, structural and functional requirements to produce this stunning end result.

When the client arrived home for the first time after instillation we received an email immediately to congratulate us on our work. It once again proved that whether grand or reserved, a well considered and carefully executed functional stair can transform and elevate itself and its surrounding space.

To see more about the project please click  http://diapo.co.uk/portfolio/kinnerton-place.html

Under the guidance of Webb Yates engineers, a section of the proposed stringer was constructed in the workshop. Two glass treads were carefully inserted into the prototype clamping system, leveled and tightened into position.

Our intrepid designers were the first to step up and confidently test the integrity of their design. Of course, the rig and glass were plenty strong enough, and so the proper testing could begin.

Tension rods were used to apply a point load, via a load bar, to the end of the tread. A load cell was used to accurately confirm the applied load as it was incrementally increased to predefined targets.

At each stage the deflection was recorded, and the rig was then left for 5 minutes. The load (which by this point had decreased) was again recorded. The load was then released and the permanent deflection was recorded.

This process was repeated at 280kg, 560kg, 840kg and finally, an incredible 980kg! That’s more than 1.5 fully fuelled minis, or more importantly 4 times the required British standard.

We put this down as a pass and went into full production, the result of which will be posted shortly. Stay tuned for more pictures of this truly innovative piece of work.

This stunning feature stair is a self supported scissor stairs with half moon landings which features structural glass balustrade and slotted handrails,

Haldane complemented the stairs with continuous handrails which flowed seamlessly from spiral timber transition and horizontal straight rail.
Manufactured and supplied in 50mm diameter American White Oak which was then stained to provide a luxurious black walnut finish.

We have enjoyed a superb relationship with Haldane over the last few years and are delighted to work with a company that shares our values of quality, craftsmanship and attention to detail.

To view project: http://diapo.co.uk/portfolio/staircases/meadway.html