SPIRAL UK CREATE A 6 STOREY HELICAL STAIRCASE IN THE HEART OF LONDON Spiral UK were pleased to create an incredible helical staircase through the centre of a central London building, built to look like it was part of the original structure but standing out for its subtle detailing and strong form. The Grade I Listed building at 21 St James’ Square was the work of The Ritz designers, Mewes & Davies, in the 1930s, who mirrored number 20 next door, emulating the work of esteemed British architect, Robert Adam, from the 1770s. In 2018 it went through a substantial and thorough redevelopment to become an exclusive and opulent office building. One of the most expensive postcodes in the UK, the previous inhabitant list reads as a ‘who’s who’ of British history, with even the Queen Mother of Elizabeth II residing there from 1906 to 1920. That is why Spiral UK were honoured to be contracted for the feature staircase that winds its way up through the centre of the old building. A stair of this height is ambitious in itself, but this design was helical in nature, bringing with it a host of engineering and fabrication challenges. Helical stairs appear to be defying gravity as they arc through a space and cause tension points where they tether to a structure.
14 Construction UK Magazine - End of Year Review Edition 2021