“Compelling.” That’s how one of our judges characterized this stair, which manages to embody both reassuring solidity and airy weightlessness. Architect Mahdad Saniee specified beefy maple treads—each laminated from two boards, to resist twisting and cupping—and supported them at the wall with hidden steel hangers. “We wanted to make them look like they are floating,” he says, “so they sit away from the wall by about half an inch.” The stainless steel rods that seem to pierce the treads’ opposite ends are, in fact, joined by threaded couplings hidden within the thickness of the wood. The result is an assembly whose stiffness underfoot defies expectation, Saniee says. “It feels very solid, much more solid than average stairs.” With the rods working in tension from above and compression below, “it’s very hard for those pieces of wood to move.” The interplay of wood and steel makes abstract reference to a Steinway concert grand, Saniee notes. “It’s taking elements of a piano and playing with them.” A gently curved soffit in the ceiling reinforces the visual rhyme. The jury admired the effect but was equally impressed with the technical acumen required to achieve it. “The rhythm established by the vertical rods sets up a rigorous discipline that works with the intricacies of stair dimensions,” observed one judge. “That’s really hard to do.”

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Designed in sharp contrast to the glass walled living room above, this space sits partially underground. Precisely comfy for movie night.
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Custom Master Bathroom Design
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A beautifully boarded stair hall welcomes you into this inspirational modern Cape Cod home. The spacious floor plan includes an expansive kitchen, dining, and living area, complete with a charming butler's pantry and home office. Photo Credit: Scott Amundson

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Photography: Regan Wood Photography
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Ziger|Snead Architects Photographers: Adam Rouse & Jennifer Hughes
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Stephen Sullivan Inc.
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After photo 2. Our clients new view from the kitchen. No more walls separating the space. Chris Keilty
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