Feature stairs: elevate your workplace

In the evolving world of office design, one element of multi-floor fit-outs consistently stands out to architects, engineers, and businesses alike: the feature staircase. Far more than just a means of connecting floors or even an architectural statement, feature staircases have become a powerful tool to elevate workspace design, enhance functionality, and reflect a company's identity.

A well-designed staircase can be a striking feature that attracts potential employees and helps retain existing staff. In today’s competitive job market, creating an appealing and inspiring workplace is vital. As feature staircases can be a part of the company's identity, they can add levels of creativity and demonstrate a company’s commitment to invest in creating a dynamic and engaging workspace for their employees.

Depending on the layout, the area surrounding a feature staircase can be transformed into informal meeting areas, lounges, or social and creative hubs, encouraging employees to gather and collaborate in a more relaxed setting.

However, installing an inter-floor stair is often one of the most complex elements of a fit-out project. Realising this key feature to fulfil any of these aspirations or business needs requires considerable planning.

Below we have listed some of the key considerations when it comes to adding a feature staircase to an office.

Programme and procurement route

The stair design, lead-in, and construction are typically on the critical path, so careful planning and consideration of the project programme are required.

In addition, the programme, architectural aspirations for the stair design, landlord requirements, and the scale of the overall fit-out project all contribute to informing the procurement strategy for the project, and specifically the staircase itself.

Therefore, a clear strategy is essential in mitigating the associated project risks.

Specialist staircase sub-contractors are well-equipped to take on the design as part of a CDP element, either through the development of a concept design or the adoption of a RIBA Stage 4 detailed design, depending on how much control the client would like to retain on quality and design intent. Equally, our team has the experience and expertise to retain full design responsibility for the staircase throughout the project. For example, our in-house structural engineers designed the skeletal timber staircase in our Birmingham office.

Therefore, the question is: ‘How much time can be allocated for staircase design in the post-tender period to ensure timely fabrication and installation before practical completion?’

Base build construction and the landlord requirements and constraints

The interaction between the staircase design and the base build can significantly impact project complexity. If the design calls for an open, stacked staircase perpendicular to the building’s primary framing, additional building services diversions and structural trimming steel may be necessary. Staircases installed inside the office atria, the adjacent base build structure, are likely to require strengthening works, so developing a stair design that minimises the impact will reduce the programme and cost.

The process of validating base build and obtaining the Licence to Alter to achieve landlord’s approval will be key. These aspects will allow a smooth and expedient approval process and will give landlords confidence early in the process that the concept is eminently achievable. We want to take landlords on the design journey with us and explain what is that we will do, how it will be achieved, and how it will work with the existing building. For example, consideration should be given to increased loading, diverted or more concentrated loads on the base build and their effect on adjacent areas, stair and floor vibrations, and deflections.

Fire strategy

Along with building services diversions and potential acoustic solutions, the fire strategy is a major consideration when implementing a new staircase. The location of a smoke curtain, material choice for the staircase and its finishes might need to be carefully specified to align with the strategy, so collaboration with an experienced fire engineer and engagement with the client during the early stages is paramount to defining any design parameters and aligning the team.

Conclusion

Though there are common considerations when planning, designing and constructing a feature staircase, it goes without saying that each project requires a tailored approach. To achieve desired outcomes, only collaboration between architects, engineers, and construction teams will allow for that to happen.

The key is to draw on the team’s expertise and knowledge to find the most appropriate solution whatever the stair arrangement, material, programme and procurement strategy.