Barn at the Ahof, Landgoed Appel [NL]

EeStairs + Flip Wentink Architecten

This helical staircase in a 19th century barn in the Netherlands is made of plywood, and EeStairs is particularly proud of it – it’s the first time we’ve used this material to make a feature staircase. Plywood was chosen by the interior designer Julia van Beuningen to blend in with the barn’s other materials, such as lime plaster, flax insulation, and pine cabinetry. The barn conversion is part of the Ahof project designed by Flip Wentink Architecten, which will produce a zero carbon collection of historic buildings.

Two features of the staircase stand out. There is no central supporting column, and this is because EeStairs in-house design support team collaborated with the engineers and project architect to produce a self-supporting helix. The other notable aspect is the accuracy of the balustrade geometry and the precise lines of the plywood edges.

This staircase is proof that stairs with dramatic forms can be made very successfully without using high tech materials, and this can be particularly significant in architectural projects involving older buildings, or in designs such as the Ahof that aim to substantially reduce environmental impacts.