The spiral staircase, like many designs, has its history. Spiral stairs are visually stimulating and require very little room in comparison to traditional stairs. A spiral staircase is a staircase with a central pole or post from which stairs are set out in a spiral. The stairs progress up the pole in a screw-like pattern, which results in a change of elevation in a very confined space. Spiral staircases originated in the Middle Ages as a way to access the top of castle towers. Though spiral stairs have several benefits, their use in castles and towers was as a defensive tactic. Today, spiral staircases are used more for practical purposes.
Designers today use spiral staircases for their aesthetics, maximizing floorspace, and often make efficient use of areas in smaller homes. Though the first spiral staircases were made of natural stone, today’s technology has advanced to include wood and metals. The choice of materials is dependent on a person’s budget and design implementation. River Bluff Update: Currently on the River Bluff project the crews are moving along despite the sweltering heat. The backyard is complete for this year’s phase, which included final touch-ups and new spiral staircase. Previously there was no access from the upper deck down to the pool deck. With little room below and the pool being so close to the house, the homeowner wanted to maximize the floorspace and so chose a spiral staircase. The installation of the spiral staircase went along smoothly. The crews also installed a new railing that will match this new staircase, resulting in a clean and professional look through-out the back yard oasis. The crews are also moving right along with the south side retaining walls and walkways. This has been a longer process than usual due to the wet conditions in the weeks prior, but things have dried up and the walls should be complete by the end of the day. After the completion of the walls, an excavation of temporary soils will be needed. Soils were brought in to permit access to the backyard due to the steep slop conditions. After the removal of these excess soils the stairs and new walkway will be installed bringing this phase of the project to an end for the year.