Living Staircase /
Paul Cocksedge
Archetech - Issue 20 [Page 64]
A living spiral staircase with open spaces
for reading, drawing, relaxing and
drinking tea forms the centrepiece of a
newly created workspace in London’s
Soho district.
Designed by Paul Cocksedge Studio
and completed this week, the unique
sculptural staircase is a showcase feature
of a contemporary office development
by Resolution Property known as
Ampersand. At 12.5-meters high, the
staircase provides a dynamic connectivity
between the building’s four office floors
within a curvilinear atrium, embodying
Ampersand’s creativity-meets-commerce
brand.
Paul Cocksedge’s design removes the
load-bearing pillar from the centre of a
traditional staircase design and replaces
it with a series of zones for relaxation,
creative thinking and informal workplace
interaction. Planting along the entire
balustrade forms a ‘flying’ garden which
can be tended by the building’s office
community and there is potential for the
staircase to include edible planting such
as fresh mint.
On the first level of the staircase a Zettel'z
6 light designed by Ingo Maurer hangs
on wires creating a place to draw or
leave messages. The second staircase
houses a library of source books for
creative thought.The staircase is of timber
and steel construction, using Forest
Stewardship Council compliant American
white oak. Paul Cocksedge worked
in partnership with Arup during the
13-month build programme.