a substantial quantity of Greenheart timber - an extremely dense durable timber used in heavy duty , marine and freshwater construction . Beautifully figured and aged , with a distinctive colour the wood had formed harbour props as part of a 150 year old port expansion . They were pulled from the harbour in 1990 when the Teeside Development Corporation stripped out the redundant port , deemed waste they were given away to local farmers . The homeowner was keen to use the wood in the renovation and needed a bespoke specialist to incor porate it into the staircase .
The design had to provide honesty and integrity and show off the beauty of the timber . Bisca developed the design around the dimension of the harbour props , cutting and shaping the treads which were cantilevered from the wall . Each piece of timber was surveyed and hand-selected for its character , particularly the fissures and cracks which emphasised its previous role . Going from a marine to a domestic environment could mean that the cracks would open up as the timber contin ued to dry out , so Bisca designed bespoke butterfly keys , finished to match the spindles , that essentially tie the timber together to maintain the structural integrity for generations to come . The open treads allow views through the feature window to the countryside beyond .
The balustrade of hand-forged steel uprights with a blackened finish is a nod to the agricultural heritage of the home . A sculptural oak newel post rises
Bisca staircases are 100 % bespoke . Each project begins with a blank slate , a site visit and listening to the homeowner ’ s aspirations ,.
from the floor and transitions into the handrail which runs the full length of the staircase and sweeps onto the first floor landing .
The final element further strengthening the connection to the surrounding environment is a feature stone tread . The stone , originally part of the ‘ Baltic
Chamber Arch ’ demolished in 1996 , was discovered at a haulage yard and taken back to the farm on a tractor and trailer . Added at the foot of the staircase it contrasts with , but is empathetic to , the brick walls of the hallway .
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