Project Description
2009 RADA
Architectural Design Detail /Merit
Lise de Vito and Jim Zack, AIA, lavished attention on the design of the skylight-topped staircase in their San Francisco townhouse. The result—a glowing transmitter of light, sound, and air—won praise from the judges. “I like the luminous quality,” said one.
The couple hand-sanded the staircase's clear acrylic treads and risers to achieve a translucent appearance. Waterjet-cut steel stringers hold these pieces together. A slim mahogany handrail adds warmth, and guardrails of glass and steel usher light into the heart of the house.