Pattern 228
Stair Vault
Context Staircase as a Stage133 · Staircase Volume195 · Efficient Structure206 · Good Materials207
Problem
A staircase needs something solid underneath it to carry its weight, yet when that support is built as a solid filled ramp, the space beneath the stair is lost — sealed off, useless, neither room nor storage.
Solution
Carry the stair on a curved masonry vault rather than a solid fill, so the stair rests on a firm, lasting support while the space it arches over stays open and usable below.
Usage Floor Surface233 · Soft Tile and Brick248 · Alcoves179 · Child Caves203 · Closets Between Rooms198 · Floor-Ceiling Vaults219