PRECISION STONE
CUSTOM STONE INSTALLATION
AN EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP FOR STAIRCASE MASTERPIECES
The partnership with The Stonemasonry Company has proven that we have the capability to exceed the expectations of what can be done in natural stone. Together with the exemplary engineers at Webb and Yates, and Picco Engineering, we have designed, fabricated, and installed architectural masterpieces. Over the last 5 years through our combined expertise, we have created utterly unique stone staircases by both traditional cantilever and post-tension techniques. They are true marvels accomplished in natural stone that elevate the material beyond its boundaries. These stairs below showcase the unparalleled skill and state-of-the-art-technology utilized by both of our teams.
MOST CONSECUTIVE POST-TENSION FLIGHTS IN NORTH AMERICA
Sweeney + Conroy Inc | Fradkin & McAlpin Architects LLP
This stair is in a private townhouse designed by Fradkin & McAlpin Architects on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. Starting from the subcellular and making its way up to the fifth floor, it is a true work of craftsmanship in every sense of the word. This stair, which has the most consecutive post tension flights in North America, is 5 flights of post-tension with 2 flights of cantilever. The treads are made from a french limestone called Combe Brune and were fabricated by The Stonemasonry in the UK. Their fabrication studio is not full of technology but instead a few traditional stone carvers. An artform which has existed for thousands of years and is exceedingly rare today. Each carver is trained by the more experienced ones which came before them and it takes years to even be considered a beginner. A team of Stonemasonry’s master carvers handled, cut, and finished each unique stone tread. These pieces were then carefully loaded into crates and sent to New York. Here, Precision Stone placed each hand crafted tread one by one into the proper position and tensioned each flight under enormous pressure. On a ramping and twisting staircase which is under extreme tension from steel tendons the requirements for dimensional accuracy of each tread and their positioning cannot be overstated. Modern engineering meeting with true traditional craftsmanship brought this staircase to life and can be seen in every detail.
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LONGEST POST-TENSIONED BALUSTRADE STAIRCASE IN THE WORLD
J.T. Magen & Company Inc. | RDAI Architects | Spacesmith
The incredibly unique design for this stair set forth by RDAI architects was of massive proportions. Each phase of the project was exceptionally demanding - from the hyper specific material selections in the beginning, to the site logistics of final installation. The brilliant engineering minds at Webb and Yates Engineers and Stonemasonry Company worked and reworked the engineering and construction sequence of the stair to ensure the design would function perfectly after arriving from overseas. Our team at Precision Stone poured over the design hundreds of times to ensure it was fully coordinated with the architectural and structural space it needed to fit. Both teams worked on new techniques of setting stone and developed provable testing to ensure the project could be completed on time and with efficiency. Every aspect of the project was made from bespoke systems to meet the needs of the design. Methodologies of temporarily supporting the Portuguese Limestone until it was a completed structure had to be realized. Custom clamps and rigging systems were developed and engineered to meet the space requirements of the jobsite and the complex geometry of the stone work. Everything was done for the first time and with no safety net for failure. All of this work was done to build something brilliant - the longest stone staircase with steel rods tensioned within the railing, making each tread a floating “bridge.” A true marvel in natural stone which elevates the material beyond its boundaries. This mesmerizing stair is inside the Hermes Madison flagship store in Manhattan.
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FIRST POST-TENSION STAIRCASE MADE FROM DOMESTIC MATERIALS
S. Donadic Inc Construction Management | Thomas Juul-Hansen LLC
This project is in a private residence in Sagg Harbor, Long Island. When architect Thomas Juul-Hansen was choosing a material for the main staircase he knew the staircase was going to be a main focus of the almost all glass house. Based on the stone colors and design presented in the initial renderings, Precision Stone jumped at the opportunity to source material locally. Vermont Quarries Corp had a marble that fit the aesthetics perfectly, “Danby Fantastico.” The engineering and design, done by Picco Engineering and Webb&Yates, also required a very specific direction of the veining which needed a great deal of attention to capture correctly. Precision Stone used the proximity of the quarry to their advantage and worked hand in hand with the quarry master directly to select each block of stone for every individual tread. This meant spending a week at the quarry, having close contact with each member of the team in Vermont to ensure the carefully sequenced layout arrived at Precision perfectly. Working with Stonemasonry on the details of the project, Precision Stone fabricated each tread individually on their state-of-the-art machinery. The digital fabrication process ensured that the repetitive treads were completely uniform and allowed for the hyper specific vein layout to be controlled to outstanding tolerances. The resulting staircase is a show stopping work of art, and has the distinction of being the first post tension stair in the US to be made from a domestic marble.
We have been ecstatic to work on these stone staircases due to their complex engineering and luxurious aesthetic. The grace and beauty of these architectural works of art are incomparable to those made from other materials. Precision Stone is driven by our passion for stone and architectural design. We are committed to the pursuit of excellence in every project we take on, creating exquisite compositions of all kinds. Thank you to the artisans and engineers at The Stonemasonry Company for putting their passion and masterful skills into these architectural works of art. We look forward to many more years of collaboration.
Please enjoy more photos of recent projects done by the Stonemasonry Company.
Contact info@precisionstone.net to inquire!
