Space4Architecture adds White Snake staircase to New York townhouse
New York firm Space4Architecture has added a curving white staircase with oak treads to a historic townhouse in the city's Upper West Side (+ slideshow).
![The White Snake by Space4architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/White-Snake_Staircase_Space4Architects_New-York-townhouse_dezeen_936_3.jpg)
The practice set out to create "spatial continuity" within the narrow five-storey house by uniting the different areas of each floor.
![The White Snake by Space4architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/White-Snake_Staircase_Space4Architects_New-York-townhouse_dezeen_936_2-e1451905271161.jpg)
"Our design intention was to recall the concept of a loft, in this case a vertical loft," said Space4Architecture, which has worked on several residential projects in New York.
![The White Snake by Space4architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/White-Snake_Staircase_Space4Architects_New-York-townhouse_dezeen_936_11-e1451905248410.jpg)
"To emphasise this feeling of openness, we had to work simultaneously on a horizontal and vertical plane."
The first two floors of the building were extended towards the back garden, and a fully glazed wall added to bring in natural light.
![The White Snake by Space4architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/White-Snake_Staircase_Space4Architects_New-York-townhouse_dezeen_936_18.jpg)
The staircase, which the studio named White Snake, comprises oak treads and open risers.
![The White Snake by Space4architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/White-Snake_Staircase_Space4Architects_New-York-townhouse_dezeen_936_13.jpg)
The treads are held in place by a solid white parapet that curves upwards through the house, and also acts as a bannister.
![The White Snake by Space4architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/White-Snake_Staircase_Space4Architects_New-York-townhouse_dezeen_936_1.jpg)
The same materials are echoed through the rest of the interior, which features wooden floorboards and white walls.
![The White Snake by Space4architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/White-Snake_Staircase_Space4Architects_New-York-townhouse_dezeen_936_19.jpg)
The staircase is larger at the lower levels of the house to reveal its L-shaped plan. At the upper floors, it becomes more sinuous to maintain maximum living space.
![The White Snake by Space4architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/White-Snake_Staircase_Space4Architects_New-York-townhouse_dezeen_936_15.jpg)
The firm also added a private lounge to the top floor of the house, which allows the homeowners to enjoy views across Manhattan.
![The White Snake by Space4architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/White-Snake_Staircase_Space4Architects_New-York-townhouse_dezeen_936_17.jpg)
Other sculptural staircases include slender black wireframe steps used to mark the junction between the two floors of a house in Bulgaria, and a cross-shaped staircase added to a converted office building in Belgium.
![The White Snake by Space4architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/White-Snake_Staircase_Space4Architects_New-York-townhouse_dezeen_936_16.jpg)
We've also rounded up our favourite staircases of 2015, including a pair of spiral staircases that wrap around a Japanese wedding chapel and concrete steps with no balustrade in a converted factory in Spain.
Photography is by Beatrice Pediconi.