Zaha Hadid Architects
Penthouse 37 Staircase

The duplex penthouse suite features a custom spiral staircase spanning three stories with a handrailing designed as a monolithic ribbon-like form.

The residential building at 520 West 28th Street was Zaha Hadid’s only residential building in New York and one of her last projects before her death. With a preliminary design provided by the client, ASTOUND initiated the project with a 3D scan of the suite which the digital fabrication department received and incorporated into the architect’s rough model. The design was adjusted to fit site conditions and restrictions before detailers and CNC technicians broke the full model down into waffle frames for production. CNC assembly in the shop took the fabrication to roughly 90% completion but due to the complex geometry of the continuous “ribbon” design ASTOUND finished the full staircase by hand on-site to ensure perfection.