Staircase Design / PROJECT

Henan Central Staircase Transformation

Henan
Moving the stair from the wall to the center reorganizes the living and dining areas and turns the living room into a conversation-focused gathering space.Designer: Lu Haining

Henan Central Staircase Transformation
00PROJECT OVERVIEW
01 / EXISTING CONDITION

The original stair followed the wall. Within the limited floor area, this shifted the center of the living room, weakened the relationship between living and dining, and left too little room for a round dining table and clear circulation.

02 / CLIENT BRIEF

The client wanted a more creative stair solution that would improve the functional relationship and efficiency of the shared living and dining space.

03 / DESIGN APPROACH

The stair is moved away from the wall and placed at the center of the room, becoming the organizing core of the shared space rather than only a route between floors.

The central stair naturally separates living and dining, clarifies circulation and creates a more suitable position for the round dining table.

Relocating the television shifts the living room from a viewing-focused arrangement to a place for conversation and gathering. The project improves interest, spatial depth and everyday quality through function and layout rather than surface decoration.

04 / KEY MOVES
  1. 01Move the stair to the center
  2. 02Separate living and dining with the stair
  3. 03Reorganize the round table and dining area
  4. 04Shift the television and living-room focal point
  5. 05Create a conversation-focused gathering space
  6. 06Improve spatial depth and living quality through function
SPATIAL CHANGE

WALL STAIR / CENTRAL STAIR

Before: the wall-aligned stair shifted the living-room center and affected shared circulation01
STARTBefore: the wall-aligned stair shifted the living-room center and affected shared circulation
Completed space: the central stair reorganizes living, dining and shared circulation02
RESULTCompleted space: the central stair reorganizes living, dining and shared circulation
PROJECT SEQUENCE

Read the project as a sequence of spatial decisions, from structure and circulation to the final lived scene.

Existing relationship between the shared room and its openings
01Existing relationship between the shared room and its openings
Reference view of a conventional wall-aligned stair
02Reference view of a conventional wall-aligned stair
Moving the stair to the center and forming a continuous platform
03Moving the stair to the center and forming a continuous platform
The round table and central platform define a clearer dining area
04The round table and central platform define a clearer dining area
Upper view of how the central stair organizes living, dining and circulation
05Upper view of how the central stair organizes living, dining and circulation
Upper view of the round table and surrounding activity space
06Upper view of the round table and surrounding activity space
The living room becomes a conversation-focused gathering area
07The living room becomes a conversation-focused gathering area
PROJECT FILM

Design walkthrough of the central stair and the reorganized living and dining space