Made to Scale: Miniature Staircase Masterpieces at Cooper Hewitt

In 2006, Cooper Hewitt put on display a collection of staircase models that could not be climbed, titled Made to Scale: Staircase Masterpieces, The Eugene & Clare Thaw Gift. Comprising miniature models finely crafted from wood and metal from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, these tiny swirling helixes and delicate balustrades transcend mere utilitarian tests of interior architecture.

By gifting their collection to Cooper Hewitt, Eugene and Clare Thaw made the mastery behind each model accessible to the public. They serve as a useful reference for architects modeling structures to scale while offering aesthetic fascination, reminiscent of luxurious children's dollhouses crafted from oak and other fine woods.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

For architecture school graduates, building a model staircase is a curriculum staple that encapsulates the intricacies of building space around the human form. Because a staircase is a functional tool, it must fit foot proportions, feature comfortably positioned handrails, and have an efficient angle between floors.

The exhibition featured various designs such as a late 19th-century English-style spiral staircase model, a mid-to-late 19th-century model with a low curved double stringboard, and a double staircase model from 1850–75. It was held at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, curated by Sarah D. Coffin, former curator and head of Product Design and Decorative Arts.

Source: designboom