See to Believe This Staircase That Feels Like Its Own Experience

Winding between three stories and two homes, this staircase by Pearce Scott Architects represents the magic in architecture.

Story by Alea Wilkins
Photography by Kelli Boyd

There are moments when architecture feels like sorcery, when the viewer, awestruck, can’t help but wonder how a building took shape. This winding staircase, designed by Pearce Scott Architects, is one of those.

Connecting three stories and two homes in one vertical space posed quite the challenge for the team on this Palmetto Bluff project. “They were really tricky to figure out, like a Swiss watch,” says principal architect Evan Goodwin. The solution was a twisting, three-story elevation that is as functional as it is sculptural. Each level reveals a door or passageway, like expanding into the conjoining carriage house on the second floor or dipping out to the service yard at ground level. Like the work of M.C. Escher, some may find the maze-like configuration dizzying. Goodwin finds it playful. “On this oversized stair, I could see you pulling up a chair or a bean bag and hanging out to read,” he says, referencing a generously sized landing between the first and second floors.

While its labyrinthine layout could feel confining, tall windows and abundant light transform the stairwell into a place to pause rather than simply pass through. It’s its own spectacle to behold, a puzzle expertly solved — no magic required.