Step by Step: Architect-led visit to Eva Jiricna’s Miles Stair, Somerset House

Eva Jiricna’s design of the Miles Stair provides a contemporary yet complementary focal point in the West Wing of Somerset House, a Grade I listed Palladian complex considered as one of the finest examples of English Heritage in London. Architect Duncan Webster from Eva Jiricna Architects Ltd who supervised the project will talk about the complexity of an ambitious design of a helical stair that wraps an ethereal steel-mesh newel and avoids contact with the historic building fabric and will explore the means of achieving lightness and transparency of five-story staircase with 104 steps and 14 landing in such a restricted and sensitive architectural context.

Eva Jiricna Architects Ltd led by a Czech born architect Eva Jiricna became famous for working with glass and metal while designing the interiors of shops, residential projects and glass staircases but also for work at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Canada Water Bus Station, the Leicester Library, the Orangery at Prague Castle and many other outstanding projects.

Architect Duncan Webster has been with Eva Jiricna Architects Ltd since 1992 and worked as co-director (2000 – 2017) on many of the office’s major projects including the very first glass staircase for Joseph, London and Miles Stairs at Somerset House. He was responsible for this project from inception to completion. Organised by the Somerset House in collaboration with the Czech Centre. With thanks to Eva Jiricna and AI Design.

Part of an accompanying programme of Eva Jiricna’s ongoing retrospective exhibition at the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art in Prague, Czech Republic.

Eva Jiricna masterclass Boundaries without Boundaries takes place on 6 June at the Czech Embassy Cinema at 7pm. https://www.londonfestivalofarchitecture.org/event/eva-jiricna-boundaries-without-boundaries/