CONCRETE COSMETICS ON A SPIRAL STAIRCASE MADE OF EXPOSED CONCRETE

CONCRETE COSMETICS ON A SPIRAL STAIRCASE MADE OF EXPOSED CONCRETE
In the skyscraper at 56 Leonard Street, also known as the Jenga Building or Jenga Tower, Strotmann & Partner applied concrete cosmetics to a spiral staircase and several columns.

Location:

New York, Manhattan, 56 Leonard Street

Object:

Leonard Tower

Architect:

Herzog & de Meuron Architects
Bottom view of the spiral staircase before the concrete cosmetics. There was dissatisfaction with the colour scheme, which was perceived as too dark at the bottom and too light at the top.
Bottom view of the spiral staircase after concrete cosmetics. At the client's request, the underside was colour-matched to the side walls of the staircase. By applying several glazes in different shades of grey, it was possible to reproduce a lively concrete structure.
Top of the concrete balustrade of the spiral staircase before concrete cosmetics. The surface is very rough, the edges irregular and the appearance resembles roughcast instead of exposed concrete.
Top of the concrete balustrade of the spiral staircase after concrete cosmetics. The surface was smoothed with fine filler and the edges reprofiled. The appearance was then imitated by applying several glazes using a special application technique.
Exposed concrete wall with recess before concrete cosmetics. The gravel nests as well as the frayed, blurred edges of the recess are undesirable.
Exposed concrete wall with recess after concrete cosmetics. The gravel nests were closed at the level of the original surface and visually adapted to the surroundings

View more projects