12/15/2009
Barney’s New York
Well the Holiday Season is upon us and when shopping downtown I make every excuse possible to tour through Barney’s. In full disclosure we made their stair and it makes me proud and happy to see it surrounded by what I can only describe as some of the greatest seasonal displays in the Pacific Northwest. Their displays always make you think a little and no matter how campy or over-the-top they may initially seem to be – the sum always seems to end up being more than that – it is retail magic!
The rustic and developing patina of the reclaimed pine flooring provides a warm glow and softness to the 12,500 pounds of steel and glass that make up this stair. I am especially fond of the view entering off the street through the cosmetics department and looking up through the store. The stair invites one to approach. This finished view is in strong contrast to the one in my memory at approximately 3:30 am as we lifted the stair sections into position. The space (once a Pottery Barn) was gutted and all that was left was the structural concrete and steel structure in a stage of demolition and re-configuring with exposed twisted re-bar and a heavy dust (unlike any other I have experienced) that coated everything. It looked more like a set for a Heavy Metal music video than one for one of the Nations premier retailers.
Our stair could not be lifted by standard equipment that one would normally use due to the structural limitations of the floor, so we had to use a concert of over a dozen chain hoists connected to substantial structure in the ceiling 40 feet above. It was like the Cirque du Soleil for steel – everything moving into position – directed and executed with extraordinary talent and unfortunately poor lighting.
While we have successfully completed many commercial projects – this one has some of the strongest memories for me.
Happy Holidays,
David Shuler – Sales Manager – Seattle Stair & Design
