Here’s why a spiral staircase was the perfect addition to this edgy house

Architect Vaughn McQuarrie reveals the design choices behind an edgy, industrial Waiheke home.

A key feature is the spiral staircase. Initially planned as steel, the final unpainted plaster finish was chosen to soften the home’s aesthetic and serve as a sculptural element.

Other clever details include setting the house into the slope to avoid needing a deck balustrade, and using enormous, unsplit windows to create a lighter, more suspended feeling both inside and out.