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

Architect Vaughn McQuarrie explains key design choices for an industrial Waiheke home, focusing on a spiral staircase that became a central sculptural element. The decision to use unpainted plaster instead of steel or black paint helped soften the home's edgy aesthetic.

Other features include digging the house into the slope to avoid a deck balustrade and using enormous, unsplit windows. This lightens the structure inside and out by creating a suspended floor effect without heavy window heads.