Adding Circular Stairs

You can add circular stairs to a building model.

See Also
Creating a Mass
Activating a Story

Context: Circular stairs do not have vertical central columns to support the structures. As a result, circular stairs can have good visibility from one story to the next. They often are used as focal points and when the stair space is limited.

  1. Before you begin:
    1. Create a mass with two or more stories.
    2. Activate the story where you want to locate the bottom of the circular stairs.
  2. From the Building section of the action bar, click Circular Stairs .
  3. In the 3D area:
    1. Drag the circular stairs to the desired location.
    2. Use the Robot at the bottom of the stairs to position the stairs and to change the orientation of the stairs.

      Note: To increase the visibility, zoom to the stairs.

    3. To adjust the curved stairs height, drag the Height handle.

      Alternatively, enter the height in the top value box.

  4. To change the elevation for the bottom of the circular stair, in the Circular Stair dialog box, in Starting Story, select a story.
  5. To change the tread width, in the Circular Stair dialog box, from the stair option list.
    1. Click Stair Width .
    2. In the 3D area, in the bottom value box, enter the tread width or drag the handle to the desired width.
  6. To change the unit run, that is, the tread depth, from the step option list:

    The unit run is measured along the path a travel. The path of travel is offset a specified distance from the inner radius of the stair. This path of travel offset distance is specified Buildings tab, which you can access from the top bar by selecting Me > Preferences.

    1. Click Unit Run .
    2. In the 3D area, in the bottom value box, enter the tread depth (tread width without the nosing) or drag the Unit Run handle to the desired tread depth.
  7. To change the nosing, that is, the overhang on the front part of the tread, from the step option list:
    1. Click Unit Run .
    2. In the dialog box, in Nosing, enter the nosing distance.
  8. To change the total number of risers, that is, the number of steps, from the stair options list:
    1. Click Number of Risers .
    2. In the 3D area bottom value box, enter the number of risers.
  9. To choose the stair type, in the dialog box, from the stair option list, click Stair Type and select from Stair Type:
    OptionDescription/Action
    Solid Cast stairs.

    To specify waist thickness, that is, the slab thickness of a flight of stairs at its narrowest point:

    1. Select the Waist Thickness check box.
    2. Enter the Waist Thickness.
    Tread and Riser Built with stair treads, risers, and other stair parts.

    Enter:

    1. Tread Thickness.
    2. Riser Thickness.
      Tip: For open risers, set Riser Thickness to 0.
  10. To change the stair orientation, click either:
    • Clockwise .
    • Counterclockwise .
  11. Click .

The building includes the circular stairs. In the tree, the system lists the circular stairs in Shell and Core.

You can now add one or more landings to the circular stairs.