Blum House Ladder
The current occupants of modernist architect, Sigmund Blum’s private residence approached their new home with some BIG ideas.
As is often the case when moving into a fifty year-old house, updates are needed. Up for the challenge, the young couple worked with a local architecture firm to reimagine various rooms and features of the home. Through this collaboration, a 16′ high solid maple bookshelf was commissioned for the two story sitting room at the back of the house. In order to make the most of this enormous shelving unit, the architecture firm suggested the addition of a rolling library ladder….and left it at that.
When we were initially approached about the project we had our hesitations. From experience, we’ve learned that any time a project has moving parts, the challenges start to compound. We began to research various types of rolling ladders and determined that a hybrid system with rollers at the top and feet at the bottom would be the way to go.
Due to the ladder’s substantial height we wanted to ensure ample footing and opted for a ship ladder style rung and handrail rather than a round one. The wooden rungs provide a warmer feel for the foot, and are made of the same soft maple as the adjacent shelf to create a cohesive look.
The addition of the hand rail not only provided safety while climbing to the top of the bookcase but also acted as a truss which drastically stiffened the entire weldment and ensured a greater sense of stability.
As part of the hybrid system, the ladder needed to include rollers which hung on a rail. We engineered, prototyped, and fabricated this system in house to ensure that the pieces were built rigidly enough to support the oversized ladder.
As an extra safety feature we included a smaller bottom roller which slides up and captures the rail to ensure the ladder can’t be detached unintentionally. The entire roller assembly was designed to telescope so that it could be stowed flat against the wall when not in use.
The final look of the ladder is ultimately the coalescence of the many requirements that were considered when designing it. Our goal was to add playful detailing when possible within these parameters, but not too much to distract from the beautiful room in which it would ultimately live. Initial reservations aside, we’re appreciative to our clients who trust us to design and build ambitious projects the right way.
