Name:  De-Coding the Loretto Mystery “The Miracle Staircase”

Mastering the Carved-Newel Stringer: From Classical Stereotomy to the Loretto Staircase
Instructor: Patrick Moore
Skill Level: Intermediate
Prerequisites: Some power tool, hand tool, and drafting experience encouraged. Please reach out if you have any questions regarding prerequisites. 

Format: 7-Day in-person course

Date: February 15th to 21st, 2027

Class Description:

For over a century, visitors to the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, have marveled at its famous 1878 “Miraculous Staircase”- a 20-foot spiral that completes two full 360-degree turns with no central column, no wall support, and invisible structural joinery. While legend calls it a mystery, master carpenters and stair builders know it as a triumph of wood stereotomy (stéréotomie du bois) and structural stringer design. The secret to making a staircase float without vertical posts lies in the strength and precision of the inner and outer curved stringers acting as interconnected helical arches.

In this hands-on workshop, you will demystify post-less stair design by building the most demanding element of a geometrical staircase: the carved-newel stringer foot (limon à noyaux débillardés). You will learn how a horizontal plan-view spiral (volute de limon) transitions through a rising 3D easement (crosse de limon) and sweeps upward into an inclined helical carriage (limon débillardé) over a rounded starting step (marche de départ).

Instead of modern steam-bent laminations, you will execute this classic transition using traditional solid wood pitch blocks. You will master the stereotomy required to plot the 3D twist, carve the compound easement (débillardement), and lock the assemblies together using traditional bolted hooked joints (coupes à crochet boulonnées)—the same class of concealed, high tensile joinery that gives free standing helical stairs their astounding strength.

What you’ll learn:

• Stereotomy in Stair Layout- Laying out the horizontal spiral of the volute de limon in plan view, projecting the rising easement curve of the crosse de limon, and generating developed development templates for the transition blocks.
• Pitch Block Preparation- Selecting, grain-aligning, and laminating solid wood blocks to form the raw compound block required for 3D shaping.
• Bolted Hooked Joinery (Coupes à Crochet Boulonnées)- Laying Out, cutting, and fitting traditional hooked scarf joints equipped with internal tension bolts to draw curved stringer segments tightly together under load.
• 3D Sculpting and Carving (Débillardement)- Executing the compound 3D twist using gouges, rasps, spokeshaves, and shaping tools to hollow out and carve a smooth, continuous sweep from the horizonal floor line to the rising flight pitch.
• Assembly and Step Integration- Fitting the finished crosse de limon and scroll neatly over the curtail starting step (marche de depart) and setting up the rising balustrade lines.

We will be building scale models in this, not a full sized staircase. Please see photos for a better idea of what you will be taking home. If you have any questions about the project please reach out before registering. 

What you’ll need:

You can bring these tools or you can borrow the school’s limited supply. If you have any questions about required tools please reach out beforehand.

• Notepad and pencil or pen for taking notes
• Set of sharpened bench chisels
• Mallet
• Fine Tooth Saw
• Eraser and eraser guide
• 3′ or 100cm clear plastic metric ruler
  • Recommended- By Blundell Harling
• Large drafting triangle
  • Recommended- 16″ or 18″ by Pacific Arc
• Exacto or marking knife
• Small metal square
  • Recommended- Veritas Precision Square
• Extra large drafting compass with lead
  • Recommended- 16″ Compass with Pencil Holder
• Combination square
• 0.3mm mechanical pencil with extra 2H lead
• Block Plane
• Extra long course rasp
  • Recommended- Shinto Saw Rasp with Fixed Handle
• Safety glasses and hearing protectioin
• Fine tip (0.3mm) colored markers
  • Recommended- Set of 10 by Steadler

Students may also find the following optional tools useful:

• Bench brush
• Magnifocuser

Austin School of Furniture has the right to cancel this class at anytime if the minimum amount of students is not reached.

See our Refund Policy here