Who We Are
Based in Seattle, Coriolis is led by Shawn Christman, a master craftsman who began as a wood turner and never stopped chasing the elegance of movement. Since 1978, he has built museum-grade staircases across three continents, with extensive work throughout Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest. A former president of the Stairbuilders and Manufacturers Association, Shawn also holds Architectural Educator Credentials with the AIA, where he leads continuing education sessions for architecture firms across the country in the stair design category.
At Coriolis, we approach the stair early and integrate it deeply. Architecture, structure, ergonomics, and code are resolved with the same respect we give to proportion and line. Clients bring us in for our judgment and solutions.
Services
Commercial and Residential Stair Design
This can involve one or several of the following components, and is frequently the main reason clients reach out to us for support:
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Stair Code Interpretation and Compliance
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From Concept to 3D Model and Drawings Ready for Approval
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Structural Engineering and Testing
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Ergonomics, Comfort, and Safety
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Fitting a Legal Staircase in Your Space
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Wreath Work (i.e. Compound Twist Rail or Stringer Design and Execution)
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Glass Handrails (i.e. Shaped and Profiled Handrails Crafted from Glass, not flat panels)
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Glass Treads and Glass Illumination
If these describe your challenges, or if you have difficulty finding the right words to describe your challenges, in all likelihood we can help.
Consulting
Finding a competent stair builder is difficult. Finding one who will actually talk to you is rarer. Finding someone with the availability, skill, and range to execute a truly custom staircase is nearly impossible.
If Coriolis cannot take on your project within your timeline, we do not leave you stranded. We connect you directly to the best stair builders in the country.
As former President of the Stairbuilders and Manufacturers Association, Shawn is deeply embedded in the industry. He knows who excels at what, who operates at the highest level, and who can be trusted to deliver. When he calls, they answer.
Glass Stairs
Glass introduces light as a structural and experiential element. At Coriolis, glass stair systems are designed to feel suspended rather than imposed, allowing light to pass through, gather, and shift throughout the day.
Each stair is the result of careful coordination between engineering, fabrication, code, and craft. Treads, handrails, and illumination are integrated as a single system, balancing transparency with strength, and visual clarity with tactile assurance. The goal is not spectacle, but calm confidence, stairs that feel intuitive underfoot and quietly transformative in space.
When executed well, a glass stair does more than connect levels. It alters how space is perceived and how movement is experienced, floating on light while remaining firmly grounded in structure.
Wood Turning
The origin of Coriolis’ craft, where the discipline of the lathe meets precision, proportion, and touch. Balusters and caps are shaped to be read by the hand as much as the eye, with comfort and continuity guiding every decision.
Our turning work ranges from details as small as a pearl to columns defining a monumental entry, encompassing components from one-eighth of an inch to more than twenty-four feet in length, with diameters reaching five feet. This range demands fluency across scale, species, grain behavior, and structural intent.
That fluency shows itself in clean transitions, consistent profiles, and work that holds its line and character over time.
Where We Work
Coriolis operates from Seattle, a city defined by creativity, precision, and design integrity. Our work spans the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, and Alaska, with select commissions across the United States, Europe, and Asia. Whether the project is a waterfront estate, a historic renovation, or a destination property abroad, our approach remains the same — to build staircases that belong to their space, their architecture, and their story.
Our Philosphy
Behind every staircase is the belief that beauty has the power to lift us.
