Wehrturm Kaiserpfalz, Gelnhausen

New Building, Roof

Owner: Land Hessen
Architect: Pahl + Weber-Pahl, Darmstadt

Performance: Structural Design, Facade Design
Work Phases: 1-6
Total Area: 85 m² Glasfläche

Completion: 2008

In order to protect the ancient fortified tower of the imperial palace and organize the visitors tour through the complex a staircase has been inserted into the ruin and the thus created panorama platform protected with an overhead glazing. The supporting structure of the suspended staircase consists of four layers positioned one above the other. Stairs and halfpaces are suspended from the central vertical steel plate that is also the lateral wall of the staircase. The entire construction is made of all-weather steel whereas the walkable areas are made of oak. Point supported glas panels form the weather protection that is posed upon the cope. Stainless steel cable are clamped into a rigid steel frame and thus create a netword on which the brackets for the glas panels are mounted.