Tconrtainunedsfrfoom rpamge 7i3ng Tradition
Knightsbridge Lift, London
2
The creators of the “tallest self-sup- which hides the machinery when not stacked glass before, is its circular ge-
porting glass structure in the world”el- being used.
ometry.This means that the stiffness of
evated design to meet functionality at
“We needed to bring as much light the glass is much higher than normal
an 8-story home in London’s Knights- down as possible, so maximum trans- flat glass,” says Vasilchenko-Malishev.
parency was required. Light also “The geometry helped us to make the
Tim Flynn Architects, based in Lon- refracts from the glass surface and glass as slender as possible. Curving
don, wanted to create a glass elevator bounces off at lower levels,” says Gen- glass panels of that size and shape (un-
through the central core of the home’s nady Vasilchenko-Malishev, director, rolled surfaces were rhomboid shape)
spiral staircase that would be structur- Malishev Engineers. “[Glass] works was a major challenge.Lamination was
ally independent. Malishev Engineers a bit like a light conduit. In addition, another major issue.”
of Bath, England was the structural structural glass in compression is one
engineer for the project. The firm was of the most efficient materials based on the project shows architects potentially
chosen based on its previous experi- the ratio of its stiffness and mass.”
bridge district.
According to Vasilchenko-Malishev,
simpler and more elegant ways to de-
ence on a similar project, the Bolton’s
A cylindrical rooftop structure al- sign enclosures. He says the glass man-
Place glass elevator,completed in 2006. lows for the removal and replacement ufacturers and installers were pushed to
The Knightsbridge lift design fea- of glass if necessary. The glass was in- their limits during the year-long project,
tures 28 meters of curved, laminated stalled through the operable roof light, which was completed in March 2016. s
glass with a 1.4-meter diameter sup- and none of the panels were
plied by Glass UK. The structure’s damaged during the process.
weight is supported by a concrete slab
at the bottom of the shaft.
Despite the thoughtful design,
the team faced some difficulties
J o r d a n S c o t t is an
editorial assistant of USGlass
magazine. She can be
A cantilevered steel handrail wraps due to the small, round space en-
around the lift, acting as a splice joint circling the staircase.
reached at jscott@glass.com.
between glass panels on each floor.The
“What’s different in this proj-
elevator is driven by a single stage ram, ect, as we have done vertically
74
USGlass, Metal & Glazing | September 2017
www.usglassmag.com