glass stabilized stairs - Pittem

Pharmacy Vermeulen - Vanhecke at Pittem made an eye-catcher of the interior stairway. The architect designed a minimalistic steel structure with glass panes point-connected to the steps serving as parapets.

At vitroplena we engineered the stairway as a system in which the glass and steel collaborates. As a result, the amount of steel was significantly decreased and the main stiffness of the stairway is attributed to the glass panes, which connect several steps creating a more stiff behaviour. 

Performing engineering in 3D and accounting for system action provide significant benefits for material optimisation as well as the overall esthetics of structures!