20
SOLUTIONS
The engineering behind the construction of a wall is complicated. If the wall
is made of crystal glass and is supported on one side only, then the situation
is even more complex. The metal structure that holds up Tile is recessed
into the ceiling in order to give the impression that the glass curtain is
suspended in the air and could resemble a waterfall flowing from the sky.
The significant dimensions of the chandelier, exactly 8 meters high by
4.5 meters wide, mean that its weight had to be carefully taken into
consideration. From an engineering point of view, the ceiling had to support
more than 700 kilograms of glasses. In the same way, the structure of
the lamp had to hold the weight as well. For this reason, the project was
slightly modified. Each glass is normally supported by 4 steel cables,
however, 4 additional steel cables were added in order to face the weight
issue. This solution improved the solidity of the chandelier and thanks to the
smart design of the glass that conceals the cables, the overall appearance
remained intact.
Finally, one more aspect had to be
considered. The lobby is the most visited
part of the hotel, for instance all guests
walk by this area with their suitcases.
This particular location makes a glass
structure an easy target for incidents
and careless behaviour, turning it into a
potentially dangerous element. Despite the
height and the weight of the structure, the
chandelier was not fastened at the bottom
in order to allow for greater flexibility and
avoid tension when the structure is hit.
This ensures that the glasses swing freely
without causing pressure to the structure
which otherwise could be subject to
damages.
WORKS 6 | PLAZA HOTEL
