Stringer stairs in monumental design | Max Delbrück Center

2017, Berlin

Berlin Staab Architekten turned to the renowned METALLART Treppen GmbH from Baden-Württemberg for the design of the stringer stairs in the Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB) of the Max Delbrück Center (MDC). This collaboration resulted in an impressive staircase that is not only functional, but also a true work of art.

A prime example of innovative craftsmanship

The stringer stairs with parapet-high steel stringers connect all five floors of the newly built Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in Berlin. The oval openings of the respective concrete ceilings, which presented a challenge during the 3D measurement, are offset from each other so that a continuous view up to the top floor is denied. Instead, the view falls on the technically demanding intricacies of the stringer stairs. The continuous vertical flights of stairs between the individual storey ceilings are self-supporting and give the stringer stairs their sculptural character.

Insights

Project details

The stringer stairs are complemented by the horizontal balustrade stringers on the elliptical ceiling edges. But it is not just the unusual design that is impressive: the tangential design of the component connections on rounded or curved surfaces also creates a flowing overall impression of the stringer stairs.

¾-spiral
115 rises without intermediate landings
Production of stringer stairs in accordance with DIN 18065
Flight width 1,380 mm
Floor height approx. 4,000 mm

Accuracy was required in the step construction, as the protrusion from tread to riser was only 2 mm. Another challenge was the uniform design of the chamfer across the entire width of the step. A round tube handrail is curved upwards in accordance with the stair geometry and is connected to the outer stringer.

As the entire construction could not be lifted or driven into the building in one piece, the fitters divided the stringer stairs into four transportable segments per floor. On site, the specialists from Salach assembled the stringer stairs, including the balustrades, from bottom to top. A mini crane was used, which could be extended up to the 3rd floor. The installations from the 3rd to the 5th floor, on the other hand, were erected by the staircase experts using a specially developed mobile lifting construction. To ensure an even appearance and a homogeneous look, all joints were sanded clean, filled and primed.

Other services included the calculation and preparation of a verifiable structural analysis as well as the vibration analysis for the stringer stairs.