Heavydrive rail system for glazing the EUREF-Campus in Berlin

EUREF-Consulting redesigned the culturally protected gasometer in Berlin Schöneberg to create a modern office building and event venue. As part of the process, the almost 80 metre (262 ft) high steel cylinder got a glass façade. The glazing was accomplished using a rail system from Heavydrive.

The round gasometer's extremely large diameter presented a real challenge. Heavydrive develops individually curved rails to suit the construction project concerned. But because the order from FKN in Neuenstein was received on 2 January 2023 and the rail system had to be delivered by 24 January, bevelled straight rail sections with a length of approximately 20 metres (65.6 ft) were made for the project. As soon as one section had been glazed, the rail system was removed and attached again to the next one.

The Heavydrive HSS 600 rail system has a load capacity of 1000 kilos (2205 lbs). The VSG 600 K vacuum suction system was guided in the rail by an MKZ 1000-30 chain hoist. Thanks to the pivot-mounted wagon, it was possible to safely roll the glass elements weighing 600 kilos (1323 lbs) around the corners with just a small offset angle and insert them. "We supply specific rail systems, as well as separate components and spare parts for existing rail systems, to customers all over the world. International companies from the industrial and installation sectors use our complete solutions because of our long-standing expertise and the flexible systems that precisely match the project at hand", explains Günter Übelacker, Managing Director of Heavydrive.

The new EUREF-Campus consists of an 8000 square metre (86111 sq ft) conference area at the foot of the gasometer and an office building covering around 20000 square metres (215278 sq ft) of space starting at a height of around 16 metres (52.5 ft). The highest floors boast a Skylounge with terrace open to the public. The culturally protected low-pressure gas tank, called Schöneberg IV, was renovated step by step from 2011. Construction of the new EUREF-Campus started in 2021.

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