Meticulous glass installation at Hotel Königshof in Munich city centre
Heavydrive ensures accurate implementation in accordance with demanding site specifications
The historic luxury Königshof hotel on Karlsplatz in Munich (Germany) was demolished and then rebuilt. The façade elements, weighing up to 950 kilograms (2094.3 lbs), had to be installed all around the ground floor under extremely difficult conditions. The construction site presented hugely demanding logistical and material-handling challenges. Heavydrive designed a customised transport and installation concept for this very project.
The extremely restricted working area presented a particular challenge, with just 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) separating the site from the neighbouring building. Careful consideration also had to be given to the sensitive areas surrounding the hotel. At the front was a busy pedestrian zone, and at the rear the entrance to the underground car park.
Another challenge was the extremely delicate light-coloured natural stone paving, which was highly susceptible to abrasion and point loads, meaning that the team were unable to drive lorries over the area in front of the hotel. Regardless, the heavy glass elements had to be moved safely and installed with precision, without damaging the underlying surface or putting materials or employees at risk.
"It was clear from the site visit in March 2024 that the delicate paving would call for a customised solution. The MRK 158.0, equipped with white, non-marking tracks, allowed the glass elements to be precisely transported and installed while protecting the floor," explains Günter Übelacker, Managing Director.
The panes were first transported carefully across the paved area using the HDL 1000 glass transport cart before being lifted into position by the assembly crane. This meant that there was no need whatsoever for heavy vehicles to travel on the ground. The combination of glass robots, a vacuum suction system and carefully coordinated scheduling made it possible to handle the elements safely, even in the confines of the city centre.
The project, handled on behalf of Schindler Fenster + Fassaden GmbH and glass supplier Saint-Gobain Glass, went like clockwork and was completed within two days without any damage to either the paving or the glass. The Königshof Hotel project is clear proof that even complex glass installations in sensitive environments can be carried out reliably with the right technical approach and early planning.
The renowned Königshof Hotel was owned by the Geisel family from 1938 to 2021. In 2019, the original building was demolished and rebuilt to a design by the Spanish architects Fuensanta Nieto and Enrique Sobejano. The modern building has nine storeys and features a curtained façade. In 2024, the 5-star hotel reopened under the Marriott brand "The Luxury Collection".
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